The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-13
A Plea fo1. suppression.

To the Editor of tho indianapolis Journal
1t is not becoming apparent that the papers of
this city are making too much ado about the
history question. 1t is very visible to every
one engaged in school work, or who has had any
experience in such work that the discussion has
already caused in the minds of the pupils dis
trust Of the school curriculum and a disrespect
for the teachers, and has accomplished nothing
but accumulation of cheap news items. Con
slider for a moment how inconsistent the dis
cussion is. Within thescourse of its existence
there is not paper in the
State that has not cried out about ''too
many textbooks" ''too much teaching,
too many lessons, and so on Pad infinitum Then
you should praise the school board for leaving
off some of them.
If pupils are so young that the history must be
taught by memorizing each chapter. they are
too young to be taught any such subject or, II
they must be taught so young, must they go over
the whole ground2 If they are old enough to be
taught history they in the highest grades of
the grammar school or in the High school, and
in this case you insult the judgment of every
pupil in the public schools of indianapolis by
insisting, as the News did, that they do not
know anything about history" because it has not
been taught" Why, boas your simple
soul, is it not right there in the book, and can
they not read it for themselves History is now
taught by our best educators by the outline sys-
tenn. In this case individual text are
ignored and the pupil fills up his outline by
securing information from the public library or
anywhere else. He is thus taught self reliance.
One of these outlines may make three lessons,
and embraces as many chapters as there happens
to be on the subject in the text book, if one hap
pens to be used. You will see by this that his
tory occupies very little time, and is
not a daily drill, as arithmetic or kindred
subjects Again, the pupil must do
something for himself, and there is no subject
in the list of studies that the pupil so easily
pursue for himself as this subject of history Is
it any wonder that the school officials paid so
little attention to it! / assure you that ] indi-
vidually know number of pupils in the Indian
apolis High school, and / do not know one that
does not know as much for his age as the aver
age pupil does of this subject, and what is bet
ter, he knows it without any more bias than he
would receive from the author. assure you that
if | were teaching history of the United States L
would simply outline the great war Of the
rebellion, and let the pupils form their own con
illusions, this without the outlne) is Just what
the teachers were doing, though they were fool
ish enough to Immediately get ON the defensive,
like dog with a stone thrown at him The
board are excusable, for this is not their partcu
lar business. They have procured an expensive
superintendent, and given him assistant, to
do this There are many other subjects calling
for their attention, which, on the reception of it,
would be better done and with fewer mistakes.
The apology they make simply shows
politicians fear of newspaper. l agree
with a majority of the board that an
Investigation regards themselves was out of
place and uncalled for. The only investigation
that is needed is into the startling discovery of
subordinate officer who is ''really not subord
mate" the terrible discovery that the two high
est officials, the one assistant to the other,
are running the schools each on his own schedule
time, and that they not on intimate terms!'
Investigate this
Again, | would sayEthat great harm has
been done by this oversight, if it was an over
oh, ODD ,e H.
discussion. Before we disgrace our city further,
let us ''let up" W. L. B.