The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-05-01
TIE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Their Uses ana Wunts--yIOw to Effect tho
Purpose Designed.
NUMBER Two,

their efficiency?
l. A love for learning must be in
fused into the mind Of the child. n
mistake here may be fatal, and pro-
ducc sad results which may never be
corrected. Here the teacher has need
for sound Judgment, ripe experience
and knowledge Of tho human mind.
Children may bc Interested in almost
anything. TO interest them i'm books
is an important part of the teachers
work. And he who knows how to
make studies interesting to children,
is sure to be successful. One great
secret in doing this is to sec that the
child thoroughly understands what
ever he is learning; for if zee can see
no pleasure except in what is clearly
understood, how can q child2 Chill
drcn are easily Interested five know
what chord to touch. In one mind we
may touch ono chord, in another mind
another.
2. Again, they must be taught to
love learning for lcarning's sake, and
not merely for prize, not merely to
excel a class-matc, not merely toplcasc
father, mother or teacher, for when
such motives cease, tho vim will
diminish. But for the sake Of pos
scssing knowledge, for its pleasure and
utility-for its intrinsic excellence.
When a child has this love Of learning
for lcarning's sake, the Rubicon is
passed. 1t is a sad mistake to suppose
That almost any one may teach chill
drcn, and that one person irrespective
Of knowledge or experience may do
this about as well rs another. The
great difficulty is to teach not merely
to learn, but how to learn and why to
learn. This requires moro extensive
knowledge than is generally supposed.
The new school books adopted in this
State for teaching children to spell and
read, were written by three professors
in colleges, and are based upon their
kn owlcdgc Of the philosophy of the
human mind. AS simple as the books
are, they could not have been written
by any others than scholars. Had
All only child, and were deeply solicit
GUS concerning its education, [ should
expect tho first six months of it's school
life to mould in great degree its des-
tiny in this direction, and my caution
in selecting its teacher would be in
proportion to my solicitudc for its cdu-
cation.
8. Again, the love of learning must
be implanted early, or it never will be
with few exceptions. Couture is q
plant Of slow growth, and to be per-
mancnt must be planted carly, and not
stuck. like a bouquet into vase, for
its passing fragrance"
ii. The salary Of OH teachers should
be such as to command the services of
those capable of educating our chill
drcn in the true sense Of that word.
Our common schools are means to- an
end; and their efficiency lies entirely
i'll the adaptation Of the means to the
end.
l. The end in view shows the ncccs-
sity for the first order Of talents in our
teachers. Educalonis not properly
understood by the masses of our pco-
pic. What is it? DR.. Anderson.
President of the Rochester University,
New York COT whom DR.. G.. ID.
Boarlman said, 'I do not believe the
sun shines Oh q man in either hcmi-
sphere more fit to graduate young men
than hc,' and ofwhom another scholar
said, Gle is one Oft the most profound
thinkers on the American continent,w
defined tho word education in that
brilliant address of his recently made
TO that brilliant assembly of intellect,
the "NIanhattan' Social Union," in the
city of New York. DR.. A. said:
"What is education? 1t is simply the
formation of right moral and intel
lcctual habits through the Means of
organized knowledge. And this or
ganizcd knowledge must be caused to
pass through and through the minds
of our young men, over and over again
until those habits arc formed which
will adhere through their entire lives.
And in order to make these forms of
organized knowledge pass through
other minds, there must bo personal
contact of teacher and pupil. It is
not enough that thoughts he thrown
out tor others to accept. There must
be personal graphing Of mind with
mind. There must be real conflict
oNe"S VIII viz iiilhbo NJ viz )NIllCS Ill
action. And thoughts must go
through and through the mind Of lis
pupil until they become part of his
life. 1t is something more than being
taken into the memory. They must
be coordinate with the deepest springs
of his life and activity. 1t
is simply the power to perform, the
power to succeed, tho power to carry
points, tho power to fight tho battles of
life. This is tho ond before
u.s." Education then is to make men
men of veracity, fidelity, Integrity
men of high-toncd principle, who
would scorn to cheat, Tic or dcfraud-
men fitted for tho family, for society,
for citizenship. Tho teacher has far
moro to do than merely to explain
what Is laid down in toxt books One
may be well acquainted with text
books and not be educated. A youth
may go through college course, and
yet education may be sadly de-
fcctivc. Tho heart and hand must be
educated rs well as tho head. Now
1t our citizens Of every profession and
OcCuOatiOn aro DreviOusly troinnd md