The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-11-06
Uuwise Action of the BIoonnsburg
school Board.

In the Republican of October 8 appeared
| a remarkable resolution said to have bee
unanimously adopted by the school board of
Bloom district.
The preamble to the resolution reads as
| follows: "Whereas it is evident from a
careful examination into the degree of
progress among the pupils of the public
| schools of our district, that there is a fail
ure in the attainment of results, especially
noticeable in the primary grades; and,
whereas, for the past six or eight years the
pure '"word" method so-called of teaching
has been adopted as the proper method Of
instruction in such elementary classes, and
being further convinced that such failure
does not result from Il lack of qualification,
interest or enthusiasm on the part of the
teacher, &C." This preamble insipuates
that the uoyd method of teaching, reading,
or, rs the directors term it, "thc pure
word method socaled," has, in the Bloom
district, proved u failure. Be it under
stood, that it is the method that is a failure
and not the teaching; for the teachers, we
ale told, are qualified, interested, and en-
thusiastic.
But what do these directors mean by
'the pure word method socalled ?" DO
| they mean teaching only disconnected
words, or all words simply by sight !?
1t either of these, we should like
to have them inform .us who
| advocates such method; and, further, who
taught by it, If any of the teachers have
practced it,why is it said that they are quail
ifed2 What better evidence of their unfit
ness could be adduced than the fact that
| their methods are unphilosifical, and, con-
sequently failures
We are told, too, that this method "has
| been adopted as the proper method of in
| struction." VIII the directors be kind
enough to tell us what they mean by
| proper, as used in this connection, and by
whom this method was adopted as the
''proper" one.
But since these men condemn the Word
| method of teaching primary reading, as
| they understand it, they must believe them
selves competent to pass judgment upon
| it. To ascertain their qualifications for
| the task, let us compare their views with
those of men who have made teaching and
the philosophy of instruction life work
| men, therefore, of unquestioned authority.
w. II. Payne, Prot. of Pedagogy in
Michigan University. says: THE advan-
tages of the word method are the following:
I. 1t is natural, i. e., in harmony with
the organic mode of mental activity.
2. 1t makes the transition from spoken
iohSuoSS w "iittSh uoSS thNSe "''
easy.
3. From the very first, it secures the
child's interest and attention, and thus
makes reading an enjoyable task.
4. 1t makes spelling natural process,
l. e., places it after reading, and makes it
consist in the resolution of words into their
elements.
5. AS it avoids the slow decipherng of
words into their elements, it permits great
er tuency in reading"
DR.. Edward Brooks says: "In this way
(by the word method child learns to pro-
nounce words before it knows It's letters.
This is the correct method for the be-
ginner. First, it is the natural method; it
is the same way in which we begin spoken
language, and in which we learn the names
of other objects. 1t is also the most inter-
| esting method; for young pupil is more
interested in words than in abstract Charac-
| ters. 1t is the most philosophical method,
| for ii proceeds from The knoCn 10 The unknoUn,
| from the known spoken word to the un-
| known written word. 1t is also the his
| toric method for written language en-
| ployed symbols for entire words before it
| used letters; and the historical order of de-
velopment generally indicates the true or
der for the child"
Supt N. A. Calkins, of New York, says:
| Ituil, HutuIulif, Hy
| from the knOwa to that which is akin in the
unknown. This is the true order for teach
| ing.
/. Sound-words Spoken words), as used
| in conversation, constitute the kn0wn to
| the child just commencing to learn reading.
| Form-words (rrinted or written words aie
| the unknOwn to this beginner, and the kin
| to the sOund-words, or known.
2. Whole words are first learned in con-
versation. The whole form of the word
should be learned first in reading. The
| first object of the instructor should be ia
teach the child to know by sight the forms
of those words which are already known
| to the ear.
B. Children learn the concrete before
the abstract; the whole before Its parts.
Words are the wholes IN the first lessons OF
reading. Their parts, or analysis into
sounds and letters, belong to a subsequent
| step.
! 4. To secure habit of reading with an
easy, natural voice, the child must be
trained from the first to treat printed words
rs signs of things, actions and thoughts
| 5. The rapidity with which a child may
be taught by recognizing the simple form
of the words at first is surprising, and nc
less surprising is the facility and perfection
with which spelling is afterwards learned. y
Rev. Thomas Hill, 'one Of the most EN-
inent educators of the age" says; ''rhe
words which a child uses are in his mind
signs of things, and he has no more ana
| lyzed the parts of word than he has ana
| lyzed the parts of the thing it stands for.
| At first this is the best method OF intro
| ducing him to the printed language, not tC
its letters, but to its words as wholes. As
when you hold up the picture of dog, and
ask what il is. you do not wish him to say
| 1T is the picture Of dog nor that lit il
one side of the head, one hind leg, anc
both fore legs of dog but when be sees
| the picture, you wish him to say, 1t is {
dog so when he sees the printed word.you
wish him to say, not dee oh jee, but dog
| Teach him thus to read very simple sen
tences, containing only the most common
| words, by pronouncing at sight each wore
and continue at this for some months, unit
the child recognizes instantly, at sight
about hundred words"
These quotations clearly show that th'
ability to diagnose educational diseases II
not possessed in an eminent degree by "th'
school board of Bloom district" for ac
cordiug to the authorities named, "th,
careful examination" that we are told wa
made, did not disclose the true cause o
the alleged failure. Perhaps the examiner
| were not sufficiently patient In thelr lnves
tigation, nor even entered upon it with al
unbiased judgment. They may have beer
somewhat in the same predcament as th,
"school committee" of Quincy, Massachu
sets.
Charles +. Adams, Jr, in his report o
the Quincy schools, says: "The most con
founding thing 10 the members of the com
mittee was, that in hearing the primarie
read not child among them could repea
its letters, or even know their names, unles
perchance, to the teachers increased trou
BILE had been taught at home"
The conclusion Of the matter Is, that tn
asserted failure, whether real or imaginary
has been attributed to the wrong cause
and, assuming the failure TO be real, on
teachers or the directors--must be respon
sible for it.
In our next communication we shall cor
slider the resolution or remedy proposed.