Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-30

her in sympathy with her work. This carries
with it some knowledge of why such branches
are required, their place and proportion.
Such knowledge of these matters as can
be got from any good manual of methods, of
which we now have so many.
Our methods of examination must be framed
to test this kind of knowledge; its sources, its
extent and its nature, whether it lies in the
memory merely for tie occasion only, as l know
IS sometimes the case, or has become part of
the teachers habitpal thinking The third grade
certificate should stand for what 1t really lH,
probationary instrument, to be got text book
qualifications, mainly with view to further OPP
portunity t work out theory and practice In he
school room. these may be renewed once, pos
sibiy twice, butno nore, since failure to adj
vince would be the very best evidence OF unfit
less to teach. The second grade should be a
permanent and honorable certificate for the erdi-
nary school teacher.
The methods used must be iudicial-as strict
ly Impartial as human nature can make them.
The examiner must sit as judge, putting him
self wholly one side. I do not know that it
| makes impartial work more difficult because the
writer OF the paper is known to the examiner,
since no personal Influences can come into play
as in ordinary political Office seeking. 1 think
| it is easier. We require of the teacher sympa-
ihetic insight into the mental habit OF her pupil.
In my own case l know can work more fairly
where have studied the teachers work IN the
school room more fairly in that larger sense
that takes into account the most precious quail
| ty of teaching-the personal element. To aid in
| this, conformity to the civil service rules fer
Marking and GraGing'' will be of much service.
| The standard of completeness and Accuracy
| being the one teachers SO often use TO measure
| their pupils by Will command itsef at once to
all. The methods should conform to the work
of the school, and here civil service hints will
be of great value. Evidently second and first
~ y
mere text book answers as for familiarity with
the ''How and the Why" 1t will not do to
float history up to 10 per cent. by the word
"Andres'' in reply to the immortal question
about the Charter Oak, Arithmetic bya sue
cessful solution of some problem in Mensura
ton worked by rule of thumb. If such ques
tons are asked-surely they should not carry
off 100 points of the possible 1,0t0-as every
Superintendent knows they do.
A graduated scale of markings
| then on the sides of theory and practice should
be we'll worked out and made uniform.
The methods should be open to all concerned.
The papers, the markings should be filed fol
reference by the teachers and school boards in
terested. This l know to be important. Ag-
grieved parties have gone away silenced and
convinced, after carefully going over the papers
| with me and seeing for themselves.
Many minor points might be noted Give
time enough. Go the very limit of your duty
in explaining the meaning of your questions
Let this be the ''oral' part of tho work required
expression may be one of your owr
felicities as well as one Of you
teachers No puzzles, no catches should be
permitted. ALI should be clsar, honest, faith
full, fundamental work.
A secoLd or first grade certificate obtained af
ter such an examination should lrry with it suci
evidence of ability to teach as should give tn
l o,,1 1
recognized slanding-pr professional so far as tht
word may apply to an Occupation to be taken NJ
or laid down at will.
Such a certificate should and would create ;
favorable presumption in favor OF the teache
out of the county ard in the county, aud shoulC
, save her frora the toll and annoyance of az
nual or biennial examination. Experience ant
character would then have commercial valu
as well as professional weight.
That this matter may be the better under
, stood, purpose sending s3ts of exa ninatiOT
questions to all school boards that they ma,
have the means of knowing what were the re-
quirements upon which certificates were given
it is idle to talk of improved grades unles
improved commercial value goes along witt
yqual steps. The better certificate should anC
would carry with it the bitter pay. That i
would l know TO be true in my own county
There is little inquiry for cheap teachers for thu
sake of cheapness merely. There is bette
view prevailing, hut with none the less desire tx
get value received-rather more than less OF tn
Inter.
Having said SO much on the subject OF better
methods, pass briefly to the ''Better Stand
acd." This is to be the truer measure of tn,
teaching power of the teacher. If we requir,
know e-ge OF the art Of teaching on the teach
er pare our measure of that knowledge mus
be just and true-our ''standard'' must con
form to the scientific basis of the art
| Inst uyuaa in T1oidet IF q nbo!o rr
ical "craze." The standard is of this kind
Ability to recognize the exact stage of thu
child's mental growth all sides and at tina
point to go in the direction OF natural growth
may be given TO or acquired by a few. 1t i!
SAFE to say that it will not invad.
text at present. | would not therefore
care to set up the standard of conformity t.
psychological laws until these shall be SO formr
lated that they can be brought well within the
apprehension Of our young teachers of reasonable
Intelligence and diligence. Rather let the
standard be Kept down within reach of the
commonest folk. Good work well done. To
read with grace and ease, to write readily, t.
make good figures, to draw simple forms, to
acquire healthy tastes, to like good books and
wholesome newspapers, to tell the truth and
bear oneself csurteously. Ability to get such
results as these may be attained and will be
as soon as the public sentiment controlling
teaching shall demand it. No class of work
men are reader to do the best, than are ou1
country school teachers-when the best is shown
| them.
Therefore let us set up the better standard, 9
visible oae it must be, visible to the naked eye
This IS mine. You teach reading. Here il the
best hand book know of on this subject. Take
it and use it. Train yourself out of your own
defects, these are thus and SO. So OF other
branches. By and by you will be able to form
ulate your intellectual conception of that object
of sense perception known as an implement OF
agriculture for renewing manure and sedi-
mentary deposits, and gain the mastery of it in
its relation to the cosmos. Meanwhile call it a
spade and learn to dig with it. Then the stand.
ard holder; he must not be forgotten. If l re-
member Alright we used to rally on the colors
but there was the coler guard and ths color
sergeant sworn to stand by them, they never
weakened. AS county superintendents we hold
this relation to our teachers. We are the bet
ter standard. While we have our powers of
supervision we must conform to the ideal and
stand ready to illustrate it Wemust, by every
means in our power, aid, encourage and urge
advancement along the whole line. The higher
standard for us is to be teachers of the teachers
friendly and helpful. and none the less critical
As we strive in the light of the new educate
to make our schools attractive t. the children
so should we aim to make the higher standard
of the new education attractive to the teachers
of these children. On them falls the work tha
can only cease to be drudgery when it begins
to be illuminated by the light Of sympathetic