The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-04-26
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION.
BY A. c. HoLIFRT-
CHAPTER II.

! !, make necessary rules few sug-
/. gestions may not be out of place.
You want your pupils too see that
it is duty which they owe to them
selves, to their parents, to you. and
God to improve their time. When
they have once seen this matter
clearly, three suggestions in the way
of what some call special regula-
!. tions will be sufficient, and those
: suggestions will be mainly of a pro-
! hlbitory character, their design be
ing to aid the pupils in their study
! to be quiet.
/. Do not study aloud.
2. Endeavor to cultivate the hab-
it of studying without moving the
lips. Many pupils deem such a
thing impossible. Show them that
some persons when writing are in
the habit of moving their lips and
making various contortions of the
face, but as they become expert pen
men they abandon such an absurd
habit. Show them, clearly, that
when person does not move his
lips in study he can do more work,
and do it in better manner.
I 3. Do not shuttle the feet on the
floor, nor strike them against the
sides of the desks in leaving or in
resuming seats.
/ 4. Walk carefully; not on tip-toe
but raise the feet clear of the floor,
and plant them carefully and firmly
/ 5. Do not sharpen slate pencils
or lead pencils on the desk. The
grating sound produced by cutting a
slate pencil on desk will disturb a
whole school. Have those things
attended to a. recess.
| 6. Do not bring unnecessary ar
ticles or playthings to school. Any
country school teacher will see the
propriety of this regulation. A boys
pocket is proverbially cornucopia
of nondescript articles, from fish
ing worm" to pistol; and girls
pocket is fully equal to it.
z. Do not "spit" on the floor. Do
not do this yourself and do not per-
NIT your pupils to do so. Discour-
age the use of tobacco by your pu-
pills. | verify believe the use of to-
bacco is the cause of much of the
abuse of intoxicating drinks in this
country. Tobacco creates dryness
of the fauces or upper part of the
throat. and thus creates thirst that
water will not quench. The records
of the colleges of this country will
show that no one who used tobacco
has ever been graduated with first
honors." A startling recordl
s. Do not call the attention. of
the teacher unnecessarily to trifiing
matters.
9. d, not interrupt the teacher
while earring a recitation. Never
permit this on any pretextwhatever.
10. Do not open and close doors
or windows carelessly or in such q
manner as to cause noise.
II. Do not forget to bring all
necessary articles to school with
YOU, such as books, states, DC. Treat
such carelessness as vice. What
is memory worth if it does not come
to hand in the daily business of life?
II. Do not forget where the les
son is. Another vice.
13. Pay strict attention to all in
structions. Not to do SO is personal
affront to the teacher.
IA. Never ask for . repetition of
the question. Some pupils get into
the habit of asking repetition
through the carelessness of the
teacher. Give them to understand
that a question will be put once,
and never repeated on any account.
-. Never answer unless called
upon to do so.
These rules or regulations might /
be extended to double the number !
have given, but ! deem them suffi-
ciently numerous, and the compe-
tent teacher will readily extend or
shorten the list, as his individual
needs may demand. 1t is not my
object to dictate, but to suggest for
the benefit of the inexperienced.
Pupils also owe certain duties to
the school property, which should
be made familiar to them. This Is
better done by suggestions than by
making positive regulations upon
the subject. Each pupil should be .
taught that the school property is !
his property. If it be of such a de-
scription as to be credit to the
community in which it is located, or
a disgrace to any community, the |
pride or the shame belong in part I
to him. Hence, he should consider
any DETACHMENT of the school prop I
erty as personal affront. There is,
moreover, a law in Pennsylvania
which makes defacing public prop
erty misdemeanor. punishable by
fine and imprisonment. A fair rep
resentation of the facts in the mat
ter will usually have the effect of
rendering pupils particular in this
regard.
Teach your pupils how to study.
Much honest effort is wasted simply
because it is misappied. | can re-
member during my school days les
sons that seemed difficult, and were
so, to me, simply because my teach
er did not give me any hint as to
the method of study. Shortly after
| began the study of Latin Twas at
tackled by a fever, and missed the
whole five months session at school.
After got about concluded that
would endeavor to keep up my
Latin, so that the next session /
could &c on with the class L was
in my thirteenth year, and was using
ing Bullion's Latin grammar COM
menced it, and committed every
thing to memory as / went along.
| learned it so that / could at once
name the number and section of
whatever | heard quoted; or, if | |
heard number or section given, / |
could give the words belonging to it. /
It was . tremendous work, but / did |
it. and did it well. My teacher was |
utterly amazed when entered the
class and told him, Il do not want |
to waste time in the grammar les
sons; have the whole book COM |
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