Middletown transcript., 1881-07-08
TCoNMUNICATED.1
Our Academy and its Principal.

Mr.. EDITOR An educator yourself
and friend OF the cause of education,
feel assured YOU will extend your columns
to receive the utterance of few words OF
richly deserved commendation upon the
exceedingly able conduct of the Academy,
which, under the management of Mr.. and
Mrs. Wright, has become notable source
both of honor and benefit to our town and
vicinity. Every parent, indeed the whole
community, owes them warm thanks for
the faithful discharge of duties at once I'M
portant and burdensome.
Most visibly has the intellectual morale
of this neighborhood risen during the past
three or four years, and much of this graf
flying result is, 1 think, traceable to the
beneficient workings of this institution.
In truth, Mr.. Wright may justly be said
to have perfected the public school system
of Middletown which has proven such a
credit to it.
His teaching has been earnest and un-
tiring, or, to use a word that best describes
his method, enthWSiGStic-a word that is
itsown eulogium. This, fancy, is the
secret of his eminent success. With him,
teaching is not mere bread-winning pro
fession, but an art with which, so to speak,
he is in love. Fully approaching the in
herent dignity, not to say, the privilege OF
his chosen work, which in ancient Greece
her wisest philosophers deemed them
selves ennobled in attempting, he has
honorably striven to bear himself worth
ily in a cause itself SO worthy, and in thus
seeking its highest development has both
achieved that manifestly increased effi-
cheney of our public schools, and much
creditable distinction for himself. Their
extreme devotion has made himself and
wife recluses socially, and their home al
most for them scholarly cloister.
Not content with the days sufficient
task. Mrs. Wright has formed night
class, which meets several times week,
to enable such as wish to acquire better
acquaintance with the literature OF their
own language, and to begin correct
course Of English reading. Too much
praise can hardly be spoken of this vOlun-
teer service that only generous desire Of
diffusing knowledge could have prompted.
This enthusiasm which finds labor de-
light, and lifts occupation to the dignity of
a mission, is as rare as it is praiseworthy
Be very sure, no person to whom this
vital office of instructing the youth of the
State, is only matter of business to be
done the soonest may be, ever won the
highest success in it. A worse place for
the time-server to ply his base calling,
could not be imagined than here; nor a
better, wherein to illustrate most forcibly
that splendid maxim, Whatsoever thy
hand findeth to do, do it with thy might. 7
We think Mr.. Wright has put in prac-
tice another mystery of this fine art of
teaching, that of identifying himself with
the students work, of aiding his successes
and retrieving his failures. By means Of
this study Of the idiosyncrases Of the stu
dent, he has accomplished to Il high de-
gree that which is the true function OF
education, the development of individual
| ity in the student himself. y proof Of this
| is furnished by the solicitous interest with
which he follows his scholars into active
business life, life Though feeling kas well
indeed he may) that their well doing is
his pleasure, and their failures, his regret.
And the markedly practical character OF
the training he gives his pupils is not the
| least valuable feature of his method.
fancy he sets proper value upon the pre-
tentfous humbug of dd56ljng in foreign
tongues, living or dead, thinking thor
ough, business knowledge Of English
preferable to the sham of a half gotten
English education veneered with a thin
covering Of bad French or lame Latin.
PHILOS.