Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-10-18
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTMENT.
WM. ELDEN. Editor.
A Revolution.


devised by the Board of Supervisors of
boston, assisted by the Superintendent
OF Schools, and unanimously adopted by
the School Board And it seems. from
the notices of this movement by journ-
ais, that it is attracting considerable at
tentiOn. The following extract from an
item in the Boston Trareler, presents
the main features of the 'Program:"
''ln the primary schools instruction is to be
almost entirely oral. Scholars are to learn
from objects and from the teacher, instead Of
from books. In the grammar grade equally
important changes are indicated. Grammar
is abolished, at least in name, and the spelling
book goes with 1t: Language takes the place
or grammar. which means less Of technical
terms, and more attention to composition, let
ter writing &c.
Some writer has advanced the sensi-
BILE idea that the text book should not
be put into the child's hand under ten
years of age. Another says, that 'in-
struction through the medium of books
is teaching by proxy" Parents are the
most natural, and the most respon-
sible instructors Of their offspring,
especially in their earlier years, teach
ers are their agents or proxy, and the
printed page the teachers proxy.
The Ttuceler expresses fear, judg-
ing from past experiences, that this
movement may prove abortive, not from
any defect in the plan, but from the in
ability or indisposition of teachers to
carry it out. 1t evidently will require
much previous study, much experience,
tact and force Of character. That young
children recognize objects with interest,
IS apparent to every observer and are
eager to ascertain their qualities and
uses, and would continue to be so if
their desires were properly satisfied,
and their inquisitiveness not rebuffed
and ridiculed. Obviously, the teacher
must be an admirer of hoth human and
Divine art, and must duly y recognize the
genius and skill of the human work, as
well as those of the Supreme Architect.
From an extract in an educational jour
nal, we learn that in those schools, from
May to November, plants will be
studied by the little folks" Is it not
obvious that these might be studied
more successfully; in part, at least, in
the garden, in the field and in the for
est? and at the same time the various
and numberless insects that come across
their path, in which young children man
ifest deep interest. By the way, how
much might not parents and older chill
dred do in this direction From No
vember to May animals, trades, occupa-
tions, common phenomena, historical
and biographical stories, metals and
Now, unless we can have
menageric in the school-room, a geolog-
ical cabinet, Paris exhibition" and
manufacturing process, also, the most
perfect impression will not be made.
To be sure, pictures and other repre-
sentatives will be better than their abb
sence, but the contact of the senses with
objects, of course, makes the most cor
rect and lasting impression
| do not much favor vacations and
tours of pleasure, which teachers and
preachers so much crave. But | have
long been convinced that if an intelli-
gent parent or teacher would take half
dozen youth on board a railroad or
steamer, explain everything to them re-
specting those vehicles; stop at manu-
featuring town, let them witness and
have explained to them the process in
each establishment; go to commercial
metropolis, pursue the same process
there; visit the menagerie, museum,
courtroom, church, college, &C., these
boys, in one month, might gain more
useful knowledge by this process than
in scores of months in the school-room.
At the same time, he light learn much
of human nature, of phenomena and
history, and thus prepare the way for
rendering the study of geography and
history more interesting and beneficial.
1t may be urged by the parent that he
cannot afford the time and expense. In
answer, might not these six boys earn
enough during the scores of months to
cover all expenses?
An extract from an address by Prof.
Cooper, of Harvard, to class of stu
dents, which has just come to notice. in
reading the Science Monthly, seems to
be to the point on this subject. He
says: In order that the sciences should
be of value in our educational system,
they must be taught more from things
than from books, and never from books
without things. They must also be
taught by real, living teachers, who are
themselves interested in what they
teach and interested also in their pupils,
and understand how to direct them
Alright"
1t is obvious, also, that system and
thoroughness should be observed, and
not merely aimless ory-telling, or in
terlocutory exhibition. After express
ing similar idea, the same writer OBJ
serves: These studies thus become a
great evil, which | should be the first to
vote to abate The tone of mind is not
only not improved, but seriously impair
ed, and the best product is a superficial,
smattering smartness, which is the cry
ing evil, not only in our schools, but
also in our country OBSERVER.
four correspondent can hardly be
justified in saying that "a new feature
in the method of instruction in common
schools has been devised by the Board
of Supervisors of Boston, &c. All that
our correspondent looks upon as new in
the proposed methods of the Boston
schools, has been tried IN varying pro-
portions, and with greater of less sue
cess, in the schools of nearly all the cit
les and villages of our country and of
Europe. But wherever oral instruction
and object teaching have been made the
leading feature in the methods in any
save first primary schools, they have
soon been abandoned as impractical if
not illogical The schols are not so
much in want of new methods, or a re-
vival of old ones, as of competent
teachers to carry out the approved
methods of to-day. Object teaching.
oral instruction, and text books, the
spelling book and grammar not except
ed are all good if taken in due proper
ton, and at proper times. We are not
of those who think that in school meth
DDS, any more than elsewhere, we have
arrived at perfection, or that every step
taken in the past has been step in ad-
vance; much less one Of those unhappy
souls who think that the world is all
wrong, and nothing short of revolu-
tion will set it right.-ED.
A method of preserving fruit very
commonly practised in the rural dis
tricts of Hungary is strongly recon-