Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-01-10

ratiiy my course IN 80 dong |
For the law says Teach good morals. /
And tho board OF education declares
that conc grca, defect OF our common
school teachers is the lack OF incIinN I
ton or ability to teach their pupils
moral TRUTH
II is noteworthy Just here that while .
moral instruction in the public school, .
is the declared policy ~ the govern
mcnt, and some account is made OF It /
in the prescribed Course OF Study" no /
provision IS made in the form Of q /
little "pumcr ni Morals for the use
~ pupils, nor IS there any adequate /
schedule OF suggestions ior the guidance |
uf teachers 1t is hardly TO be won |
dcrcd at then that in this absence OF |
means and method too little attcn /,
ton is given to forming the moral char
ae,cr ot pupils
As matter OF fnS the moral train /
ing Of pupils in the public schools i, |
lclt to the option ot the teacher II he /
be Indifferent then the teaching of
morals In his school "gocs 10y tho
board" II he be intensely in earnest
in this feature OF his work, then he will
command certain measure OF success,
but 1t will be because he has diligently
ppied himself to the discovery OF
methods, and the preparation OF helps,
and not bee lusc the school authorities
have furnished these to his hand, ready.
made.
Now il is clear that the teacher who
takes mp teaching after the fashion OF
those whotakeup knitting work, a fem
mine industry believe that does not
tax the intellect heavily and is without
any proper times or seasons such a
teacher is neither dealing honorably
with the community, nor proving himself
worthy member of the profession.
| But while this is true, it must be re
membcred on the other hand that the
unavoidable routine duties OF teach.
FRS work absorb too much vitality to
make it either practicable or desirable
that the teacher should still fIrthnr cx-
haust himself in the preparation OF ma.
tcrial that the state should freely fur
nish him with in the rcadicst and most
compact shape.
So true is this, that we find that the
greatest obstacle in the way of the
proper moral training of pupils in the
public schools to-day is, the absence OF
adequate helps. | am assured that
many teachers would gladly devote
more attention to this feature of their
work if it could be brought as really
into the Course of Study" as reading
or arithmetic. 1t cannot be so brought
in, to any real purpose, without some
, such textbooks as are now being in
, troduced into the public schools OF
, New York With such helps the study
, of morals could be made as systematic
, as the study OF fractions. and its rules
: be given quite as strong a grip on the
5 conscience as those of fractions some
, times get on the mind.
} 1t is probably the practice Of every
, teacher who feels the higher response
+ sibilities of his calling to improve favor
able opportunities for moral instruction
t by us NJ some misdemeanor as a text
, But while such instruction has the ele
, ment of Thickness and thus is made
+ specially impressive, it is not systematic,
) and consequently certain class oil
moral qualities are quite neglected and
, others are unduly emphasized. 1t i:
quite possible through such unsystem
: attic training for boy unconsciously &c
e come to feel that lying, for instance, i:
e the sin of sins and that if he tell.
r the truth he is as good as any
: body ought to expect him to be Sys
tematic training would not result in such
IS impressions, for while truthfulness woulc
c be duly emphasized, so also would self
c denial, honesty, faithfulness, gratitude
l. reverence, selfcontrol, and industry.
II A general exercise in each school fol
e ten minutes each day could be profit
d ably, arranged and the pupils would &c
t. from 1t to their various classes witt
/. fresh zest, Whenever child's mora
e nature is awakened it arouses his ambi
II ton and courage to undertake anythin,
II that will lilt him higher; and ! believ,
a that an arithmetic lesson preceded BY
y short and earnest talk on faithful
y ness in everything, would be far bet
e ter lesson than without such talk.
would be an interesting inquiry, an,
d one that would surprise us all in the re
3 suits that it would place before US, a
e TO the relation of moral culture to ir
1t tellectual progress. l am convince,
N that systematic course of moral trair
o ing in our public schools would no
1t only lift the moral tone of our variou
is communities but would very sensibl
y raise the grade of scholarship in all on
Is schools.
p Teachers are apt to plead in excus
n for what believe to be very genera
IS neglect Of moral instruction, that tn
y multiplicity Of school details prevent
Is the addition Of this bronch to the othe
'e branches already taught. But tim
If devoted to other studies could easily b
&c vacated to the extent Of certainly te
Iy minutes day in the interest OF thi
IS primal feature OF our public schools.
te On such an occasion as this whe
as teachers are gathered for mutual cour
,e sci and stimulation, We are concerne
I'd with our own personal responsible
o. rather than that of the state in the mora
m training of our pupils. We may al
it agree that the duty OF seeing to il tina
ly every public school shall constitute
n moral force in the community is tn
te highest function Of the educational d,
Is partment OF the government. We ma
&c all believe that as such department il
II peculiar mission is to fit the youth ,
he the realm for worthy citizenship, an
Sc that in all practical details it ought
n most efficiently sustain teachers in era,
letting tendencies to intemperance, ,hei
I'd arson, iorgery,murder, hoodlumism an
-. LII IL. a...i., ~ L.. l.