The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-03-13
BEADING IN SCHOOL.
Progress Backward I'M an fE-
portaAt Branch Of LeaFniag.

ing however, reading Is IN our DAY LIE
principal means and reading aloud
intelligently the unmistakable if not
the only sign. Yet this, which was so
common when the present generation
of mature men were boys, is just what
our highly and scientifically educational
educators seem either most incapable
or most neglectful of teaching. And
yet the means by which children were
made intelligent and ineligible rea-
ders IS or 40 years ago we're not SO re-
condite as to be beyond attainment and
use by a teacher Of moderate ability and
requirement who set himself earnestly
to his work. As l remember it, this
was the way in which we were taught
to read with pleasure to ourselves and
with at least satisfaction to our hearers.
Boys of not more than from 7 to 8 years
old were exercised in defining words
from an abridged dictionary. The
word was spelled and the definition
given from memory and then the
teachers asked questions which tested
the pupils comprehension of the defini-
tion and the members OF the class, never
more than a dozen or fourteen in num-
Der, were encouraged to give in their
own language their notion Of the word
and 10 distinguish it from so-called
synonyms. AS to the amount OF knowl-
edge that was thus gained it was very
little-little, at least, in comparison
with the value of this exercise as edu-
cation, that is of mental training, which
was very great. This same class read
aloud every day, and the books that
they read were of sufficient interest to
tempt boys to read them of themselves.
The class was called up before the
teacher, ranged itself, dressed" as
the soldiers say, IN a line. AT a signal
they all bowed together a profound
bow, and IL this was done awkwardly
by the class as a whole, or by any indi-
vidual, the process was repeated and
instruction given by the teacher, with
example.
No bobbing of heads was allowed, no
awkward positions of hands and arms,
or of the legs and feet was passed over
unnoticed. A decorous bow from a
boy to his master or his elder was a
matter Of minor morals. When the
reading began all the class was obliged
to follow the reader, each in his W
book; for any pupil was liable to be
called upon to take up the recitation
even at an unfinished sentence, and go
on wlth-it; and If he hesitated in such
a manner as to show that his eye and
mind were not with the readers the
effect upon his mark account was the
same rs he himself had failed in rea-
ding.
If the reading Of any sentence did
not show a just apprehension of its
meaning, the reader vas stopped, and
the sentence was passed around the
class for a better expression of Its sense.
Whether this was obtained from the
pupils or not, the teacher then explain
ed the sense, or gave some information,
the want Of which had caused the fall
ure, and by repetition of both reading,
the bad and the good, showed by con
trast and by comment why the one was
bad and why the other good. Words
were explained; If they were compound
words they were analysed; the different
shades Of meaning which words have
in different connections we're remarked
upon, and the subject of the essay, the
narration or the poem which formed the
day was explained.
The delivery of the voice was attend
ed to; not in any pretentious, artificial,
evolutionary way, but with such regard
for good and pleasant speech as was
dictated by common sense and good
breeding. The young readers were not
allowed to hang their heads either over
their bosoms or over their shoulders,
but were made to stand up straight,
throw back their shoulders, and lift
their heads well up, so that il their
eyes were taken from their books, they
would look q man straight in the face.
Only in this position can the voice be
well delivered. The slightest mispro-
nunciation was, of course, observed and
corrected and not only so, but bad pro-
nunciation was checked, and all slo-
as far as possible reformed. Yet with
all this there was constant caution
against a prim, pedantic, and even a
conscious mode of reading. The end
sought was al intelligent. natural and
simple delivery of every SENTENCE
RI White.
Getting even with the soprano.
1t is customary in all first-class