Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-08-12
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to introduce all the new methods
which are elsewhere highly recon-
mended, tor many of them have
impressed me as not being mate
rial improvement upon approved
appliances long in use.
SO many new methods have been
brought to my notice in my eXper-
fence, which have been warmly
commended by those who seemed
entitled to confidence, but which
have proved valueless and have been
abandoned, that | am slow to adopt
a new departure. Each years ex-
perience goes to confirm my convic-
tons, that it requires about SO much
time and so much hard work both
of the teacher and the taught, to
accomplish any given result; espeC-
ial excellence III any particular line
of study is almost uniformly at the
expense Of some complementary sub
ject. am content, therefore, If our
pupils make the progress which may
reasonably be expected of children
at given age, leaving to more
ambitious workers the task OF at
tempting to perfect pupils in shorter
time, by what are claimed as more
scientific methods. If | have been
too conservative in these particulars,
it has been the result of conviction
that the education of children is not
a proper subject for experiment, and
that infinite mischief may be imper-
ceptibly and unintentionally done,
by the hasty adoption of an attract
i've but pernicious method, which
will develop its defects too late for
remedy.
| READING.
No subject taught in the schools
is of so much importance as reading,
and ii is gratifying to state that the
teachers have been enabled to &C
compllsh much better work than
was formerly done in this branch OF
study by means OF the New Barnes
readers. Lessons can not be learned
without the ability to read so as to
get the thought OF the writer while
teachers do much to help their schol-
ars over the hard places, by question
ing with the view of developing the
subject, and by explaining when
necessity, yet success IN teaching lies
II arousins pupils to sett activity,
and in getting them to acquire
knowledge as far as possible withou,
assistance. Much ot the poor teach.
ing done is due to the fact that
pupils are "crammcd" with the text
merely, instead of being led to
acquire knowledge by intelligen,
direction, study, and questioning
The former plan overtaxes the
memory i'll retaining meaningless
words, and cultivates superticiallty
and ConCeit, while the latter leads &c
the love of study, mental strength
,elf-reliance, and the incidental &C
QUESTION of knowledge, thorough
instruction in reading not only cult
Yates the power to get the thoughts
expressed in the printed page, anC
to utter them SO as to give thei
sense, but as the pupil has continual
ly before him none but correct forms
of speech, it cultivatcs the eye anC
ear in recognizing them,- i'll fact
this is the most effective languag,
teaching, land should be systematicall,
and unremittingly pursued through
= out the course. This method j
; intimately connected with the obser
vation and study of things, ant
must be a part OF all such study.
TEACHERS MEETINGS.
The teachers meetings have beer
5 kept up during the year, and 1t i
4 hoped that they have been instru
n mental in increasing the efficienc,
D of the schools by improving tn
methods of instruction and by cult
E waiting professional spirit anon.
1 the teachers. In closing will add
, mainly in the language of another
!, that it the boys and girls who ente
! the grammar school can leave i
with a knowledge of arithmetic tina
will stand the test of promissor,
note, a plain problem in percentage
the addition of five columns o
figures Of forty eace (mainly seven
: and nines) with answers absolutely
correct; with the ability to write al
, Ineligible business letter, and reat
. aloud the evening papers so tina
plain people can follow them with
: out too much effort; with the abilit,
10 tell good book from bad one
! with enough knowledge of geogra
: ply to find on the map where tn
principal wars were fought, and Civ,
z the important facts concerning eacl
l of the important countries Of tn,
world, with the routes of commerc,
and trade; and with historical knowl
edge enough to trace the growth o
our country, and tell the story o
liberty the people will pay The
tax for the support of these schools
=, without complaint,
With these observations, I com
: mend once more, to your favorable
consideration, the public schools o
the town schools in whose bchal
', | can truthfully speak in terms o
, praise; and schools which | am anx
. ious to see raised to higher degre,
Of excellence. ! renew my thank
to the members OF the Board and t
all with whom | have been associat
ed, for their courtesy in the year
intercourse; and to the teacher
especially, for their hearty co-opera
ton with me in striving to secur,
the best results for the youth who's,
= education has been entrusted to GU
! charge.
GEO. !. MILLER,
Principal.
> : Audubon, Iowa, July26, 1886.