The Florida agriculturist., 1884-10-29

of our common school training is that
the accompaniments of the instruction
given are in such discordance with the
best things to be taught. Children
are expected to learn to be neat,
orderly, methodical, etc., etc., in truth,
TO grow in those attributes of character
which will, later, aid them in getting
comfortable living and enjoying to the
fullest extent the income of thrifty hab-
its. They are to acquire these attributes
of character in school-house that has
less care than the ordinary horse-stable ;
upon grounds that are not cared for as
well as the average meadow at place
where no respect for others property is
expected; in truth, the most general
excuse for want of attention to school
premises is that children will so soon
destroy their comeliness. Is it a wonder
that boys throw stones through the win
dows of empty houses when their par
ents expect they will, without compunc-
ton, pull clap-board from the school
house at will {? Is there so much to
blame in the child that breaks a twig
from valuable ornamental tree, when
his fathers excuse for not planting trees
in the school-yard is, that the boys will
destroy every green thing anyway, and
there is no use in planting anything.
This is the reason that l have for saying
the best work of true teacher is outside
of hearing lessons and doing sums"
There is no better way OF teaching chill
dren respect for another's rights, than to
practice it upon the school-ground.
There is no surer way of inculcating
principles of correct taste, than under,
the guidance of the teacher, in making
delicately beautiful every nook about the
school-house and grounds. There is
surely nothing that can be taught the
average boy and girl from the farm, that
will ultimately give them more pleasure
than facts about the trees, plants,
insects and animals about them; and,
lastly, there is no discipline superior to
learning to record accurate and honest
observations.
My fourth error is one about which it
is most difficult to talk; butif more talk
ing were done in this direction there
might be fewer sad homes.
As an officer to whom has been en-
trusted the visitation of a number of
schools, have given the matter careful
and do not hesitate to say that
N my opinion very large proportion of
country schools are places in good meas
Ire devoted to the development of i'm
and when, for the purpose of
checking this tendency, have opened
o school-boards the state of affairs,
ound men who have little. boys and girls
subjected to these dangerous teachings
Wiling to laugh and say, "These things
will be learned some time, and the
young ones might as we'll get them ear
Iier as later"
The teacher should be held directly
responsible for the morality of the pupils
at school as truly as the mother holds
herself responsible in her home. But
how different are the surroundings with
which each has to contend The latter
has control of, and looks after, every
hing that will have a tendency to lead
astray. In the former case | find that
school officers, in the arrangement of
buildings and school-yards, seem, in
a majority of cases., to have actually
thrown every hindrance in the way of
the teacher.
Parents send their young boys and
girls to school with no thought except
to know if they are making progress in
their studies, and when terrible calam-
lty comes upon the household they can
not understand how it could occur
when their home was SO carefully watch
ed. The seeds of the worst forms of
immortality germinate about our schools,
and this because of neglected duty by
parents and school officers.
1t is quite a marvel to me why there
should be such difference in the watch
tulness of country parents over the per-
sonal appearance of the boys and girls.
| note it in every home l visit, and espe-
clally in every school look in upon. In
the home the girls have aroom with things
placed in it to render it attractive and
comfortable; on the contrary, the boys
get on almost any way, and no response
bilitv is felt by them as to the appear
ance of their rooms-in truth there is
little to be responsible for. At school
the little girls with parted hair, clean col
lars and pretty pinafores, are in strange
contrast with the boys, of whom it is
remarked, "They can't keep their hair
in place if they try. Collars will soon
be solled, and it isn't natural for boys to
be neat any way" These are the boys
that grow into men who are utterly care
less OF personal appearance, who scoff
at those who are tidy, and who grieve
families by disregarding the ordinary
courtesies of life. 1t is strange that
mothers cannot see the cause and change
the tendency by starting properly in the
outset.
Just word more and l will stop for
this time. There are more things to
learn outside of books than are printed
in them, so that with children time is
not lost if the little ones do not begin at
school very young. If at school under
the ordinary requirements, they are liza
BILE to get their little, soft bones out of
shape by long sitting in wrong positions.
and are learning very slowly how to
read and spell. If at home upon the
farm with father, mother or older broth