Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-12-16

Conducted By = IT, Terry, Principal Of Mineral
Point Public Shoots.
CURRENT EVENTS IN THE PUBLIC
SCHOOL

prescribed succession OF teXt-DOOkS,
is, to utilize a current vulgarism,
:" too thin
1t may not be out of place to state
here the practice that has been
| followed in the Mineral Point High
School for the last two or thee
years. About fifteen minutes of
each session is devoted to a general
exercise. That of the morning con-
sists in the reading of a selection by
one of the pupils, who, notified a
sufficient time in advance, may use
discretion in his selection and dill
gence in preparing for commenda-
BILE performance The reading is
always followed by questions adj
dressed to the other pupils; as it is
understood that the exercise has for
its object not only the improvement
of the reader, but also that Of the
whole school. 1t is designed to
cultivate the attention and memory,
and add to the information. Criti-
cism by the teachers IS IN order
also, but always with the purpose
of encouragement of greater dill
gence in preparation, or better taste
in selection; unless gross neglect or
Incidence calls for something more
severe.
In the afternoon several items of
interest, gathered from the public
prints, are presented by the pupil
whose duty it is to lead this exercise
for the day Excellence, so far as
the pupils part of the work is con
cerned, consists in the selection of
those items that give opportunity
for the discussion of matters Of pub
lie interest. Questions addressed to
the school, follow this as in the
morning exercise.
1t is perhaps supertiuous to add
that it is possible to conduct exer-
cises Of this kind in such way as
to make them worthless. No gen
eral exercise !" is worthy of place
on the programme, that does not
elicit general attention. The charac-
ter of the questions that form a part
Of each exercise Git ought to be drill
in some cases. will have much to do
with its value. But when the ex-
ercIse is SO conducted as to excite
general interest, its value can hardly
be overestimated.
"The right of suffrage on the part
of any citizen, whether white or
black, male or female, carries with
it the obligation on the part of that
citizen to prepare himself to eXer-
else that right understandingly.
Itseems strange that a boys whole
public school life should be passed
without a particle of instruction in
governmental affairs. 1t is strange
that parents and teachers see no
urgent need for instruction of young
men, especially in this the highest
duty of citizenship. The women OF
the country are fast demanding the
right of suffrage, and, in many
States, with a fair prospect of sue
ceeding soon in having this right
guaranteed to them. Each boy and
girl, then, of suitable age is entitled
to some education III this direction
And when good methods of giving
such instruction by teachers, and
| good plans of gathering such infor-
nation by the class are followed, then
as much zeal will be manifested in
this as in any other subject taught,
Put into the hands of the class
any approved textbook on civil
government, and let it be regularly
and Systematically followed. At
the same time introduce good,
wholesome daily newspaper for a
knowledge of current events. Let
some member of the class be ap-
pointed editor Of political events,
and another editor of other events OF
real mportance-both to present
each day a synopsis of current news
rs cleaned from the daily paper, OF
elsewhere. All other members OF
the class might be invited to bring
to the recitation any short item OF
interest on any subject. Or the
boys might be given the time one
day and the girls the next, thus
arousing a commendable strife to see
which side could gather most news
and good quality.
In our High Schools, and in the
highest grades of Grammer Schools,
some time should be devoted each
day to Current News. A few pupils
will be found well informed; the
large majority are lamentably ignor-
ant of current events. Some part OF
the black board surface might be set
apart as a Bulletin upon which
should be transcribed as concisely as
possible the important news of the
day. Limited space would require
close scrutiny. The pupils themselves
might select the editors for short
terms of service, the editors being eN-
cused for the time from further work
in composition. A few moments
given to a general study of the out
line of news, with maps opened,
would prove a fine lesson in Geog-
raphy. knowledge of the past his
tory of the people or places would
be revived. The pupils course OF
miscellaneous reading might be mod
flied and made more productive OF
| goodby connecting it with current
events. The value of such an exer-
else must of course depend upon the
intelligence and judgement of the
teacher. and no single exercise of the
schoolroom would more surely en-
large the former or strengthen the
latter" -. L. Pickard, President
Iowa State University.