San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-02-27
AGENTS FOR THE LIGHT.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY, ~, 1888.
AMERICAN EDUCATION.

The National Educational association,
recently assembled in Washington,
showed symptoms Of getting out Of the
ruts. There was an evident intention
on the part OF few OF the more ad-
vanced educators to take issue with the
practical workings OF our American
system particularly In relation to the
class Of text books employed In the
lower grades which, arc so numbered
with rules and intricate directions that
they confuse rather than render clear
the subjects Of instruction. President
Eliot was one Of those who took strong
ground on this subject. He maintained
that the American schools were quite
inferior to those of France and Ger
many in their practical workings. The
object being instruction in the most
simple, direct and practical way.
President Eliot directed his valu-
able paper to the demonstration
OF the fact that the pupils
In our American schools continually
waste time and energy over intricate
and unnecessary rules, which should be
better employed. He was particularly
severe upon the ordinary course OF
arithmeticsl instruction which he main
tanned was calculated to confuse and
mislesd and hinder rather than promote
the true interests Of popular education,
For some time there has been grow
ing dissatisfaction among the thought
full directors OF educational movements
In this country over the situation. Year
by year the course Of study In the pub
lilo schools Is advanced, raised, rem
dered more difficult or whatever
1t may be called, In order to raise
the educational standard Of the
classes and grade them higher
In the intellectual scale. A very laudable
and praise worthy and desirable end II
not attained at the expense Of real re-
suits In the development Of the pupil.
Learning how to learn Is as much the
need Of the sohool-room today In Amer
lea as anything else, and probably more
80. The Induction OF the young mind
into the processes Of acquiring a true
sense Of the things laid down In the text
books is Of the very first Importance.
The valuable assistance gained by the
association Of ideas is largely lost sight
OF In the usual process of school educs-
tion. The memory Il Overburdened and
the reasoning faculties are left dormant.
This largely 0ecau,e the system is sd-
dressed 10 the development OF memory
at the expense Of other things. The
memory Is loaded down with
rules and axioms and pro-
oesses and specific directions
and the mind, II 1t works at all, must
work along certain lines so rigidly pre-
scribed that II has all 1t can possibly do
to follow the line, and has no play of its
own, no freedom left, no energy to fol-
low Its independent thought, or work
out Its own results along that line.
Complaints are frequently made, here,
In San Antonio, that the work required
Of the pupils is too laborious and defeats
Its own ends. Small children under ten
years OF age required to write out with
painful minuteness their exercises OF
every kind.snd these so voluminous that
the haste with which the work must be
performed renders careful painstaking
10 the formation OF the letters and figures
az impossibility, and no good re-
suit is acquired. The trouble is
that the school systems Of America
partake in their spirit Of the temper
and manners Of our people and are
American from the word go. They are
run at high pressure speed and the
maxim is forgotten. formulated SO many
years ago. "Hurry Is the apprentice Of
speed, but he never learns his masters
trade"
Only part of the fault lies with the
teacher, only part with the school sys-
ten. The rest lies with the public.
Elementary education lie to be first sys-
temalized upon the kindergarten plan.
The time must come In our public
schools, and should come speedily, when
no teachers In the lower grades of school
will be employed save those who have
had a thorough training in the prinoi-
Piles and practice Of the best and most