The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-06-15
Che catalogues
a Rational ~ OF Educaiion,

Rati0nal eyStem of F~dacaIIOn.
To the Editor Ct the New YORK Timer:
Permit me to csli your attention to g
new departure in matters educational, the
chief feature of which is shown in the ac
companying circular. Instead Of giving
long lessons to pupils, to BIS memorizsd al
home and recited at school, thus making
the teacher a mere machine for ASCERTAIN.
ing the amount of work done by the
children, 1t is proposed that a different
system be followed, which has been cpl.
tomized in the phrase, 1.-THE rediscove1y
OF truth" This system makes the teacher
an Intelligent guide to the pupil in his Of
forts TO discover facts and laws of which
the teacher has previously demon
strated the existence. As sn illustra-
uon, suppose the teacher desires to impart
q kuoWled2e of The facts relating to the
lever, and the laws which govern the rela-
uon between the weight, the load, and the
position of the fulcrum. Under the pres
emit, or at least under the common, system
OF instruction, he would explain the whole
subject In advance very carefully, would
give y lesson to be learned, i. 9. memoriZ.
ed, at home, and on the following day
would spend considerable time in ascer-
tanning the fact that his explanations had
been understood, andthat the lesson given
to be learned at home had not been looked
at. For this method it is proposed to sub
stitute practical applications of the princi-
pie of leverage, from which each pupil
shall be able to deduce for himself the
laws that govern il. A strait stick, a few
small b. g of sand and a block of wood
would be all the apparatus required.
You have probably noticed, as many
others have, while passing q school build.
ing during a session the children reciCinR
in colcer familiar tables Of weights and
measures. In subdued murmurs the pses-
er-by is informed that our gills make one
pint, two pints make n quart, four quarts
make one gallon, and these facts are tier
ated until their repetition becomes Weari-
some. How much more nationally all that
is here necessary could be taught by per-
hitting each pupil in turn TO use the
measures properly labeled in measuring
water. If each found out for himself that
four gills would fill a pint measure, it
would never be necessary for him to
memorizs that fact; he would know it,
Just as he knows his way to and from he
school house, by actual experiment,
Great Improvements lave been made
during the past five years in this respect
IN the application OF FIRbefs aud Pesta-
lcZzTs principles to primary instruction in
the public schools. In the higher gram
mar grades" however, the demands upon
the time CT the class teachers have bsen go
great, the amount of work required so
enormous, that few teachers, if any, have
cared to risk a change in their we'll tried
systems Of Instructions. None wished 'tto
change horses while crossing a stream"
Let any nj visit a family, however, in
which there IL a daughter or g son prepsr-
ing for seeking admission to either OF the
colleges and he will agree that come change
TO tho rGFCp1 fs @4eI-nHI4 NISIl--
have spent a day il mental labor which
taxes to the utmost the physical powers of
their adult teachers are required to spend
one, two, three, yes, sometimes four hours
at h0ne in preparing lessons for the next
days Rotations. Hardly is the sigh of
relief breathed at the termination of one
day g toll before d shadow of the next
day. labor falls across the child's path.
There Is no real rest with duty upper
formed.
1 propose to make an effort to remove
that shadow from the lives of the children
Of this city. 1t liz time that something be
lone. The present system %cult1vates
memory at the expeDee Of all the other
faculties. Our children become, through
the dicipline they are subjected to in the
public school, good, obedient clerks, trust
worthy subordinstes, but that is all. They
are all extraordinarily is suppressed
by their fruits shall ye know them"
Where are the poets, the painters, the
sculPtors, b literary geDiuses, the statee-
men, the inventors, the great men and
women among the thousands who have
graduated from our city schools? Ii they
exist their modesty mnst equal their
merit, for no man knows them.
Claiming no originality, no superiority,
no reward but success in my work, I offer
to perform extra duty for the sake of
demonstrating that the requirements of
every school law may be fully complied
With, and that pupils well prepared in tie
third grade" may be promoted to the
City college after two terms of four and a
half months each without any compulsory
home work. If I succeed, as I am assured
that 1 shall. I hope my success may induce
others to follow my example.
EDWARD H. BOYER,
Principal of Grammar School No. 8.
New YoRK, Friday, June 10, 1881.