Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-03-09
For THE HERALD. !
SCHOOL METHOD.

81
In considering this subject, we
must first find the objects to be at.
tanned, and then, the means by
which they are best secured. In Sc
lecting these objects, l know OF no
better way than to give "The marks
of good Scholar as set forth by
Socrates. l, a good memory; 2.
quick to receive; 3, sure to keep; 4.
ready to deliver; 5, love of learn
ing; 6, a desire to labor; z, awill to
take pains; s., Willingness To- be
taught by anyone; o, not to be
ashamed to ask questions. To at.
tain those objects, we should be
careful never to chide hastily. Be-
fore we reprove4 pupil we should
consider well the nature of the pu-
I pill, and what will be the effect on
the pupil. 'Hasty Gliding dulls the
wit and discourages diligence"
"Why are you angry, sir Indeed
| am doing as we'll as / cam" was
the reply that caused one of our
greatest teachers to say, 81 was new.
er so ashamed in my 1ife." It's i'm.
portant that we should point out the
mistakes ofo pupils, but we should
do it in way that shall make him
both willing to amend and glad to
go forward in love and hope of learn
ing. ''Love is better speer than
fear, gentleness is better than bully.
ing, soft words are better than sting.
ing ones" For whatever the mind
doth learn unwillingly from fear, the
same it doth gladly forget without
care. The methods used by many
teachers make the children regard
the school IT'S place Of bondage.
Roger Aschan says: "Beat child
if he dance not well, and cherish
him though he learn not well, We
shall make him unwilling to- go to a
dance. and glad to go to his books"
We should be careful in correct
ing mistakes, not to degrade or dis.
courage, but to stimulate. A strik-
ing example of this is seen where
the English General witnessed the
maneuvres of his army in the field.
If one of his officers made mistake
he was soundly rated for it in the
presence OF the staff. The German
General on similar occasion said to
his officer: "Had | been charged |
with such a movement, could have |
conducted 1T so and So" Here the
self respect of the officer was consid.
cred. who would try the next time
to do the thing as his superior done
it.
Be careful to distinguish between
quick wits and hard wits. Quick
wits are apt to take, unapt to keep,
easily got and quickly gone, soon
hot and soon cold. Few quick wits
ever make profound scholars; We
must here except those who are
highly gifted. Quick wits grow rap.
idly for time, and then, before they
reach the meridian of life, they en-
ter the decline and live obscurely |
and die unknown. In such cases we
should arrange judicious system Of
review which will make their learn.
ing thorough. Hard wits are the
hope of the school, and in the end do
society and the world most good for
having lived. Hard wits are those
who find it hard to learn, and who
are hard to teach. The sculptor
finds 1t difficult to make any i'm. |
preston on the block of marble. He |
tolls on with skill, and finally he has
chiseled the delicate lines, and has
reached his ideal. These lines are
lasting. Many lines that were
traced by Phidias and Polycletus re.
main today. Truly they might say,
81 work for eternityn Now your
hard wits are just such. Hard to
get, hard to lose, sure to keep.
Hard wits are those which penetrate
deep into the subject, and hence are
slow.
AN OLD TEACHER.