River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-05-14
General Exercise 5

Now that the summer terms of our
i district schools have begun, it is well
| for school-masters and school mistress
| es to consider the question, "What
| shall | have as a general exercise!
To this query you may have an an
swer satisfactory to yourself. Music
ally inclined, you viii say--singing
and, if SO, you have a good hobby if
you MAKE it SO. If we were to suggest
| anything in this line. it would be that
| the songs should be LIVELY and PATRIOT
&c. The national hymn. America"
is good type of the latter class.
Again, some teachers who have a
knowledge of Botany, eau use it to good
advantage by taking 10 or Is minutes,
each morning, in giving oral instruc-
tion. lie can get the pupils interested
by-haying them bring specimens of
the flora of the neighborhood, and by
teaching them to OBSERVE the structure,
mode of termination, and morphology
of some common plant; as. corn, bean
or wheat.
The pupils will be surprised to find
out how little they know or have OBJ
served about the common things
round them. For instance, ask whether
the cotyled0ns of the bean drop off after
the plumule has developed into one, or
more pairs of leaves; and. whether this
is the case with the cotyledons of the
pumpkin seed. Such questions will
set the pupils to thinking and odserU-
ing, and observation is the sure
foundation OF knowledge. Therefore,
Botany Specialist, you have a good
subject for your general exercise:
make it interesting.
Historical stories told or read by the
teacher. can be made interesting and
instructive.
Mental arithmetic work excites great
interest and is conducive of good re-
suits in more ways than one.
In the schools of this Co., about ten
or twelve years ago, there was too
much time given to Arith. both men
tai and written, to the exclusion of
Constitution, Orthoepy and some of the
other important branches; but now we
seem to be running to the other ex-
IRENE, to wit: the Punishment of men
tai arithmetic, in great measure, SO
that any TeUiUdI in that line, will be
step in the right direction.
Dubs VI Viz DtbJNGbo GhpbN VIZ may
take for general exercises, the "Incul-
cation of a Love for Good Literature, j"
stands pre.eminent in my estimation.
Take some good poem, such as
Evangeline and study it we'll, so that
as you read portion of it each MORN
ing, you can enlarge upon it and ex-
plain any obscure passages. Have tn
advanced pupils "'look up" any histor-
ical illusions or facts connected with
the poem; and when you have succeed
ed in awaking an interest in that which
you are reading, do not fail to give
your pupils an acquaintanceship with
the author, by biographical sketch.
and by having pupils give those facts
repeatedly.
Some mornings you might vary the
exercise by giving a short lecture,
having for its subject, the comparison
of good with poor literature, eulogy
of some favOrite author, effects of
reading trash, or any kindred topic.
"Choice Selections from One Hun
dred and Fifty Authors" published
by D. Appleton CO., n. Y, price 20
cents, you will find to be good help
in this work.
A teacher may make an accomplish
ed elocutionist of pupil, may ground
him solidly in the mathematics, and
sciences, yet if he has failed to give
the pupil an appetite for good reading,
and something of power to diScrim-
mate as regards this, he mas failed to
accomplish what the writer considers
the teaching of reading.
Fellow teachers, do something for
your pupils in this way, and in the flu.
ture they will appreciate you for the
kindness. L. j. MCANDREw.