New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-26

in the character or NUMBER vi tho oi""
studied. Indeed. within reasona Die limits the
greater the diversity of occupation the more
favorable are the conditions for mental health
fitness and symmetrical growth.
But perhaps the danger of overtasking the
tender faculties OF the young is not the only
nor the chief reason for this effort to cut do"h
the course OF study in the schools. MS tes"
luton voices the sentiment of many so-c'ieu
nractical neonle VINO contend that a common
school system should not include instruction i'll
what tbev term the ologies aud, that the time
c;ror 70 tbase branches should DO devoted as
Mr.. Devoe's resolution has it, to more chrelun
instruction in penmanship ana lett'r Wii''"S'
No doubt spelling and reading WIN so',o
grammar and exercises III composition "ou'o
be tolerated by the practical men VINO ilsls''
very properly, that the men and. women OF tiio
future should be able to write anu speak the
English language correctly. But aher all, Ian
puage cannot be taught by ltset. Inc symool
cannot be used to advantage without the SUD
sta,re And no better practice in the use OF
,ongr,ge oral or written, can be devised than
that which il offered by the study OF the nat
,,raI sciepces upaer the direction of capable
teacher. There is no space to enlarge upon the
poipt here, but it is Il fact recognized oy All
competent educators. In order to become
skilled in the use of language pupils need
something to talk and write about In which
tbav are interested The desire to examine
objects about him and investigate their rela-
tions amounts to a passion in child. And
nothing will so thoroughly arouse and retain
his attention and stimulate the exercise OF all
ton in
realms of natural science.
Experience proves that the pupils I'D our
schools are never so wide awake as when they
are examining leaf or flower or stone with
sympathetic teacher These oral lessons which
not only teach facts that everyone should
know. but which furnish mental exercise which
can he obtained in no other way are set down
As the study OF botany and mlneralogy. III Is
this kind of effort which is said to oVertax the
Youthful mind, and for this tender-hearted Com
missiouers wish to substitute the spelling OF
words. the reading of incOmprehenslbe ltera-
ture. and the writing of letters with nothing to
write about. The scheme of study is sutil-
ci.ptly contracted already and it ceI tainly does
mot need 10 be mario we'd down still further,
until signs and figures are the only things to
which the attention is directed. To cut down
the course of study is to maze instruction more
unnatural and artificial. 1t would eliminate
the very subjects which arouse the spontaneous
and healthful play of the faculties. 1t means
the suppression of induisitive instincts which
need every encouragement. The crying need
of the schools is teachers who can find lessons
in every object about them and who are apt to
lead the pupil on to new discoveries. with
such teachers the field of instruction will be
much wider than that laid down in the manual.
No subject will be taught for its own sake only,
but in It's proper relation to all the rest; and
pupils will write better letters, not because they
know less of other things, Lut because they
know more.