Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-03-18
COMMON SENSE IN COMMON
SCHOOLS.

Not less important than the great con-
stitutioual measures Tor clectlug Pres
idcnt. or any Of the other great political
questions oi the day, il that oi making
the schools Of the country efficient,
II requires from fifteen to tScnty-onc
years Of drubbiug aud drilling IN the
common school ot the day To get a boy
through what are called the "rudlments
and four years more ilr the college cur
riculum.
Lille is not lOng enough to suit tho
methods uf the common schools. IL Is
true that life is not much shorter than
when the present methods were adopted
BAGS in "carly time" but 1t is more val
uable than thcu-thyrc Ia more to live
Tor.
In two or three years OF asSiduous
training, horse can be taught nearly
everything he will ever know. Ii ought
not to require I've OF siN times as long
Ia teach a boy the "rudrmcuts.
And yet there is very earnest work,
and there are multituics otvcry earnest
workers, ia our common schools, who
are conscientious IA believing that they
arS doing all that cau bc done ior their
pupils ~ they are, under the methods
employed, but the trouble Is With the
methods. These methods are stupid,
mnnotunuus, dwaTliug, intol,rahiy M
efficient, and obsolete except m schools
supported by the public. let any man
visit them and see.
We are at a loss to determine Why the
"kindcrgartcn" method, II mono better
has not taken the place completely OF
the no-mrthod plan Eow prevailing
Intelligent parents who have means
and who are able To Judge OF the merits
of school methods, will paw large tuition
fees Tor the kindergarten, ant by way
Of avoiding the common schools, AMI
why is IL that kindergarten methods are
not adopted in the latter
This FRoEBEI' : or kindergarten
method has reason and common sense
in its favor, while the plan OF the eom-
mon schools has nothing. There Is So
little known Of the former, that We ar"
glad to give publication to every dis
cussion of the subject that comes t.
hand. We have n very imperfect report
of lecture upon the subject delivered
by Rev. DIR. BIrrJNGER, a lew days ago,
At Pittsburgh, which serves partly to en-
plain the basis upon which thus system
proceeds, and which We herewith APP
pend;
There are three theories OF education.
On, regards the mind as a box OF vessel
10 be flied, aud SD facts are poured IN,
rrammed. and We cali this education.
Another theory regards the mind A. a
hlock of marble, a rude. unshapen block
briore Michael Angelo, apd IN due time
We see the angel set hec anu We ear
this education. But are the tcayhyrs
Angeles, Powers, OF ThOTNaldsE JHdS,
ing by their products have they ruined
the block or produced angels or mon,
strasities9 The third theory " thai o.
Froebel. he sces the child a. u0i
created il. He is willing to sc What
COL has out there and humbly anu
sarnes,ly try TO follow the hints and
suggestions of the child nature. tuil
of all varieties, no Two ailAs,
for his power is infinite and he SECS u
fun Of all possibilities. froeoels : the
development theory. The child has
iorces within il. IL is alive-b1t, on
how feeble. II cannot smile. IL can
only cry. Every child has marvellous
innate iorces II we viii only deysioPe
them. or rather let them develoPe them
sslves by surrounding them with what
they need. You cannot pull them.
They will work them ont II you only
don't hinder or starye them. His Nus
ration Of the knotted, twisted fern zeal,
sradually unrolling and unfolding ltssh
until Il becomes thing Of beauty Asd