The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-11-20
CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, JR., He
OUR COMMON SCHOOL. SYSTEM.


One Of his pictures will be universally recog'
nized, and will suggest certainly great deal Of
reflection. He Il speaking OF the examination"
at the district school, These examinations were
a study for the humorlst A day was publicly as
signed for each school, and on that day the chill
dren we're present iu their best clothes the benches
were crowded, and a toerable representation OF
parents and friends occupied the vacant spaces Of
the room. The committee sat upon the platform
In dignihed silence; and the teacher conducted
the exercises over safe and familiar ground to a
triumphant conclusion In some peculiarly un.
natural bit OF childish deCladation. Then the
chairman and other members Of the committee
were asked to gratiiO the children with a few re.
marks which 1t is unnecessary to say were OF a
highly commendatOry character. The whole
thlng sham, After 1t was over the committee
knew nothing more about the school than they
did before 1t began and as for tests, there were
none"
Six years ago, however, a change was introduc.
ed. The committee themselvs examined the
scholars. THE result was deplorable. The schools
went to pieces" That ls to.say, the scholars who
Iecited glibly BY rote could not apply the rules
which they repeated. This discovery led to
thorough reorganization Of the system, and the
result was not only instruction which was both
intelligent and effective, but q method 80 attrac.
tive that the whining school boy" became
willing disciple And this was due to the selec-
tion Of q superintendent who understood that
teaching was science, and who had carefully
trained himself in 1t by study OF the best foreign
methods tits singular that In the land Of COM
mon schools 1t should have been only recently
discovered that teaching 10 science for which
training Is as useful as for any other With ruth.
less sincerity Mr.. Adams says "Very much as
Bentham defined judge as AN advocate run to
iced" the ordinary superintendent is apt TO be a
grammar school teacher IN q similar condition.
Where he 10 not this he Is usually some retired
clergyman or local politician out Of Job, who
has no more idea of the process Of mental devel
Opment or the science Of training than the aver.
age school. master has Of the object Of teaching
English grammar" The University of Mlchi.
gan has recognized the necessity OF training
by founding chair for teaching the science Of
teaching.
Massachusetts, is regarded as model common
wealth, 0ne.fiith OF The entire amount raised by
taxation is expended upon the common schools
and they are supposed to be models many ways
they are admirable; but Mr. Adams holds that
from the want Of pervading and intelligent dlrec.
tion ofschool expenses some two millions Of dol
lars year are wasted and the chief defect that
he finds Is the lack Of trained superintendency A
few citizens of his energy and Sagscity and public
spirit, however, would spur any community to
necessary reform. The details and statistics which
he gives about the Quincy schools are worthy Of
careful study, and explain their reputation
among the schools Of the Bay state.- EDITORS
EASY CHAIR, in Hdrper'S Magazine for December.