The Worthington advance., 1882-03-09

a vital one. A liberal expression Of
opinion and a careful estimate of the
success of different methods will help
us to a better understanding of the
subject, and more useful application
of text books in the school room.
See notice of Institute in this weeks
issue. The law makes attendance oh.
ligatory except upon good excuse, and
the Supt. will be in no haste to accept
excuses. Help to make our first insti-
tute u success and We will help you to
| success.
EDITOR EDUCATIONAL DEPT: I
have a complaint to make. In fact,
without anyekn0wn mislemeanor on
my part, l have been often banished
from my rightful home. l have been
dropt out Of association with my
equals. For no reason that can see,
another has been given my place. See
how SEE is often written and tell me If
there is any way by which may be re-
gained the rightful place, in writing. of
the letter ''E'
TEACHERS, SCHOOL OFFICERS, and
others interested are notified that Il
State Teachers Institute will be held
at Worthington, beginning Monday,
April II, 1882, to continue one week.
Teachers are requested to report to
the Secretary Monday forenoon.
Boarding places found for those ap-
plying early.
Attention is respectfully called to
Pr0viso second. sec. So, chap. 36. Stat
ute of 1873, (School law Of 'Sl. page 2o.)
''During the time of holding Il teach
erS' institute III any county in this
State, it is hereby made the duty Of all
| teachers and persons desiring 4 teach
er's certificate, to attend such insti-
tute.' Nj. A. DOANE,
Co. Supt.
EDITOR EDUCATIONAL COLUMN:
Having been quite unwell lately, there
fore having no inclination to compose
an article of my own for the Educa-
tional Column, take the liberty of
copying part Of az article from the
pen Of l.. kessinger. superintendent OF
Schools for Buffalo Go. Wis. MIR. kes-
singer is Il man OF large experience i'll
the public schools and knows whereof
| he speake. In regard to the use and
abuse OF text books lie writes as fol-
lows:
If Introduce these words by the
declaration that text books are one OF
the necessary evils Of our present sys~
tenn OF teaching, l do not want to be
understood as attempting to abolish
them, for l know we'll enough that
those who are lame and halt are de-
pendent on crutclIes for tlleir progress,
but | know also that even with them
they sometimes make little or none OF
it. 10 advise everyone as to the right
use of Il text book, l can but say that
lie who overcomes the natural dullness
OF such Il book, who uses it more as Il
depository from which to take material
than as a prescription; who never con-
teaching anything. but adapts his
teaching to the contents of the book,
SO as to make these contents link III
the chain. is using it right; is making
it a useful tool. But what will you say
Of him who is dependent on this tool
for all and everything, who is too in
tool, but becomes in 4 certain SENSE,
the tool and slave of the book, who
knows nothing bnt to say. 1.-THE next
time take the next lesson?' ***
But if you habitually use III your
I Il, hnn rft f.r
instance, elementary geography. that
suits of mathematical Investigations,
before the child has learned in what
section, township and range the school
house stands; if you do no more than.
| to tell the child to ''study" or to com
nit to memory its lesson, and demand
that the lessen be recited. then you do
not know much about the proper use
Of Il text book. Or if you think that to
learn numbers from one to ten there is
any book necessary, that because some
body says five he must have found out
how much that is by some elementary
taken as il you would suppose that the
the first knowledge Of numbers was
caused by a calculating machine.
and repetition Of given characters call.
ed letters; but if you suppose Il pupil
will become a penman by merely copy
ihg the set headings Of amy one OF the
many different copy books, or that his
acquire llents in this way will ever be
serviceable to him for the purpose for
which writing WAS invented, that is the
transmission OF ideas to an absent
person, you are yet scarcely in the ru-
dimelts of your profession. Every
book is about as good as every other
one for the purpose of Il text book, for
every one may do good service if veri-
fed, illustrated and complemented 10y
the living wold of the teacher, and ev-
cry one, the best not excepted, may
prove Il dead weight that will sink all
spontaneous and independent thoughts
into bottomlpss .perdition in both
teacher and pupil.
And yet il teacher of this kind is very
| often considered successful it lie only
has that stupid pertinacity which will
exact the completion OF the task SO ul-
justiliably imposed"
The above remarks are so apropOs Of
what have wished to say in regard to
the uses of text books and are III so
much better shape than l could have
given them that I could not help Civ
ing Mr.. r..kessinger's remarks nearly IL,
full. shall have more to say Oh this
subject in the future.
GEO. HALLAs.
DRUGGISTS Testimony.-H. +. Nc.
Carthy, druggist, Ottawa, Ont, states
that he was afflicted with CHI onic bron.
chitis for some years, and was com
nletely cured by the use OF Thomas
Eclectric OIL
The planet Mercury has a'read!
been added to the group Of planets
now visible in the heavens to the ma
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