Daily Republican., 1882-06-17

appear on the surface of the manuscript
We submit the question to an intelli'
gent public if this is not q little toe
much of cramming process; if 1t is
not requiring too much Of pupils in
five hours, and even if they could mas.
ter the work in that time we again sub
NIT if Ave hours are not too long pc
riod for close application and study
without a rest.
After this little criticism on what we
deem and call the "cramming process,
we submit if it would not be preferable
and Il ore profitable to practice what
NAV be called the drawing out" pro-
cess This means encouraging and as.
sisting the pupil in mastering the diff
cult points in series of difficult ques'
tions. This does not involve an abso.
lutte telling of how to master difficulty
but it involves words of encourage.
ment, cheerful, looks, aud kind atten-
tions. These inspire hope and conf.
dence IN timid and backward pupils
and instead of smothering it draws out
the latent and hidden resources of the
mind. 1t removes the thin veil which
hides brilliant mind from the public
admiration it knocks off the rough COR
ners and polishes the diamond that
would perhaps never shine under any
other circumstances. About score OF
years ago the writer of tcis article was
teacher in country school, the place
where human nature is found in all its
varied phases. Amongst the pupils
was boy with a brilliant mind when
stirred up and drawn out but otherwise
was lethargic and dull. Without acts
of kindness and words of encourage
ment this boy would have remained
numbered with the dullest and least
promising of the school. Naturally
inclined to indolency if left alone he
would never have shown by any act of
his that he was anything else than a
dull plodding boy without any aim or
object in life. His instructor found
what was wanted. Encouragement
was the word. Ii was not required
that he should be told that he was
dolt and blockhead. That would
never ha We raised his ambition.
1t was necessary to tell him that he
had mind that ouly needed develop.
ment-only needed the rough to be
knocked Off One day he came to the
teachers desk with problem he
thought he could not solve. His teach
Or knew he could do it but had not
made proper effort, He was not told
that he was dull and stupid, but that
be had mind that could master that
problem if he would 60 to his seat and
oring his mind to bear fully upon it,
Tohn took the advice, went to his seat, J
,ut allowed himself to be interrupted
" the whispers of scholars around him.
te soon come back with the old famil-
ar words, teacher, can't do it," He
vas told kindly that he could do it, and
vould have done it if he had not al.
owed some whispering schoolmate to
ttract Ibis attention. He was told how
ood he would feel if he mastered that
roblem without aid, and as advised he
vent to his seat and went down to hard
tudy. In a few minutes more the
chool was disturbed by the abrupt
hout of John. "teacher I've got i" ;"
nd looking around John was seen
landing on his feet swinging his arm
bove his head as if he was cheering
day. "I tell you l
rought it," and his conntenance be-
poke the joy he felt over his triumph,
his was the drawing out process" a
luch needed one in the public schools
the present day. II