The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1888-08-16
EDUCATIONAL DEPARTM ENI
j. ]. ZUCCARELLo, EDITOR.
TEACHERS AND THEIR WORK

Faith is the foundation of every
child's education. When it begins
to learn It's letters the teacher
points to A. 1t does not know that
this is A, but 1t believes it, because
teacher says it Is. Were the teach
er TO tell it that 1t was B, it would
believe it. He could as easily
teach it that 5 times 5 are thirty,
as to teach it that it is %. The
same principle holds true in teach
ing all the primary branches. The
child's intellect is guided and di-
rected by its teacher. Plausible
error and truth are alike to it. 1t
will learn one With the same degree
OF confidence as it does the other.
Some writer has said: 'We cannot
be too careful TO have our cduca-
ton proceed in the right direction
1t is almost az difficult to make
man unlearn his error as to acquire
his knowledge. Error ia more hope
less than ignorance, for error is al
ways the more busy. Ignorance is
a blank sheet upon which we can
write, but error is a scrubbed one
from which we must first erase.
Ignorace is content to stand still,
without advancing toward wisdom );
but error, more presumptious, pro-
ceeds IN the contrary direction. Ig-
norsnce has no light to guide her,
but error folIws false one. The
consequence is that error, when she
retraces her footsteps, has a long
distance to goi before she is in as
good condition for acquiring of
truth as ignorance" Then, with
this truth impressed upon our
minds, that error is more detrimen-
tai than ignorance, great care
should be taken in the selection of
teachers for the young. The idea
that seems to be prevalent, that
any person is fit to teach small
children, impedes the progress Of
our schools. 1t is vamplr that
is stealthly sapping the life-blood
from this institution. There seems
90 he an inclination on the part OF
school boards and school patrons
to employ those who will teach for
the least amount of money. They
seem to think that school economy
consists in the small expenditure of
money, and that the school teacher
is kind OF necessary evil. If
there be one class of pupils more
than another that demands and
should have an efficient teacher, it
is the primary class. The basis OF
their education should be founded
on true principles. But how can
this be done, when our primary
schools are so often under the
charge of inefficient teachers
teachers whose genral knowledge
is very limited, and whose power o.
communication is such that it rem
ders them failures as instructors
Every teacher should read some
work on metaphysics, and become
acquainted with the order of de-
velopment of the intellectual facui-
ties. Without degree of under
standing of this development. hi
work will most likely prove a fail
ure. He should endeavor. to hav'
his pupils adopt the true order o
learning which has been given b,
some educators: First to learI
that which is necessary; second
that which is useful; and third
that which is ornamental" Thi
true ord,.r of learning, however, will
many, has been reversed, TIL
young seem to re eager to learn tn
ornamental before the useful. an
the useful before the necessary; Q
in other words, they Ga&pence t
build the steeple and corn'ce 81 tn
temple of knowledge before the
nave laid the foundation of it. :.