Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-12-13
Is There Danger Of Too Much Theory In Our
Public Schools

THE following ig a synopsis Of an
address delivered by Supt. &. a. Lewis,
at meeting OF tue Teachers AssOcia-
ton held at this place en- the LIST day
Of November, 1854.
Continued from last 1Oeek.
During pre-uivilizatiun sentiment
is the first 10 appear. 1t is with poetic
IervOr that the lone savage, in the
signing OF the wind through the dense
forest, hears the voice OF the Great
spirit breathing ben-dictions to Its
dusky child; or that, when the deep
thunder reVerberates among the ever
lasting hills, he falls upon his face in
peuitence for having invoked Its
wrath, Gradually this sentiment de-
velOps into theory, Theory is but the
primal sIeDpIng-stOne for execution,
and execution is practice. Actual
practice, then, is the real sOlidity Of
iiTe. but. as before suggested, this
PLAN sOlidity without the ornaments
ton Of sentiment becomes rigidIy Sc
we're. But, 10 may be urged, what has
all this philosophy in regard TO theory
anu practice among men, 10 do win
the idea Of too much theory in our
public schools? 1t has everything TO
90. Men are but grOwn-up children,
aItel ALL and as you paint the ideal
ilun in your imagination, III the same
likeness should YOU prOpQrtlonately
mould the miniature mau-the boy.
Your own course in the sGhOUl-ruOm
should be mapped out with the utmost
caution. for pupils are apt % copy
YOU. If you have hobbies, they are
likely 10 riue OFT on "a hobby. IN All
cases the yOLuegI mean should be earn
estIy sought fer. Enough theory
should be used to map cut your WORK,
Ciiau is system. 1t Is the design Tor
the builder. Without it, You are like
snip at sea without compass. Your
WORK is hap-haZZard and lacks sym
metry.
IL is to be regretted that there is a
dispaTaging difference between the
jCteltL word Ot the college student, and
the TeuL world into which he must
soon go. In his pedanLic innocence,
the outside world seems but pam
Drama, ia which men are the auto
nations 10 be moved at the pleasure OF
has deXJrOus fingers. But Wnen the
hedging leaves mis- alma mater, lie is
frequently severely shocked. 1t is
the great battery Of industry and act
ual practice that thrills his nerves
with a magnetic stroke. he then
keenly feels that amid the classics
anu bellettres where he has passed so
y
omitted. Teach your pupils that il
requires human sympathy on their
part, 20 elicit human sympathy from
others; that 1t needs viii to meet will;
force 10 cope with force. III short, the
boy who feels some OF the rough cor
ners of the world in his youth Will find
their Craggy points considerably
rounded OF Tor MIN in his manhood,
1 have frequently seen too much
3 theory atafn "A hrff
the teacher, in q long chain Of tech
nical parsing, where each word, hs
seemed 70 think, must be a COuseCu-
tive link to bind 10 70 its nearest neigh
Dor, forgot the broader view OF IAN
guage, and the logic Of its COnstruc-
ton. IL is too often the case, iu the
study o.. history, that tile teacher VIII
insist so closely upon the nenlOriZing
OF all exact dates, and minor details,
lost sight Of. / do not wish TO be un-
derstOOd as not desiring thorough
work. but / mean 90 say that the real
practical lessons of history, the rela-
ton Of eventa to events, IN other words
the pure wheat, should not be lost in
the chAff OF technical details. Every
lesson recited ia the schoOl-rOonl
should be made alive and bristiing
with practical hints and ideas. There
I
State for adoption in our common
schools. " heTever they can be prac-
tically used, they meet with my
hearty cOmmendaLion. But in our
country schools here On the frontier,
where many of the children attend
I but three months during tie year.
AMI even q portion Of thnt time is
/ sometimes taken 20 herd cattle, IL the
I course Of study is used at all, il must
/ be tempered with Judgment. The
young teacher who would attempt TO
! adhere TO SC ton elesely under such cir
( eunlstaEees, might do q great inius-
! tiCe To seine children. ] think I can
( see where there might be danger Of
too mueh Theory IN cur public schools
/ in that direction.
AFTER al, teachers, good judgment
I is the mentor which must discFimin-
ate for you between theory and Drac-
/ tice. Let your heaFt be in the work,
strive TO make the most Of the time
I YOU have. always tenlperiHg your la
Dor with good hard coma. OF sense,
ana fruitful results are almost sure 10
+ follow results that viii be q astiug
blessing and happiness % your pupils.
Let Us theH be up and doing.
with q heart for any fates
6ritl achieving. Sill peFsufnH,
a-earL. - - cor t-3G % E1lL't