The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-08
THE PUBIC SCHOOLS.
Their Uses and Wanis--IIow to Effect tho
Purpose Designed,
NIrMnEn 'rIIpEE

Their Uses and Nvanis--Uow to EEfcct tho
Purpose Designed,
NUMBER THREE.
There are three facts which not only
show tho nature ofa part of the teach
cr's work, but also furnish q key to
his success.
First fact. The mind of child is,
and must necessarily be, interested in
SOWch'ny. What that something is,
, is OF no Importance to our present pur-
pose. Whether the excellence Of that
something is real or imaginary, mat
tcrs not. Some excellence is supposed
at least to exist.
Second fact. This object Of interest,
love or affection cXefis power in
moulding the mind inst in proportion
to the intensity and duration Of that
interest. For, regarding that object as
standard Of excellence, he condemns
! everything unlike it, and approves
everything that resembles it. Whcth-
cr the object tends to vice and i'm
morality, or to virtue and honor, mat
teTs not so far as its power over the
mind is concerned. If the interest be
sufficiently intense and continues for a
sufficient time, lis power to mould the
mind will be all the same. Now. if
the mind and charr" cr be ConIormCd
20 tho character OF any idoli3cd object
how important that the object
be one whose tendency is one to mould
in the direction of true excellence
Third frct. The mind can never be
! diverted from objects previously idol
| lied or OF previous interest, unless by
the presentation OF another, believed
to be still more excellent. n child can-
not become interested where there is
nothing to interest. If, therefore, you
would interest him YOU mnst make lin
sec something excellent in the object
presented. This transfer or divert
| ing the mind from one object to an0h
or. may be generally done either by
rendering The object of previous into:
est hateful, or by clothing the other il
, its most attractive .rm--snmctimes
both. The truth is. not only chiltrc,
but all Of us are inclined to conform Il
what we conceive to be Il standard OF
excellence, irrespective of its influence
upon us. Should II child enter school,
! having no interest in books and nc
love or desire for learning, there l.
no possible way ever To create thai
love or desire except by presenting
learning rs more attractive than any
other object upon which his mind Is
! placed. This may require time unt
patience, but in almost every case il
can be done. five can attract Il baut
Of five months from the bosom of il:
mother by IL gaudy toy, we may dt
the other. lftltis transfer orintcrcst il
not made, the child is lost, SO far Il.
learning is concerned, and the Longer
this transfer is delayed, the more dit
ticull it will be tomakc il. 1t is won
dartul how our interest in objects o
real or supposed excellence will moult
our minds. History is full of illustra
tions which need not mention.
seems to be q law ofour nature not t,
let go or transfer our affections for on
object Of interest, except for the SAX
ofanothcr conceived to be more excel
lent. So then in dealing with mind
the teacher, instead of proceeding i
uncertainty and. doubt, may proccc
in accordance with fixed and cs,aE
t lishcd laws. This view of apart Of tn
Concluded in next paper.
Is. e. CORIEy