The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1883-06-01

Below will be found an intcrestlnp
paper, read by Professor Cooper to the
teachers, at their monthly meeting at thc
High school:
Ia llio instruction and management 81
schools, examinations. records, reports.
promotions and graduaiionT, arc found
~ bc important factors. l am aware
That visionary tlioofiela arc found who
lcry out against examinations, but philo.
|fophic and experienced educators iind
them not only valuable, but necessary
cxpcdients. ! confess that t!!crc have
been grounds for comp ants, Dut there
have boon prai.eworthy efforts made III
correct whatever abLsas and mistake.
thnt have been made
/ All teachers of experience, who have
been successful. agree that both oral aud
written examinations arc Indispensable
ito efficiency iii school work. Suffice II
10 say that the attempts Of sentimental.
ists 20 cry down agencies 90 necessary
will prove futile.
| Baldwin says: "A school cxamina.
ton Is a GOOD servant, but "a bad master
When rightly managed. good results arc
obtained when unwiseIy managed, II
becomes 4 rrue! insifnmcnt or torture
An examination differs from the daiiy
recitation Id only few particulars. The
|0bjccts are essentially tic same, although
leu examination is conducted In more
formal manner. and by some other per-
|son who is himself prcscut when tho
10 oral. and By his written
|Qucsti0ns when IL II written.
Among the leading objects OF an OK
animation Is TO learn fie deficiencies cl
pupils; for without thit
know ledge, how IL the teacher 10 know
in what the pupil needs assistance, aid
in what direction be should turn his In
Tie m0stsuccesslul teachers
know most accurately the individual
condition 81 their pupils. and are Away
able 70 produce The greatest uniformity
III results.
To dnd out how much tho pupil has
learned, how be understands tho subject
h4W much be hns thought about It be.
yond the barren statement oil the text.
book, may bc rcckoncd among the In.
|poriGnt objects Of an examination
Every careful teacher keeps these objects
In view In the daily recitation
by frequent reviews pcrmanence is given
Ito the knowledge OF the subject ID tie
mind or the pupil. But suppose the
labove objects are not kept III view by
|thc teacher, and, suppose be does not d
Thorough work, how Is the board or cd.
|ucatiot or the superintendent 10 ascer.
tain whether tie instruction has or Ia.
mot been faithfully or well dono2
Soizc cay, let them take the statements
|of tie teacher. There are many reason'
why course Of this kind would not do
ILf al teachers could lie alike III expert.
Iencc, qualification, success, honesty, &C.,
tests might be set aside. and
gradusii0ns, ctc., might W
based upon tie statement of The teachers
lAn0thcr eays, you cannot by any system
Iof marking exhibit the ability Of tho dif
Iicrcnt pupils justly or with any degree
'0f accuracy. 1t il certainly desirable <
have The opinion " the teacher ia ths
promotion ofpupils.
/ That which seems least open 10 Oh
lection Il 70 represent what the pupil
can DO 70 the eye by q system of PEI
cente. These per cents should bc derived
from examinations, combined with th'
opiniou Of The teacher.
There II no way or knowing ability
save through what II achieves. The re
lsults We must have, and they cannot b
iii tho oral recitation alone
Frequent examinations arc objected 70
,bccausa they interfere with the rcgnlsl
lw ork of ihc school. But do ihey2 II
arc properly conducted
land have IN view proper objects, thcN
Arc III exact liilc with The scho0l-worl
and aid the teacher IN tile c0mprchen
!si0n 0f the subject, aud euEgest to ths
pupils now channels Of thought, besides
Ihxing ii his mild what he las alroad,
learned.
Again I have heard persons object I,
because they excite d
Ietimulatc pupils 10 undue effort. Whil'
u few mny be titus affected, the grea
majority nccd TO bc thus stimulated an,
ARE greatly benefited thereby. Iii fac
1.-The experience Or every teacher Is tia
out OF every hundred nee,
lust such an incentive. The fact the
lpnpils nrc stimulated 10 effort BY exam
|inAtiona Ii the best possible argument II
Ithcir favor. The most successful teach
crs give their pupils written or an ORA
examination on at least every two week
woik. When tho questions for thes
examinations can bo made BY somc osLc
compctcnt person besides the lchchcI
tho value 70 the pupil Will be mucl
grcator, for familiar subject may b
thus proscntcd In new light.
MIR. stevenson says: TO criticisc an,
lind objection 10 any system OF education
is easy, but 10 suggest a better require
Thought and practical knowledge ~ hot
Theory aud practice cf teaching Yc
Two often find teachers possessed OF bu
very little Of cithcr theory or succcssf,l
Irrnrticc. most unreasonable III thnir Grill