River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-02-11
General E ercfses

General Exercises.
BY {. y. sITLwELL.
Thoughts from an ADLER pen than
mine-with reference to General FIX.
ercises" may be more interesting,
yet perhaps a few lines from this
source will not be amiss. General
Exercises" in country schools are
somewhat different from those of viii
lage and city schools, inasmuch as the
circumstances and means at hand are
different. Experience has shown that
the simplest forms of this exercise are
productive of the best results, for l do
not understand that the design or OBJ
ject of such is to amuse more than in
struct, The time was when calls
themes were thought to be the proper
exercise, but l think that these are
largely dispensed with, especially in
country schools where pupils have
long distances to reach school, and to-
gether with manual labor performed
at home give the physical superiori-
ty over the mental. That some form
of exercise is necessary IS due to the
fact that the pupil expects it as much
as he does his dinner, and it will do
him as much if not more good, if prop
erly conducted. To be brief, the time,
place, condition of the atmosphere
and circumstances are to be taken in
to consideration by the thoughtful
teacher and judicious use made of
the benefits of each. Again, the ex-
ercises should be varied, else they be-
come monotonous and SAVIOR of evil
rather than good. Especially is this
true of small pupils who are constant
ly shifting from one thing to another,
the mind reaching out after something
new while the old is considered worth
less after the new is worn off.
The teacher needs judgment, wis.
dom and discretion to make a right
use of this as well as of other work in
the school-room, giving time and at
tention to those exercises which will
accomplish the most good in the given
time. To be good reader of human
| nature is almost Indispensable in the
| modern schOol.teacher to adapt exer-
cises to the benefits and needs of all,
therefore there is no plan or formula
| which will meet the wants of all in
terested. While the reading of some
| spirited selection may be sufficient for
to-day, something entirely different
may be necessary tomorrow. Often.
| times in severe weather, when the
| pupils have to climb mountains of
snow and expose themselves to the
| northern wintry blast, on entering a
| warm room a sense of drowsiness is
perceptible which has to be thrown off
by force if some exercise is not en-
gagged in which will arouse the powers
| and shake off the lethargy which
hangs over them. In such cases moth
| ing is better than an exercise in sing
ing, which will initiate the lungs and
lift the mind out of the doleful pres
emit to be engaged in high and noble
aspirations. In this condition, study
| is a pleasure rather than something
distasteful. In winter there are num-
berless objects to make an exercise in
teresting. A talk about the weather
and the changes thereof, the direction
| of the wind, warm currents of air and
from what source they spring, the
same of cold currents of air, etc, can
not fail to make a general exercise
both interesting and profitable. The
| formation of clouds, how snow is pro-
duced, its use as covering for the
earth, the mysterious ''sun.dOg," and
frozen vapor are topics which will de-
mand the closest attention.
There are many other things not
mentioned here which the thoughtful
and wide.awake teacher can use to
| good advantage to aid and instruct
4 llOSt lldCtu uHUCi MS 1phbAOts VI 90 ~
were, his keeping. If it be summer,
there are myriads of objects to make a
general exercise profitable. The beau
ties of nature, botany, the formation
OF leaves and flowers, stamens and Pc
tails, etc. Show that the stems and
roots of plants are not very unlike the
leg and foot of bird. how the tiny
rootlets absorb moisture, taking their
food from the soil, and if the soil has
not the proper food the plant withers
and dies; the process of fruit cul'
ture, grains, vegetables and grasses.
These all lead the mind beyond the
narrow confined page of the textbook,
teaches spirit of observation and in
vestigation which will out-riyal all the