The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1883-03-08
The Girl With = New Gospel.

A ten-year old lad who is diligently
hunting wisdom in the Des Moines pub
lie schools, told his father, in great sur
prise, few days ago: ''Why, papa, our
new teacher has tin cups to show us what
measures are, and weights to show us
how weighing is done, and pieces of
many kinds of wood to show us how
different kinds of wood look. 1t seemed
funny to us at first, and we all laughed
at it. But as soon as we saw it helped
us to understand these things better than
words could, we all got so we liked it
very much 'sWhat do you mean by
tin cupsP" asked the father "Why,
she shows by them,' the youth replied,
the difference between pints, quarts and
gallons, and now we understand that q
good deal better than we did before
sWhat does she do with the pieces of
wood" was the next question. 30, she
shows us how the split wood, as well as
the bark, tells us the difference between
woods-or how oak may be told from
walnut, and maple from pine, and so on.
She also tells us which are the best woods
for certain things, and shows us how
much stronger oak is than pine, and why
it is used to bear heavy weights, and
points out what pretty wood walnut is,
and why it is so valuable for making
pretty furniture. She told us more in an
hour about woods than we all knew
before and more than the books could
have made us understand in year. She
says If she were man and understood it
herself, she would show us how carpen-
tiers work in these woods, how cabinet
makers make them beautiful, and that
she wished schools were made so that
boys, besides getting a good education,
could be taught in the schools to use
tools enough to know at least which trade
they would like best to work at when
they got to be men. She says it is just
as important that boys should be taught
how to make living, as to have fine
education. You oughtto have seen how
all the children listened to her. Y
WELL" said the surprised parent,
brusqI.sly, ''you have at last found a
sensible school teacher" and he fell into
reflective train of thought as the child
went on chattering about other things.
He thought how happy and fortunate
Iowa would be if it had ten thousand such
school teachers. Faithfully and with
genuine skill the great corps of teachers
in Iowa are training the children of the
State in the way of theoretical educa-
ton, and in equipment for the profes-
sions. But how much better would it
be for the Commonwealth and its people
of the next decade or two if they should
train the children in practical things, as
this modest but intelligent girl surprised
the other day this school-room of girls
and boys given to her charge. She gave,
as her young scholar told it, but few
suggestions, so easy to be given by any
one, and it was a plain and simple les
son she taught. But how it interested
the children, and how it wakened them
to thoughts of the practical world. They
could see in this little lesson what all the
things they had been taught about were
really for in the every day world, and
what an important part they played.
How easily any teacher might take
other practical things to school, such as
a bit of iron and steel to explain the diff
| ference between them, and thousands oi
other things, and give with them to theil
| pupils a practical lesson which they
would never forget. Why should it not
| be done?
As the young teacher told her schol
ars, it is as important for a boy or Cir
to know how to earn living as it is tc
have good education. She also re
vealed, in very modest way, another
wise chapter in the dawning gospel oi
practical instruction in the public
schools, when she said that the schools
ought to teach at least enough of tho
different trades to enable a boy to tel
which trade he would probably like best
1t is q very wise head this young CIR
carries on her slender shoulders.
"How old is your new teacher, !
asked the father of this urchin who wa.
so surprised at finding that the things hi
had been studying about SO much il
school in a vague way had an actual form
and practical use. 30, she doesn'
look as old as she talks. She's just ];
young lady, replied the boy, meaning
by .siust yonng Lady, girl just ol(
enough to be a young lady. Well. bless
ings on the head of the ''girl just olt
enough to be a young lady, who goes t.
teaching school in this way, SAYS tn,
Register, and may she be given strength
and courage to 60 ahead in her goot
work in this new path, and be the evan
i gel of the better aud more useful school
and win to the new form of better in
struction thousand of other teachers =
Io,od State Register.