Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1884-04-03
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN.
A few Pertinent Points for CAREFUL
Consideration - How children
should be Taught.

i
Persons familiar with the working
OF the public schools in many of th,
cities and large towns, have no doub
observed that the present system o
study laid out for the children needs tt
be revolutiOnized and the schools mad,
more efficient. To do this it will re
quire time and labor, and the sooner
the people make up their minds TO this
fact the better.
One OF the most essential things is to
first have a school Board com posed OF
men who will take an interest In the
cause of education and look after the
various schools with a sharp eye, in
order to observe what is best needed for
the advancement Of the respective
pupils and then agitate reforms
wherever needed. 1t has frequently
been noticed in every city, but especi.
ally in Wilmington, that when the
school election takes place there is very
little interest taken by the voters and
In nearly every ward light vote is
polled and the candidate, whoever he
may be, has little or no trouble t. be
elec ed. If he isa fit man for the posi-
tion 1t is we'll enough, bnt II no is not
then the matter assumes u more serious
shape and the voters in the various
wards should take an active part and
see TO it that suitable men are elected TO
govern the schools of this as well as
other cities. II this WAS done the
schools in every city would soon show
a wonderful improvement. In refer
ence to the system of study now in
vogue in the schools in various cities
Camden, y. j. is to have q change and
IL is to be hoped that, if the change
proves beneficial, other cities will soon
follow.
Justice Cassidy, OF the latter place,
has become so impressed with the evils
Of tho present system of teaching that
lie has recently inaugurated n crusade
against the practice of burdening chill |
dren with studies at home instead OF
having them stud y their lessons during
school hours. The West Jersey Press
has taken up the subject and endorses
the Justice in the following article,
which recently appeared in its col
umns:
" There is scarcelya a parent in the
;ity who will not heartily second jus
lice Cassady's effort to have the NUN.
Der of lessons reduced in onr public
schools in order that the children may
be relieved of the necessity for home
study. The way book learning is i'm.
parted at the present day is for the
to be loaded up with books to
be carried home, there to be studied,
and to compel their parents, brothers
)r slsters, to teach them how TO solve
problems in arithmetic, construct SELL
4nces, and 'tO do and perform liter.
lily and in fact the work ofthe teacher.
The whole duty of the latter, under
his splendid system, is to see that the
essons have been properly learned at
l0me, and whether those who compose
he household have been diligent in the
discharge OF their duties, and undergo
he disagreeable task of perfecting tho
,hild in its lessons. In many homes in
his city entire evenings are taken up
Il giving instruction to children, there
'oing no time left for work, reading or
and it is time 1t was stop
,ed even at cost of fifty per cent. Of
he lessons. The school house is
he place to learn lessons, and the
chool teacher is the person to give the
Ii
Home teaching, not to characterize it {
90 strongly, has become a nuisance, {
md Justice Cassidy deserves the thanks !
If the whole community for his efforts
o have it abolished, If this cannot be
lone, let the order of things be reversed {
ct the children study at school and re- {
ite at home. 1t does not require SO 4
much time and attention to listen to u I
ecitation an is necessary to explain the
esson and render child perfect in its
tudy."