The Red Cloud chief., 1884-08-15
I'll
Fhc Essential Elements of EddvSo
Egcry Child should Rccciv1.
a,<eucc Of the Icachabic Spirit In
Pwbiic IpssruciOrA

Pwbiic Instructors.
rig SPHERE on n COMMON scBOOL
The keynote. which should shape
the course of study for our common
schools. was given . few years ago by
a distinguished educator when he de-
clarcd it to be the duty Of the schOpl
10 give each pupil that traiaine and
preparation which shall cuabIe him to
step ont Of any grade and enter 1t once
into the active duties u life. This, Of
course, does not mean that ~ full and
complete an education can be secured
in n or two years Is In six or eight.
but II docs mean that each years work
shall be SO arranged. and he subjects
SO taught. that they shall have q value
) and = use in themselves independent
Ut Whist Is intended 70 follow. Ii does
not disparagc or discountcnance the
longest and most thorough course Of
study; 1t simply aims to give each step
in the course special significance, aud
by making more Of 1t by itself. make It
worth more In relation TO all the rest
Let US now briefly consider what are
the essential elements of the education
every child should receive. and which
he may reasonably be expected TO So
cure within the six or seven years OF
continuous school life. which is within
his reach. When we have determined
what these essentials are, the next
question will be 10 ascertain how they
may be secured In accordance with the
principle before enunciated.
First, the child is entitled TO the pos
session Of tratJlcd pcrceptiyc faculties.
These are natures servants. designed
10 minister TO our wants. and TO convey
10 Us the greater part of u knowledge.
THAT one sees for himself in natures
book is his by night of discovery. as
real As though no one else had ever
known il; and no knowledge ever has
the power OF inspiration and develop
mcnt equal 10 that which the mind de-
rives At first hands. But to'be able to
do this work, these senses must be
taught and disciplined. and the school
roo is prominently the place for such
work.
Second. our child must know hoU to
think, To speak. and 10 write. Ii is
settled that hc will think and speak. at
least; tliat he do both correctly, cs-
peciaily the former. Is of prime import
ance. for upon his thinking VIII prob
ably depend the settlement of most of
the great questions of his life. and per-
haps those of the Nation. And in'pro-
portion rs he is led 10 thoughts of tho
better. noblcr. and purcr kind, and his
mind is brought into contact with truth
in its manifold forms, will those
thoughts seek for expression, and Gre
ate q demand for oral and written lam
guage. The great obstacle to the cul-
ovation. in the average pupil, Of the
power TO write good English. has been
his inability. or indisposition at least,
to think
Third. he should have q practical
knowledge Of numbers. and tho funda-
mental operations that may be per-
formed with them. In order that he may
solve the practical problems of his
daily life with ease and facility. He
cannot DO expected to ''master" any
arithmetic. but he may be taught ad-
dition. subtraction. multiplication. and
division. decimal and common frac-
tions, the common tables Of weights
and measures, the methods of treating
compound numbers. and tho percent
age with its simpler applications I
ordinary business life.
In this three-fold scheme is, or NAV
be. included, I believe. what Is indis-
pensable to the education of q child M
To the point where he may be Justly ex-
pected to make it available, both to
himself and TO the State. II we also
examine it with reference to the idea
that the child. leaving school At any
point, may be able 10 utilize what he
has acquired. wo shall fnd that a
course VI studies arranged on this plan.
from the beginning will. meet that
want 1t may be safely assumed that
the instances where . child cannot at
tend school for at least three years are
few. Ii now VT consider what three
years OF training In tho objective Study
nature. in the habit of reflection
upon what the sense have brought to
hse mind. and of giving expression to
those thoughts in oral and written
forms, and in the practice Of counting
numbers. and adding. s%ub,racting,
multiplying, and dividing themI will
for q child. we canno fail to see
That he must have acquired q solid bas-
Is. upon which he can not only build
school, but which. if he is deprived,
OF further school facilities, will be Of
practical value in any sphere of life into
when he may be compelled to enter.
1t is for the accomplishment of this
result that we are called upon to strive.
1t is only by the employment of those
Q9NlnrS yvhn hovn oh.1.1,. nn ALL IS
he highest order and by the institu-
aoR OF a complete and thorough system
,f qualified supervision. that We shall
justified in expecting that it will DO
attained.-Ron. Z. h StockweH
TEACHABLE TEACHERS.
One Of the most serious obstacles to
id schools is the absence of the
cachable spirit in too many of our in
'tructors of youth. In the ignorant,
and conceited man or woman.
'xulting in "a little brief authority"
'uch conceit of Indifference or OPPOSE
ion to outside suggestion is simply of
ensive. and a fair cause for dismissal
nom the office. But the case becomes
more difficult, and the results more de-
tructive. when this malady attacks 3
eacher OF good requirements moder-
Itely successful. intrenched in an inn
position. Its worst results are
cen when this sense Of superiority to !,
comment or suggestion takes
'ossession of the teaching corps of an 4
important school. and laces up the in /,
into 3 little pedasogic "mu- {
ual admiration society,"" revolving ON /,
. own axis. sweetly unconscious Of Z
nv special need. meeting suggestion {
rom without with polite indifference. /,