The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1879-09-09

before, and caused BY ths indifference |
about study. The addition of two new
branches, compositi0n an6 6s6nitiosn 70
this bralch, bas made the course very
different. some teachers complain Of
being subjected 70 these examinations.
Others 20 chee, fully 70 work, snd when
they have not forced themselves into
teaching b, fore they were prepared, get
an exemption from all examination A.
ter two examinations.
INTERESTING PUPILS.
To teach successfully the pupils must
be interested and made 70 want to learn.
The teacher must be Z learner aud .
scholsr. must know how to influence the
Young mind aud ba able TO employ many
means and methods. The work Of the
teacher Il to get the children " want 10
study. The great necessity Of . good
school il intelligent parents aud teach
or Of proper attainments Of mind. A
great actuatiog cause Of study Is sense
Of duty owed to parents and teacher.
Where parent 10 illiterate the home in
fluences usually have more Of an unfAv-
orable than favorable result.
0ENKBAL REMARKS.
Our school rOomA are usually well
arranged. Flowers grow all the time in
suuae and ON the blackboard are draw
ing, map draWiagh tpr pupils 10
copy and ornamental designs. This
work is executed with nea ness and, in
some cases, skill. In the assembling
and dismissing. Of pupils and in their
movements during school hours discip-
line prevails. There his been great di-
versity with regard TO promptne q, ener-
~ and accuracy Of recitation among the
different classes. Some are excellent,
others are aim. ct too bad TO be tolerated.
some teachers hold the attention Of the
scholars 90 close that, they need OILY
ask q question once and can instantly
let it answered, individually or collect
lively as they may indicate. Others have
too little coutrol. The design in our
schools is to give pupils Of class In
siruction At once classification aids this
for pupils who do not heed wha, takes
place around them cannot recrive much
instruction in school. No teacher who
fails to hold attention Is fit to teach
| in . graded school To grant parents
the unreasonable request to instruct
scholars separately from the class, wo uld
| be to abandon the benefits Of classi3ca-
ton. There has been much less idle
ness among the pupils than formerly
every pupil must learn his lessons by
his own effort. To enforce this rule
each pupil must have q lesson he car
learn. Below the High school the time
of each class Is divided into periods Of
half an hour and these are divided al
ternately, into periods of recitation aud
study. Much skill and patti. mt work II
required to get the little children to copy
on their states properly, which is about
the first thing they d.. Since the train.
NJ school was open there has be- n ar
Improvement of slate-work in the prim
ary schools. The graduates of ti,ii
schoo, excel in using the blackboard II
teaching. Cheerful industry will pre-
vail in any grade when teac lers give pu
pils lessons they can learn. A stronl
evidehcs OF tho good condition Of ou
schools is the cheerful condition prevail
ing.
1t was not uncommon, three years ag'
to find tescherx writing up their report
or studying IN recitation time whel
they should have been teaching. Sucl
things did not occur often last year, AM
the CLERICAL work was done At othe
times. 1t is necessary for teacher tt
devote time to school matters outside o
school, for if they they do not get ready
| hoy consume too much recreatlo0 time
There are many points dwelt upon u
this connection, In the report that vii
be found to be valuable. In reRar1 t
the special preparation out OF school OF
part OF teachers there ha~ been an i'm
provement during the year.
There have been NO roll calls reporfe'
a. half-days of school The strong rea
son Tor continuing the lower school
beyond twelve o'clock is that the lon
session may be reported.
The report then deals with the differ
ent studies, and commencing with pen
mxnship, reports . great improvement
and uniformity Of all classes. The cUurs
in object teaching 10 briet but too man
teachers neglect 70 pay attention to thi
branch. Beading has received more q
ten,iOn than for any preceding year 10
long time. The work in the othe
branches has been prosecuted BY bot
teachers and pupils with perhaps NOR
fidelity and success than in any foimo
year. as,
conclusion am led again to gratefull
acknowledge the many words OF en-
couraRement and acts Of support rend
cred me By the members Of the Boar
and TO tbank the teachers for the exec
lent spirit in which they have receive
nv Official directions, and for the viii
, ing and effective service which they hav
Respectfully submitted,
DAvID W. HARLAN,
superintendent"