The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-06-02
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
An Instructor OF Experience Offers
some Seas0nable Suggestions.
The Teacher and His Tryiag Duties
Helpful Hints.
Woman as a Young Idea Educator.

The following thoughts and opinions re-
suit not only from an individual experience
OF more than twenty years In school rooms.
but from reading and from discussions, and
conversations with persons interested In
educational tffairt:
Every state should have a compulsory
education act" thereby enforcing parents
and those hAviog charge OF children, who
have reached the proper age, TO give them
the advantages OF the school-room until
they have passed through, at least, y course
OF spelling. re,ding. writing, arithmetic, ge-
ogrspby, Eoglish gramma. ana United
States history.
Furnished with this help. many young per-
tons without iurth,r aid will win their
own way to broader fields OF learning and
lofrer heights Of intellectual develop
msnf.
Schools should be mum bered. classified
and Graded. The number Of applicants for
admission each month OF the school term
should be- registered, an account kept OF the
average attendance each month, and also
the monthly per cent. OF attendance. There
should be, too, an exhibit OF the average at.
t,ndance and the whole number of pupils
taught In each class Of all the schools turing
the term, as well az tabular statements OF
the increase or decrease OF attendance In
the several classes OF the schoos-that one
may ut glance form an idea OF the nnmeri.
cal prosperity OF leach tcnool for the current
Y0lF, 0uu NJ tBt bhuit tltHo COuipuTt tnls
condition with that Of the preceding year.
This Is part OF the supeript endent's work.
To secure order, discipline the comfort OF
the teacher and successful tuition, the
classes should be strictly graded and IN q
school properly conducted four wears should
suffice for the pupils TO complete eight gram
mar grades.
Promotions from primary to grammar
schools should DO made not oftener
than every half term, and not without
examination In all the studies ordered for
the primary schools, nor unless the princl.
pal Of the department aspired to Is satisfied
as 10 tbs pupils qualiiicasions for promo.
ton.
A school term should be OF ten months
duration. and the course OF study should be
80 arranged that with an attentive teacher
and pupil OF average intelligence and in
dustry each grade can DO satisfactorily fin
ished in Ave months, At the expiration OF
this time 1t 10 the duty Of the principal OF
the grammar department to exsmine those
pupils who have finished the first grade
studief, and decide II they q Q we'll enough
grounded In them to be advanced to higher
classes.
Teachers in addition to the knowl-'
edge that will enable them to pass the re-
quired sxau inatioD, should be thorough.
bred, cultured and refined. In fact every
good point, including a fine physical condi.
ton, should be considered. cultivated and
polished, to the fullest, extent BY
those devoting themselves to This
t nSSls Greater help in msns
cases, than even q child's natural protecl.
ors, and always the parents most potent
auxiliary. An artist may paint Q picture
that will win the plaudits OF the world, as
we'll as abundantly replenish his purse. A
sculptor may chisel from the rough block
o form OF 80 divine beauty that ages hence
q far-awsy posterity will stand before IL
In speechless delight; but teacher, faith.
full. conscientious teacher, 10 both artist and
sculptor, and has for his canvas whereon TO
paint, and his marble whereof to curve, the
Immortal soul 1t behooves him, then. to
aim at perfection, TO grid and strengthen
him, II honestly done, will tax every
energy Of body and mind and soul.
In order to aid pubic school teacher In
his efforts, II 10 necessary that there shoud
be . skilled and etiioisnt supervision. In.
dividual schools without general oversight
NAV, and somstimes do. produce resnlts
eausl 10 those found under the best
supervision. There are many teach |
ers who, by their own efforts
and wide experience, become skilled |
in their work and attain the best rescits; |
but the aggregate OF good results In schools \
under Intelligent SUPERVISION is tar gre aser |
than IN the same number OF schools with
It is not enough that teacher has extern.
siye scholarship, that he is industrious, |
energetic, earnest: that he stim ulates his |
pupils 10 exert themselves In study. HIS
methods may he wrong, his results deiu,
sive. The appeal NAV be habitually and
chiefly to the Students memory OF words.
to his ability to recite rather than to his
understanding. The teacher may hove no
true conception of what educ alton really is
no standard for correct measure OF his own
work
Very much OF the slow progress In schools
IL attributable to false standard or the
part Of the teacher as to what constitutes
real education. But an efficient supervision |
will override such condition, and cham Q
1t to toat better state in which instruction |
is based upon the art OF teaching and |
knowledge OF the soisnce Of education.
brilliant authority ON this subject Of school |
supervision aud with reference to the work
OF superintendentr, saws that 1t, aim 10 to
discover to a grea,er or less extent the tone
and spirit Of the school, the conduct and
application OF the pupils, the management |
and methods OF the teachers, and the illness
superintendent will commend excellence,
gently indicate faults, defects and errors,
and suggest improvements as occasion DE. |
mands. The Just recognition OF faithful.
ness and skill in the class.teacher, and Of
judgement. tact aud energy In the principal
Of the school. forms large per- OF the de-
tail d reports made by assistant superin-
tendents.
For II the uperin,endent does his work
thoroughly the schools under his charge,
will be honey -comed as II were, with
the daily observation and detailed reports
OF assistants selected with fpecisl reference
20 their work by the superintendent him
seli--or herself--since the way to this i'm
portant position IS now omen to women, Tor
ole person alone and una'ded cannot proper
IL administer affsir SO oneroUs, involving
such delicate perceptions, demanding obser-
walton 80 constant. close and mioute and
an executive ability clement, yet prompt
and JUS, combining the tact, energy ana
determination required, but not always se-
cured, In those chosen to lead important
and honorable undertakings.
II has lust been said tn It tho position OF
public scnool intend emit is IN there days
open to women. And who more fitted 10
bear the responsibility and enjoy the emol-
uments OF this honorable post than some
OF the brave, bright, intellectual women to
be found In every town? Every whore We
see women of late years giving good proof
Of sdminissrative and executive ability,
combined with the keen mental insight,
the delicate spiritual Intuition,
- we'll - the arm determination
and unhsgging energy that supplements
her Trailer physique and makes her ~ every
point % eligible to this position % man.
Add TO these the motherly instinct and nm.
failing insight into the ohild's needs and
requirements. both mental and physicel,