The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1883-12-06
SCHOOL MATTERS.

| against lie COuIoo VI ihohAa AoA
country schools and the imaginary OBJ
stacles to its adoption. 4 few persons
are hostile to it and they are busy with
Misrepresentation. Judging from the
stories set afoat, these persons have
never read the manual or if they have,
| they wilfully misrepresent its require
ments. The latest story is that the adop-
| ton of the course necessitates change
| of text books. This is utterly and wholly
untrue. The manual hints at nothing of
| the kind, even. No one interested in
| the adoption of the course has ever sug-
| gested anything of the kind. The re-
port comes either from ignorance or q
wicked and intended perversion of the
truth. If the patrons of the public
| schools will only attend the evening
sessions of the union schools they will
find how maliciously false are the obiee-
tons. The adoption of the course in
ereases the labor of the teacher little,
and forces him to work with the use of
what intelligence he may have. 1t does
away with machine work and the teacher
must keep a record of what his pupils
have done while under his charge. The
little increase in labor provokes the hos
tility of those who are more inclined to
consult their ease than their duty to their
pupils. This and sheer ignorance of
what the manual contains are the secrets
of opposition.
So much has been written about this
! course of instruction that at this time it
should be work of spererogation to
outline its substance. The teacher who
starts such reports as that change of
text books is required or that injury to
the school results, has either not read
the manual or totally misapprehends its
spirit; or worse yet, he has that degree
of moral laxity which allows him to lie
deliberately, wilfully and maliciously.
The course requires the school to be
| divided into certain number of Forms,
the number depending upon advance
ment of pupils. There is work for three
years in each Form outlined clearly. with
hints as to the manner of teaching. The
child is not required to stay three years
in Form if he can complete the studies
IN less time. But if it takes longer
time the reason for it must be shown by
the records the teacher keeps. Every
parent can find out just how much it is
reasonable his child should do in school
IN three years. Ii that much is not done
the teacher, the child or the parent is to
blame and the record shows which one
OF the three, or if all are responsible.
The teacher must teach language oral
ly, and IN such way as to enable the
child to use words correctly. 1t consists
of sentence making; using words in SEN
fences, and not as is done too much now,
make the child buy a book which the
next teacher doesn't like and the child
has to buy another. It's not grammar
III its technical sense; it is language, and
the teacher must be able to give the child
instruction without using a book, until
the child is far enough advanced to I'M
derstand the use of the book.
The same thing is true of geography.
There is no more buying of little gecg-
raphies which do no good and are really
a hindrance rather than an aid. The
teacher must teach geography orally I'M
til the child is able to use the book in
diligently. It is the same way with
arithmetic. The teacher must teach the
tables" and the use of numbers orally.
and when the child is fit to use book
he gets an arithmetic. This throws a
little work on the teacher He must
mark down how far each pupil has gone
In all his studies during a school term,
so that parents can see what their chill
dren have done, and the new teacher
If there be change Of teachers, -can
begin just where the teacher he succeeds
left OFF. The pupil must thoroughly mas
ter the studies in one form before he is
put into higher, and this must be shown
by an examination, together with what
| it is known he has done in recitations.
He gels certificate if he passes, signed
by the teacher and one member of the
board, stating that he has done so much
| WORK opl if ho ooac into n NOW j;.t,.; -
or to a new teacher, he does not have to
go over this matter again. He is not
| put IN "the front of the book" by every
new teacher, and his parents can tell Just
how much he has done in school and how
well he has done it.
After he gets through the Primary
| Form he goes into the third reader in
the Middle Form and when he is fit 10
do so studies grammar, geography md
arithmetic from books. A record. of
what he does in school is also kept ia this
form, and for the same purpose. IN r.
show parents how far their chil;,ren have
gone; (2) to haya a record for the new
teacher so that the child will not have to
60 over the same work II he should go
to a new district or there should be a
change of teachers.
When he completes the work outlined
for this form he gets certificate signed
by the teacher and member of the
board, stating that fact.
Records of progress, attendance and
standing are also kept in the Upper Form,
and throughout suggestions are given as
to the manner of teaching. When the
work of the Upper Form is finished, the
pupils are examined by the County Su-
perintendent and the pupil who passes a
satisfactory examination receives certi-
ticate stating that he has completed the
course.
Even this last matter has been misrep-
resented and parents are led to believe
that the purpose is to make teachers of