The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-04-14
OUR sCHdDL SYSTEM.
Tuition, Education. Attraction, Repul-
sion, Expulsion.
nnNaTDsoNvIr1r Anil IN 1869

| DoNALDsoNvILLE April 10s18s3.
EDITOR CHEF:
The terms above written are very i'm.
portant, but very imperfectly understood,
ut least, the daily practice of many conveys
the impression that they have very in
distinct idea of the meaning attached to
them.
| EDUCATION is a word of pure Latin origin.
The verb educo, from which the noun etlstca-
tio is derived, is compounded of the prepo-
sition Q, tout" and the verb duco, ssto lead, y
and consequently means literally, one who
leads out"
| ATTRACTION very closely resembles edu-
cation in meaning, and also in origin. The
verb attraAo, from which the noun attractio
is derived, is compounded of the preposi-
ton ad, "to," and haho, Z" to draw" conse-
quently signifies, ito draw out" The word
attractor means literally, "one who draws
out"
RErULsIoN, like tho words already ex-
alnined, is purely Latin, but has a meaning
directly opposed, being composed Of the
proposition re, D;lck, anu tne Feth peno,
Z" to drive"
EXPULSION is derived from. the Latin
word erpcllo. "to drive" and signifies, "to
drive out Of"
have now given brief account of the
origin of the words, Education, Attraction,
Repulsion and Expulsion, and perhaps,
reader, you are beginning to wonder whatit
all means. Well, said that these terms
were imperfecty understood, at least the
practice of many indicates Us mueh-and
now for elucidation.
Education and attraction 60 together. If
you wish to educate you must attract, or in
other wolds in order to draw an object you
must attract it. Aud especially is this the
case when the object to be led out is q free
agent. An educator is II person who is
professedly engaged in leading out the
mind, and in order to be successful he must
he an attractor. If the mind shrinks from
him he can not lead it out, and becomes Is
repulsor and drives it back.
How many persons there may be who are
professedly educators, but arc repulsors
instead of attractors, will not take upon
myself to say. feel disposed to say, how
ever, that the number practicing upon that
plan which repels instead of attracts, is by
no means small.
Let it be received as fixed principle,
that successful education dep ends upon the
amount OF attractive influence possessed
over the pupils by the educator, and have
all desire for the present. This being nd
mitted, will ask, how is this influence to
be obtained! and conceive this to be Il
question Of some Importance to every edu
Gator. If we wish to gain point with a
fellow man, do we abuse him by nlalnaming
and hogging hinn9 Would any one take
this as the best method Of securing that in
fuence which would attract fellow being
Certainly not. Now, why do educators
desiring to attract their attention, Which
they know would prove repulsive with
them.
Taking every thing into considerations it
is not strange that so many children play
truant and love to remain at home-tlIeir
educator is not attractive, but rather repul-
sive. Frost will nip the tender bud. Edu
Gators must be attractive in order to draw
their pupils to school. They must be at
tractive to keep them at school, and they
must make the studies attractive to make
them liligent.
Many parents and teachers attempt COM
pulsion, which produces repulsion. 1t is
impossible to drive the mind. 1t may be
attracted and led ont, but not expelled.
Pupils that love their teacher will yield, if
yield they will, with reluctance. The same
may be said Of study. Pupils which love
their studies will attend to them, not only
while under the teachers eye, but when at
home, or it matters not where. The first
thing to be accomplished in education is
that of gaining tho affections of the pupils
and, as the professors of mesmcrism say,
place them in connection with the studies.
Thiss alone, the work of education has a
promising commencement. But how are
iHCSt ulcCtloHS JO DC WOH 1IllS ludkC
a deep draft upon the teachers ingenuity,
but what is his ingenuity for ii he can not
afford to make the draft upon it OF one
thing | feel convinced no one will secure
that love which generates that fear and
respect which every pupil should have for
his or her teacher, by cross words, hard
epithcts and cruel treatment. Inever could
see any analogy between the slapping Of the
hand, the pnlln. of the ear and hair, and
the striking of the head, and the leading
out of the mind; yet, | have seen teachers
pull the hair and ears, slap the hand and
strike the side of the head with a book, be,
cause the mind did not come out as fast as
they desired.
Attraction will accomplish education, but
expulsion will produce repulsion. Those
who employ attraction as their agent act
wisely, and show it by their success: !: while
those who use co,upulsion are foolish and
display it by failing. G.
The Desert of Sahara, according to an
address by Prof. Guido Cora to the Italian
Geographical Society, has total area of
100000 squire miles, not more than one
fifth of which is covered by sand. The
mean elevation OF the desert is from 1900 to
| 1850 above sea-lcvel, but its mountain chains
attain Il height of from G550 to 5000 feet. In
some parts rains occur only once in some
twenty years, while in others there is a
regular rainy season. While the tempera-
ture rises to 1872 degrees, it sometimes falls
below 20 degrees, and SHOW and ice cover
the highest mountain submits during