The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-03
Our Schools,

Such was the title of DIR. g. o. Fles's lee
ture delivered in the Mechanics Course last
night The following is an abstract;
This subject was chosen because at the pre-
sent time the schools are much written about,
much thought about and much talked about;
and because in writing the annual report of
the school committee, this subject had been
prominently before the speakers mind for sew
eral weeks. He wished to be understood as
speaking only his own sentiments, and in no
wise voicing the opinion OF the School Board.
although not conscious of differing in any
marked degree from his co-laborers of the COM
mittee.
His acquaintance with the schools of Port
land beg a as pupil in the old Casco street
Primary school, and continued through the
Grammar and High Schools, Later as mem
Der of the commiItee of twenty-one and for the
past three years as a member of the present
Board his opportunity for becoming acquaint-
ed with the working of our school system had
been exceptionally good. He wished to dis
euss what it is now the fashion to call "cram-
ming"-the, theory of primary school work land
the question as to whether the High school
ought to be abolished, or its courses of study
materially changed.
Overwork among scholars is very exceptions
al. The amount of plain uncomplicated hard
study that child can accomplish is wonder
full provided proper mental and hygienic con-
ditions are complied with. The unnecessary
multiplication of studies, the bi-monthly ex-
aminations in so many branches, and the inn
portance, as indicated by the marks attached
to many of the less valuable branches, have ex-
ci ted unfavorable criticism on the part of par
ents all over this city. Whether these criti-
eisms are just or not the committee have lab
ored earnestly to bring the schools to as high
d degree of perfection as possible
They have erred in matters of Judgment as
all other committees in the past have erred
and as all in the future will err. Our school
system is not a mushroom of one nights
growth, but is the combined results of the ex-
perience eff teachers, superintendent, and COM
mittee for many years. 1t cannot be destroyed
in moment by few critics who are entirely
Ignorant OF the subject The primary school
work has been entirely changed during the
past ten years on account of the acceptance OF
the views of Pestalozzi and Froebei on the
education OF children. Herbert Spencer threw
light on this subject by his observations on the
Development of the senses in infants. The
facts demonstrated ty Spencer agree with the
principles enuneiated years before by tSrH Will
liam Hamilton and others. The natural de-
velopment of the mind is in the following
order:
Perceptiye Faculty-Perception; Self Conscious
ness.
Conserv 4tive Faculty-Memory.
ce s.'' ''''N''''O '''''"' -''l''''''''
Representative Faculty-Tmagination
Faculty-Comp rison.
Elaborative Faculty Reason; Common Sense.
Education should be conducted in accord
ance with these purposes. The child must
| first be taught to perceive; all his learning
must come at first through the senses; his
| powers OF observation must be cultivated al
thoroughly as possible. If he is taught only
| those things he wishes to know, memory viii
at the same time be trained In the best posi-