The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1886-07-01

rectiOn, and on one evening during the
\ week the Association continued, Mr..
| Richards gave an account Of the way he
taught an idiot of the lowest grade. The
idiot was eight and half years old,
and had never noticed anything, nor
moved limb. He wore w0Ollen gown
and lay where placed.
Mr.. Richards finally beth0ught him
self that the teacher must get down
and create q want, and with that view
he lay down beside the idiot and began
reading aloud for an hour each day.
This continued for months. One day
he lay down but read to himself. At
last the idiot was uneasy, turned his
head and moved his hand to Mr.. Rich
ards's mouth, as If to say l want you to
read. At once Mr.. Richards said, "0h,
sylVanUs, you want me to Tea ! to you, |
will" Each day this was repeated. The
child was In due time got to walk, and
the teaching went on little by little,
step by step, till In about three years,
one day he inquired why he had not a
mother, as the Richards children had.
His mother was then sent for.
This shows what may be accomplished
and Is encouraging to good effort. 1t is
by constantly repeating endearing
terms, with other evidences Of affec-
tioD, that the mother at last secures the
attention of her child and awakens that
mind. How important Is the teaching
profession. Besides educating unfOr
tunates, modern advancement has got
up the kindergarten schools for the ba-
bies. The little Didgets just enjoy
themselves as all pupils ought to, They
sing their little nursery songs,
they march to music and
keep time. They distinguish
colors and shades of colOrs. In
singing their trade songs they go
through the motions thereof. In fact
they are kept busy, and great Is the va
riety and great the enjoyment and In
terest. While this is FTOebePs method,
1t was PestalCzzi who announced the
principle in 1899, that the training of
the whole man, the sympathetic sppli-
cation of the teacher to the taught, was
the basis of all teaching. He it was
who wrote this description of his school
at StsnZ: II was from morning till
evening almost alone with them. Every
thing which was done for their body
and soul proceeded from my hand. Ev-
cry assistance, every help In time of
need, all teaching which they received
came immediately from me.
MY hand lay in their hand, my eye
rested on their eye, my tears flowed with
theirs, and my laughter accompanied
theirs. sy6ls
"Tbey were out of the world, they were
out Of StsDz; they were with me and 1
was with them. Their soup was mine,
their drink was mine.
II had nothing. l had no hOusekeeper,
no friend, no selvants around me. /
had them alone. We're they we'll, l
stood among them; were they Ill, was
at their side. slept In the middle of
them.
81 was the last who went to bed at
night, the first who rose in the morning.
Even In bed | prayed and taught with
them until they were asleep. They
wished 1t to be sU."
Enlightened nations these days recog-
Dize the Importance of public education.
Plutarch says, in his life of Numa, who
was the law giVer of Rome: The fair
fabric of justice raised by Numa passed
rapidly away because 1t was not founded
upon education. C0nfuclus says, there
being general education, there will be
no distinction of classes. General in
teIligence then adds immensely to the
prosperity and power of people. To
our credit let it be said that the United
States spend more upon education than
upon war or the preparation for war,
France eleven times more for war,
Great Britain spends over four times
more for war, Russia thirty-three times
more for war than for education. The
rule Is the world over, that war costs
vastly more than education. Verify has
LOngfellOW written:
were half the power that fills the world with terror
We're half the wealth bestowed on camps and courts
Given to redeem the human mind from error.
There were no need of aTsenals nor forts,
"The warriors name would be name abhorred
And every nation that should lift again
Its hand against brother. on Its forehead
Would wear forevermOre the curse Of CAIN"
The number of public schools in the
United States Is about 10000 and the
number OF teachers some 275,000, of
whom 154, 900 are women. Is not this
glorious srmyp 1t is standing army
that brings not danger, but safety and
glory. s:.:-s.:s..s1s.--nsC-1
An extract from report made some
years ago by Rev. Mr.. Fraser to the
British Government will not be out of
place here:
American teachers are self possessed,
energetic and fearless, admirable dis.
ciplinarians. firm without severity, pa
tient without weakness; their manner
of teaching lively, and their illustIa-
ti0ns fertile-nO class could ever fall
asleep in their hands. They are proud
of their position and fired with lauda-
BILE ambition to maintain the credit of
the school, a little too sensitive of
blame, and little too greedy of praise,
but very fine and capable body of
workers In noble cause"
The foregoing tribute Is not from one
of our own land and hence may be re-
ceived not as the words of hstfery. It
Is also tribute to our schools, for good
and capable teachers make good schools.
Improving our teachers would improve
our schools. Hence the importance of
teachers being students and ever striy-
ing after self-imprOVement
A good model In the school room is
for mankind are initiative.
A teacher who Is beautiful reader, for
instance, knows its importance and will
try to make good readers of his pupils,
and they, attracted and charmed by the
teachers modulation, will be encour-
aged thereby. And here let me say In |
this connection, know no branch to
which our teachers can give more
profitable attention. In fact the
teacher owes 1t to him or herself not |
only to be correct and beautiful reader,
but to have a good stock Of general in
and keep along with current |
events and especially educational liter |
sture. Remember, words fitly spoken |
are like apples of gold In pictures of |
oiIyar