Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-04-18
1srrERs FRoH rHr P1OP1R.
The school Question.

Editor Star:-I am very glad to see that the
management OF our schools is becoming 80 gen.
change for the better In several respects. /
look upon our common schools as one OF the
most important OF all our institutlons-the very
not only is ignorance the mother Of crime but
II i Is also 1ne ioundation on which demagogue-
sm paid Sd ana noolshes But to leave gene,
to say that In my opinion there Is altogether
too much cramming-a constant sacrifice OF the
useful TOT the ornamental in our schools: The
puDnc schooI was never designed to give an
academic or collegiate education, but simply to
fmpart to all knowledge of the documentary
prnciRles br plain, practical knowledge Of the
Ia the everyday affairs Of life In order to quail
ny Inc mass, as lar as possible to obtain an Or
h on sn n'emn0oo; ana especially should this
permanent school fund, and where it is with
the utmost difficulty that we can raise enough
i means H.. 10 mouse the children and teach tne
lower branches. And the same Is true Of the
schO0l houses. There has been altogether too
much spent on few big houses and in orna-
mentation. 1t would have been far better to
nave built smaller houses and more OF them,
ior three reasons: list, the children would
have much less distance to 20 In storm aud
suns d "a the danger 1 in case of fire or
OF the spread Of contagious diseases in the
school would be lessened, as also the objection
OF foul air, &C, In the school rooms. / was very
glad to see THE STAR speak out on this p01lt
recently. I am not opposed to graded or high
schools, in all cases where they can be afrorded:
but in this, as In all other matters, we Should
first secure the necessities OF life, and omit the
uXurtes, until we can afford them; and we GER
ainly cannot afford them In the present condi-
ion Of affairs iii this District, nor until Con-
gress will do It's duty, and provide school fdnd
Tor the District, aS 1t has for the states. The
system OF having the children taught at home,
and merely recite at school, is all wrong, and
grows out OF the attempt OF crowding and cram.
ming to which / have referred have three
children attending the public schools, and
large share OF the time OF myself and others In
the family is occupied evenings 1nstructing
these children In their lessons. When / ASKED
them why the teacher did not explain their les
SoDs their reply was that they were required to
study these lessons at home, and that II they
did lot present them all worked out at reclta-
ton they would be reprtmanded, and get de-
merit marks. think this all wrong. A teacher
should teach, not merely hear Rotations. That
IS what they are supposed to do, and what they
should do. II the number OF lessons or branches
is too great to admit of their teaching them
thoroughly, then the number should be les
sened. The effort seems to be to have the
children spend their time mainly In pre-
pairing written exercises for exhibition, and
to make voluninous display at the
school examinations. / have actually
furnished paper by the ream during the past
winter for this purpose. l have taught school
myself, and know from experience that CON-
petent teacher, with elementary text books and
black board, can impart more real knowledge
Of the principles OF any branch of study by
thorough practical teaching and illustration
orally than by any such system of written ex-
amples. The one fixes the principles firmly ln
the mind and shows how to apply those prin
ciples practically, while the other is a mere
ot-Itke repetition Or copying. without know
ing the why or the wherefore OF doing thus and
So and Is Of but little practical utility in after
life. For these defects l think the board is
much more TO blame than the teachers, as the
former prescribe the course Of studies and the
method OF teaching or OF conducting the schools
AS an example OF the defective teaching, want
to call attention specially to the neglect in
having the children syllable their words Ia
spelling. The result of this is, that while they
know how to put together the letters that form
word, they do not know, When that Is DONE
how TO pronounce the word, and hence, when
they attempt to read, they are constantly
Obliged to stop and ask what the word Is. There
Is not particle Of sense or reason in such work;
and yet when l ask my children why they do
not pronounce the syllables as they go along 10
spelling q word, their answer is my teacher
will not let me. I do not know whether it Is the
teachers or the school board who are responsible
ror this, but whichever it Is 1t is clear That it Is
all wrong. Children should be taught to pro-
nounce the SyllableS as they are spelled, and
then they with never be at loss to know how
70 pronounce the word wherever and whenever
they see 1t. am aStOnished that such q prac-
lice Is tolerated by any one, either teacher or
board. Let us have reform In this and other
matters. CIrIZRN