The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-07-01

and habits. and Is infused with all en-
thusiasm for knowledge In the prima-
ny grades, he Is prepared TO perform
the work of higher grades and the
severer duties that await him in ma
turing years. The effects of neglect,
carelessness, improper habits of
thought aud study will be difficult to
overcome-nay. more, they may be a
perplexing mischief TO him through
life. BY right habits OF thinking
and acting, the child develops into the
good citizen and intelligent member
of society. "The beginning Is half of
tho whole" What shall we say
of the too frequent custom OF placing
the neophyte, who has neither ex-
perlence in the art of teaching nor
knowledge of child nature, in charge
of our little oncs2 We regard the
primary work of the school the most
difficult, aud it demands the clear in
tellect, accurate knowledge of the
matter taught and methods of teach
ing, aptness TO teaoh--in short, the
best qualified teachers. We may not
expect TO find successful system
of schools with inferior primary
teachers. That superintendent or
principal who directs his efforts to
securing Snowy results IN the higher
grades and does not with patient So
licitude, earnest study and close OBJ
selyation, endeavor to make his
primary grades as efficient aud per-
feet as possible, will find that he is at
tempting TO build and adorn super
structure upon an insecure founda-
ton. He must keep his Gin
fantry" well trained IL he hopes to
succeed In his warfare with ignor-
anoe and the disorganizing forces OF
society.
Z. What connection have newspa-
pers with education? The intelligent
press is most potent factor. IL IL an
efficient co-laborer with us. Its
interests are closely associated
with the general intelligence,
The greater the intelligence of the
people, the greater the circulation of
newspapers. To what use can the
newspapers be put in school work!
3. "Watchman, what of the nightY
The public schools of Texas is the
theme of our state superintendent of
public instruction.
Relying upon your gentle patience,
may invite your attcnti ON TO two
subjects which are not on the pro-
grammc, but which seem to demand
an expression OF your opinion?
/. Large endowments have been
made to the common schools and the
university, At present, there seems
to be "missing link" between them.
Did the fathers of the republic intend
that the chasm between them should
be Dridgcd over by private tuition
and personal expenseI Or was there
grander and nobler thought, that
the child living in Texas may COM
mence with primary work, and adj
vance until he obtains as good an ed
uoation rs may be afforded to anyone
upon this continent? The University
has recently reached out its hand TO
existing high schools, by admitting
graduates of accredited high schools
to the Unsyersity courses of study
without examination. What other
means and agencies should be eni-
ployed to combine into grand sys-
tenn elementary, secondary and higher
education, and make them "one and
inseparableH
2. Perhaps the most important prob
lem in our educational affairs, is the
raising of our common schools to a
higher standard. They are the foun-
dation upon which either intelligent
citizenship or superior discipline and
culture must be built. The pupils OF
our schools arc entitled to receive the
best education that can be secured to
them through the best instructors, and
other necessary agencies. If this be
true, what other agency beside those
now existing may tend TO secure to
the children of the state better advan-
tages? We believe that the right arm
of power in common school system
is intelligent, competent supervision.
The best public schools in our state
are those that are under the direction
of competent superintendent. lis the
child of the rural district of less con-
| sequence to the state than the child of
the city or town! With our scattered
population, with knotty questions and
other perplexities arising, there would
be no better economy than the en-
ployment of competent man or wo-
men TO exercise Intelligent supervis-
ion over our district schools. Local
boards, with no training in school
management, giving odd ends OF
} time, without pay, cannot and would
: not fulfill the necessary requirements
| Neither would 1t be Cuisines" to ex
pect them to give proper alton
! ton to such matters.
r Railroads, cOtton-mills, plantations
{ banks, insurance companies, &c &C
: upon business principles. They recog
l MIC the effective power and economy
of supervision. Economy applie
: money to the best advantage and rem
D ders il as effective rs possible. Econ
, omy regards the benefits conferre,
Z and the results obtained. A wis
q economy in the management of school
I considers the magnitude of the inter
0 ests involved, the welfare of socict
: present and prospective, and the mos
4 eilectual measures for promotin
S those interests. That narrow aud sol
S fish policy which seeks to do as littl
} us possible Tor public schools is les
@ profitable than that liberal econom
Il which will not withhold whatever
I reasonable to secure the desired end.
c "Our schools are the workshops Q
j humanity The good Judgment tha
d an honorable, ''clear-headed," bus
d ness man exercises in the manag,
0 ment of his business affairs, should |
II applied to the expenditure of none
d for schools. Economy is gain; pars
Al mony squanders. What are the frui
" of county supervision Let me al
&c that an educational thought belong
&c to mankind, and its ready adoptio
ID il it is appropriate to our well-bein
III displays our keen common sens
Of There is no patent upon education
TO ideas. What has been the experien
IL where county supervision has be-
thoroughly triedI The testimony
G that schools have been better grade
IS better teachers have been employe
ci- better courses of study have be
We maintained, difficulties have be
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