Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-30

than to honestly unite IN advancing
common cause. These are sblind 70 al
that favors, and lynx-eyed 70 all that on
poses" Thoughts and combined sys
tens held In solution may be readill
converted into something better than III,
individual dictum OF any author. Method.
that have been merged into other an
proved methods can be made to finally re-
appear in forms OF more general ant
practical application. Wise concessions
are an imperious necessity In properl,
formulating that which we would incor
porate IN a better system. In this way
extreme views may be utilized
by the great mass OF teachers &c
the greatest possible advantage
There are special and potent reasons q
policy Of mutual concession should con.
troll in dealing with education as science,
Since our noble profession In the present
stage OF development is without such
o body of definite and recognized doctrine
as may be found at the basis of the other
learned professions, we are forced 20 adj
nit that education itself Is now but a
wisely adjusted compromise between
science and no science. II Is eminently
true, however, that there are certain great
PtiuNipies upoh "hlvu an suVcesslul teacn-
,ng is lounuea, out tncse are so imperfect
y lorhuiateu tnat we only know that 1t Is
pest 10 Work from principles up to meth
Gus, ana moi IRON methods down to prln-
clpies.
ieacnlng ana organizing schools, like
an oIher lnteiectuai pursuits, has reached
that point where It's leading representa-
tlVes must seek 70 satisfy rather than to
4.
repress' indlViuual opinion or tenet does
roy command the authority that It once
ula, Fersonal innovations are now
subjected 10 more searching notifications
ana more trying ordeais than formerly.
me Worla Is beginning TO act upon the
principles tnat novel discoveries and
purely tentative methods are not always
most important But special care should
DC observed not 70 regard all that Is new
III name as actually new IN TACT, Caution
should DC exercised not TO abandon the
"olu education" faster than we can sue
cesslully asslmllate ana use the principles
Oh lhe new education" Educational
crazes perlodically sweep over the conn-
Wy lnese are neither TO be accepted or
rejected by the vast army OF educators.
Inc leaulng spirits IN such work are
hlghiy valuable characters IN their proper
sphere, although they are accustomed to
manifest little patience with all who do
not closely follow them. The object
teaching craze suddenly ragged very ex-
tensiyely over the United States a few
years ago. This fever has somewhat
abated, and much permanent good Is now
resulting from rational modification of
the extreme methods OF this system.
lnsteld OF consuming the pupiPs
valuable time by simply telling
or asking him a hundred things that he
already knew about chairs, apples and
other objects, he is now encouraged
and intelligently directed by means OF the
objective method incidentally employed
to render more clear and tangible the
elementary principles OF all sciences.
Information as to the object selected In
giving the lesson is subordinate TO the
inspiration OF spirit OF careful and sys-
tematic investigation aud study. Draw
ing Is no longer taught In our elementary
schools so much as an abstract accom-
pliShment in Itself, as to afford profitable
and educatlve training, that will properly
supplement all mechanical skill, ma
iority of the best educational authorities
have about agreed that model course OF
study is to be found somewhere between
the limited and arbitrary curriculum Of
the old Geld school and that OF the course
of many cities of to-day that are attempt
ing to teach a little OF everything d
partially elective course Is now most pop
ulGr with our leading school men, Col.
Parker and others have recently
passed severe criticisms on the usual
plan of measuring by pages and liking
the exact limits Of the amount OF work
that superintendent desires his teachers
TO accomplish in given time. The gem
tlemen with commendable spirit and with
a show of plausibility have demolished
this faulty old structure, but confess that
they are not just now prepared to present
something that will supply It's place ana
at the same time preserve the necessary
uniformity In the workings OF city schools,
A similar attack has been made upon the
time-honored custom OF laying too much
stress on the results OF rigid eXamina-
tious. The above advanced and pro
gressive ideas might possibly be carried
into practical effect were none but the
most skillful and conscientious teachers
employed in every school. Until such is
the case, and TO avoid tearing down too