The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1884-12-04

4
Methods of teaching are always sub
ject to discussion and examination.
Searching investigation is going on all
the time among teachers themselves as
TO what is the best method of teaching
all subjects. OF course, difference of
opinion exists As to the value and prac-
ticability Of new plans, but all are
finally tested By actual experience. and
those that lack utility or practically
are laid aside.
IN the temperance agitation that has
been going on for the past few years q
great deal has been said about the
teaching of temperance 70 children.
The presumption of not a few has been
that the cause of intemperance lay in
the lack of knowledge on the part of
the individual that was the victim of
strong drink. This presumption led 10
the obvious conclusion that il all the
public schools would give lessons on
the abuse of stimulants, that the child,
fortified by that knowledge, would keep
out of the clutches of the curse that
has blighted so many homes and ruined
so many valuable lives.
Those persons who have come to this
conclusion. dependent upon these bases
of reasoning, are often uncharitabe to
those who do not accept this as the
true theory, nor the method proposed
as the best to accomplish the end
sought.
Vice is certainly not question of a
lack of knowledge. 1t cannot be caused
by the fact that the vicious did not
know the evil consequences of their
acts. Death, ruin, disgrace, all the mis-
fortunes incident to life do not deter
the evil doer. Punishment, and a knowl-
edge that it will be inflicted, has but
little influence in REFRESHING those who
have learned to enjoy evil habits and
evil doing.
If this be true temperance is a ques-
ton of the governing of the appetite,
and the treatment of the subject must
be placed under the domain of the will.
When men are incorporate, the will is
broken down and they find themselves
unable to stem temptation without fall
ing. Every time a man yields to tenn
tation his will power is destroyed that
much more.
What is needed to be done then to-
ward meeting this evil of strong drink
is to cultivate strong will power that
can resist successfully temptation to do
wrong. Learn to do by doing" is the
teachers adage. On this simple state
ment can be based all teaching that
seeks to cultivate the win Moral
is developed by following this
same law. He who does right can
ney er be wrong. He who never drinks,
that keeps his will intact, is in no dam
ger of dying 4 drunkard.
There are three points that are a part
of the faithful teachers creed, what
ever may be the moral question at
issue. Every child must l, know the
right 2, feel the right and 3, do the
right. Without the union of all these,
all moral teaching fails of reaching the
desired end. These points have been
the basis of work in the Oskaloosa
schools since the writer has been con-
nected with them. He doubts not but
they were enforced here long before
that, as they are not new. He believes
that every teacher has faithfully work
ed to this end, and has not abandoned
a single case until all these three points
have been met, as far as circumstances
would permit.
Every school should teach temper
ance, should cultivate feeling for the
right in all cases and should do all it
can, in the few days and hours that
children are under its control to re-
quire that its principles are practiced
and enforced. No teacher who neg
lects these points is worthy of public
confidence and should not have the
care Of children nor part in the for
nation of their character.
Use of profanity, vulgarity, lying,
deceiving, etc. are similar
aspects of depravity and must be met
by the same kind of radical treatment
heretofore suggested. The same is
true of the evils bright about by
tobacco, alcohol, opium and other sub
stances that degrade and destroy the
WILL