Mexico weekly ledger., 1879-02-20
EDITOR.

EDUCATIONAL DEPAHTWENT,
PROF. JOHN P. GAss, EDITOR.
Penmanship i'm Public Schools.
The method adopted in large, grad
ed city schools must be entirely diff
ferent from that of ungraded country
schools. In the former, a well-grad-
ed series of headline copy-books
should be adopted and written in reg
uiar order of advancement. All pu-
pills in the anne room should use the
same grade of book, and write the
same copy at the same time.
Ungraded schools. where the teach
e r has under his supervision pupils
ranging from the primer classes up to
candidates for teachers certificates,
present q problem far more difficult
OF solution. Such schools may adj
vantageously, be divided into three
writing classes. Those learning the
formation of. letters should be- put in
q class by themselves, and required
to write on states at a special time
set apart for their lesson. An arith-
metic class, or sone other that will
not require individual attention, may
be attended to at the same time.
The rest of the school should be
graded in two classes-junior and
senior. Pass around slips of paper,
dictate a sentence to be written on
it, with name of pupil and date.
Examine the work, and place the
poorest writers in the junior class,
and the best in the senior. Select
such number of copy-book for each
class as is best adapted to the great
est number of pupils in it.
While distributing and collecting
books, pens, ETC., teaching position,
penholdlng, and practicing movement
exercises, the two classes may be in
structed together but when the regu-
lar copy is taught, each class must,
&c far IS black. board instruction is
concerned, be proceeded with sepa-
rately. The copy for the junior class
should be explained on the black
board first, and senior pupils requir-
ed to give their attention to it, and
10 answer any questions that cannot
be answered by the juniors. Tue
Junior lesson will thus serve as a re-
view for the senior class. After the
junior copy has been explained and
the class instructed how to practice
it, explain the copy to the senior
class, aud after they have been start
ed at writing, proceed to inspect
the work of the juniors, and after
pointing out the errors they are RUM
ing into, give attention to the senior
class, and thus proceed, keeping both
classes engaged at the same time.
Good penmanship is the combined
result OF a cultivated eye to perceive
the proper form and relations of let
tiers, a cultivated taste in selecting
and arranging them, and a careful
training OF the hand and muscles OF
the arm in order to bring them UNI
der the direction of the will. No
well-devised scheme, no newly-in-
vented system, no successful teacher
can accomplish this end. 1t must be
done by earnest, well-directed appli-
cation on the part of the pupil. The
way cannot be found by a shorter
road than the right one, and the teach
er who a simplify the communion
ton of knowledge, point out the many
stumbling-blocks, remove the obsta-
Giles which impede progress, and in
spire an interest and enthusiasm in
his pupils, does all that the best sys-
tenn can effect.
The teacher should make special
preparation for each lesson. He
must himself know what is to be done,
and how to do it. The best way to
learn this is to take the book the pu-
pills are to use, and write the copies
owe in advance of them, studying
the directions and explanations on
the cover at the same time. A lively
appreciation will thus be obtained of
the minute points requiring attention,
the best means of overcoming obsta-
Giles in the way learned, and the ex-
ercise will not only prepare the teach
er for his work, but will improve his
own penmanship.
When DIR. Arnold, OF Rugby, was
asked why he always studied at night
the lessons already familiar to him,
which he was to teach next day, he
replied: "Because L prefer that my
pupils should drink from a running
brook rather than from a stagnant
pool"
The primary object Of the teacher
should he to train the hand to obey
the will, sc that whatever form is fix
ed upon the mind may be readily re-
produced by the hand. This train
ing can be accomplished most easily
by teaching thoroughly penholding,
position, and The several movements
already described, and then giving
such exercises as will lead to their
speedy attainment. When an engra-
yer takes an apprentice, he first teach
Ct him how to hold and use the i'm
plements of his art. He then trains
him till he can use them with some
degree Of dexterity, SO that, when
work is given him that requires skill
and care, he may not have to think
of the manner of holding and using
his tools. So it should be in writing
position, movement, and ease
should be of first importance. Blu
as the mechanic, though skillful il
the use of his tools, must also have {
perfect idea Of the work that he is t.
do, so the pupil, though trained tt
the correct position and movement
must also have a complete knowledge
of the letters and forms to be written
To give the pupil a complete men
tai perception of the letters to b,
written, they should be analysed, 81
that he may know exactly what prin
ciples are used in their formation
whether lines are straight or curved
whether the curves are slight or in
tense. whether the lines unite in
turn or at a point, and whether tn
turns are broad or narrow.-Ex.