The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1881-04-15

Il
superintendent. The plan suggested
may be somewhat Utopian NJ this stage
Of educational progress, but II merits
careful consideration. II commission
of men Of wide observation, superior
ability and extended experience would
construct q National Course OF Study"
we believe that, although II were not
enforced by Legislative measures, il
would greatly assist in the uniication Of
our school system. which Is a consum-
,lDation dcvoutly 10 be Wished"
To build strong and deep. 10 lay the
foundations on the solid rock, 20 erect
firmly and harmoniously are as necessary
70 brain building rs they nre to material
structures. Proper foundations arc as
Essential In the matter OF education as
they are IN religion or houses. The
lproportionatc development Of the super
structure is ms much to be consulted and
regarded in the one rs In the other.
The educational men OF the day. know
ling the heterogeneous character Of the
|feachcrship Of the country, pcrcciying
the transitory character OF its employ
|mcnt, arising from various causes. and
recognizing tho necessity Of pcrmanency
and stability in the subject matter taught
lin the various grades, have devised
courses Of study adapted TO the mental
powers Of every year Of the pupils
school-lifc.
So great seems the necessity for them,
so clear the appreciation Of their value,
that any city or town claiming TO have
any educational prominence. or desiring
- have i, has prepared It's own system
Of educational development. The school,
system or any place that docs not possess
ono Of its own. original or borrowed, Isl
very properly termed antiquatcd.
Us title Of system is misnomer.
School-houses, laws, officers, teachers,
books, do not make q system Of educa-
tion. II isa system Of schools merely, a
body without heart, head without
brains.
Acknowledging, then, the value and
necessity OF prescribed course OF study.
docs it.not seem strange that there should
be SO much diversity iii the article itself?
IL the one prepared for Chicago j. good.
why should Il not do for Cincinnati? III
the one arranged for ST. Louis il perfect,
why have another for Boston? III the
one made for Boston was the M rIrs|
ULTRA, why patch IL with amendments,
and make radical changes every year or
two? And after all these giants have
exhausted themselves in producing bet
ter. more comprehensive. more philo-
sophical ones than their ncigbbors. some
wee little town sends up It's pcan Of
triumph, and presents one just little
better than the best.
Now, brethren, this should not be SO.
What Is good and right for one place,
Us good and right for other places. As
these courses OF study are designed to
|suit the mind Of the average pupil, that
which suits San Francisco ought 10 suit
Philadelphia, and that which satisfies the
mental grip OF q New Highlander. ought
Ito be strong enough for Charleston or
New Orleans. TO this conclusion we
|must come. Either the science Of pcda-
|gogy Is very much in lis infancy. or in
Experienced hands have had committed
TO them the task OF constructing these So
lcallod "Gradcd Courses Of Stndy.' In
lno other way can you account for the
lgrcat diycrsitics that exist III them. Ii
They arc founded upon philosophical
laws, IL the nature Of the child-mind was
understood, and competent,
Experienced hands were intrusted with
the work Of construction, the difl'crcnccl
would be but trivial; We rather inclinc|
TO think that the law Of child mental de-
velopmcntis u butimpcricctly understood.
We honor those VINO attempt 10 con-
struct codes OF instruction in harmony
with what Is understood. But we sug-
gcst that commission be appointed BY
the National Bureau Of Education to take
charge OF the whole matter, and prepare
u graded course and code Of instruction,
not suited for one city or for one section,
but broad enough to take in the whole
country.
And while we know that such an in
il created, would have no pow
cr hack Of Il TO enforce Il, yet II would
kcrvc as model, pattern by which AZ
could be judged and 70 which all could
be compared. II would say cmphatical-
" that, ia the judgment Of this commits
sion, 50 much Is sufficient and proper for|
healthy development IN tho first year of
tho child's school life. and 50 much for
the second year, and SO on. II would
establish the sequence and correlation of
studies. II would DO more. II would
provide for the location Of the academy,
the high-scllo0l, the college, the uniycrsi-
IL, in 4 system. II would grade from
the kindergarten TO tho topmost round
or tic educational ladder. 50 hinging onc|
upon another that Dr. Mcintosh would
10 more than satisfied. National require
mcnis for the army, navy, or civil SER
vice, State requirements for law. mcdi-
cine, Of teaching, would have their ap-|
rrvpriatl starting "a hinging points.