The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-09-02
Opening OF I'll. Public Schools.

n Alter TWO nouns vacation the publlc
schools OF this city opened their doors
yesterday to the hurried pattcr OF the
childrcn's feet. 70 some, no doubt, the
sound OF tho bell calling them once more
to their books fell rather heavy on their
light young hearts. Tho pastimcs OF the
vacation arc in their minds, and hey are
reluctant to leave the pleasure, OF the
play ground Tor study in the school room.
1t will take few weeks until they become
(, reconcilcd, and then ambition will take
tho place OF regret, and the struggle for ex-
cellence will begin. .a
6 The teachers, too, while they have en-
joycd their well earned vacation, are also,
We opine, susceptible to this feeling, and
MS they are but.human, is itnot fnir to sup
pose that some pleasant memories OF rest
full days will follow them 10 the class room
MS they enter on another year OF toll, The
duties of which call for the exercise OF the
patience Of Il saint. They are noble work
ers in noble, cause, and no one WHO has
not had some experience in. instructing
the youth knows what trials they have to
bear. and that the mental strain that they
are called on to sustain is rs exhausting rs
MS the work Of tho man who stands before
+; the furnace door OF an iron mill. And it
may. not be out OF place Mt this point to
suggest to parents that they should not
only cooperate with them, but take
enough interest in the welfare OF their
children to visit the schools occasionally,
and by kind word and approving relna,k
lot the teacherknow that they arc satisfied
their children are in good hands. Be
lenient and charitable, too, toward the
teacher, who has, perhaps, chastiscd your
unruly boy for some breach Of discipline.
Ii You are called on to correct him ut
home you should remember that when out
Of the reach Of parental authority and the
fear OF tho birch switch you have SO often
had occasion 10 use he would naturally
be moro obstrcperous. Don't get angry
and write. the teacher IN, insulting note
because he WIS your boyand imagine that
no one Observation-Disclosures him but your
self. 1t won't do. Boys ure likely to
magnify trivial matters when not; only
their feelings but, their bodies have been
hurt. Treat the matter judicially and in
yestigate for yourself, and you will invaria-
bly, find that your boy got onlywhat he de-
served. These thoughtsm may bcsuggestedby
recollections Of tho writer Of old.fashioned
methods that obtained in the schools Of
other days, but we believe they will apply
in great measure to the practices Of To-
day. si5;t -5.s}. ttf5t AZ,
) Wheeling has reason TO point with
pride TO her public school system. The
Improvements III tho method Of instruc-
ton are many, and the grade Of the teach
ersis also much better thun formerly. The
instructors work with a better knowledge
ofwhat they teach, and colisequentlybet:
ter results arc obtained. The text books
arc better and are adapted 10 the capacity
Of the scholar. There is no longcrthc old
reader containing that sillyreirain,
There stands the shrcwd barber with rasor and nan
10th talking md shaving rs inst us he can. n
Or that equally trivial reading exercise:
Tho farmcr sits In his casy chair a. n K
smoking his pipe Of clay. . \ IN ! 5s. & Az
tIS While his hnlc old wife with busy caro- ,4fis
~ Is clearing the dishes away fi5f ES
= It seems to have been the object Of
early text book authors toa.hayc $tho
scholars learn merely observation-disclosures
without refercncei to imparting any
useful knowledge at the sa,ne time. What
is there worthyoi remembrance of:a bar.
Der who talks and shaves us fast as liz can.
And again Of 4 farmer taking il easy while
his: aged consorti is clearing away. the
dishes. The poctical picture would have
been more instructive to youth il the. far
mcr had been drawn in M attitude OF
wood. \ Seriously, however, the
books Of to-day arc made both instructive I
aud entertaining, and contain matter Of
useful knowledge, md the scholar is
taught and does not oycrcrowd his mind !
with crlcarned; BY rote, only to slip
out OF remembrance hcncxt day.. !
sad thoughts may also come with the j
Of school days. IT is not un- !
likely that during one Of thc bright days !
q the vacation some scholar has lost i /
loved playmate that has entered n world i
u perfect knowledge. Or, 4 teacher, III &
o.oking over tho room yesterday, missed \
he familiar iace q some iayorite scholar {
sho bus gone 70 tho Great Teacher to r