The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1879-12-04
The Object of Teaching.

Ihe real OBJECT OF common school
training does not consist in memoriz-
ing rules and definitions in text books.
To pupils who have good memories
this. mechanical mode of acquiring
knowledge will be very easy and their
minds will become storehouses. But
mere knowledge in the head without
reason will not be of much benefit to
themselves or to any one else. 1t is
possible for pupils taught in this
manner to solve every problem in an
arithmetic and not understand one Of
them; to read every lesson in book
and not think of it at all. 1t must be
recollected that while our text books
are great helps to the teachers and
render it easy for the pupil to learn,
it also renders it easy to pass super
fcially over all instruction.
Pupils should be taught to seek to
know the object and reason of what
ever they do; if they cannot find out
by their own reflection then ask. The
teacher in giving instruction should
endeavor to bring his own mind to a
level with the pupils and in explain
ing difficult process to divide and
sub-divide it till his steps are so short
that the pupil can easily take them.
Is there any teacher or educated per-
son, who does not know much better
they retained knowledge where they
were compelled to think of it, than
when they retained it only from mem
ory? If pupils are induced to think
upon any given fact or problem so as
to fully understand it, there is no
memory equal to that memory.
The object Of teaching comprises
more than training the intellectual
powers While the teacher is engag-
ed at school in training these powers,
the other powers are at work also.
The pupils are acquiring habits of
feeling, as well as thinking. They
are becoming neat or slovenly, refined
or coarse. Every power is exercising
itself. Every susceptibility is drink
ing in influence; every capacity is
opening itself. They are moulded not
only by the things which are done in
the school-room, but by the manner
in which they are done. For the sake
of the pupils refinement the school
room ought to be arranged tastefully
and kept clean and neat. The teach
er's desk should be kept in order. Or
der there inculcates order throughout
the school-room. Disorder there
breaches disorder to every pupils desk.
There are many things that are neg
lected little and comparatively unim-
portant, but they are indices of char
acter and have an important influence
on the pupils in after life. 1t is
worth while to teach pupils in arith-
metic to make figures of correct and
tasteful form. The teachers work is
not done when he looks only to the
mathematical correctness of the work.
That pupil may some day fail to gain
an important and profitable situation
because he was not taught to set down
a column of figures neatly and give
to each a tasteful form It makes no
difference what branch Of knowledge
a pupil may be studying, he should be
taught that whatever is worth doing
at all is worth doing well, and will
cost but little more time and trouble
than slipshod performance of the
work which will lead him to acquire
and conform those habits OF Incidence
and carelessless to which even the
best of us are too prone Always
trying to infuse into the minds of
pupils that while the more immediate
and obvious object of education is to
fix them for occupying their natural
place in society, and discharging their
duties therein sn manner beneficial
to others and conducive to their own
earthly happiness. Still, education,
the improving of the talents commit
ted to their charge, ought to have a
far higher and holier aim, even the
training of the conscience, the purify
ing of the heart, hallowing of every
thought and feeling; in short fitting
them for their Eternal Home.
GEO. E. MORGAN.
Scioto, o., Nov, 1879.