Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1889-04-18

our mieds Ike the landscape while travelling on
has the poet said:
'How feet IL the glancee Of the mind,
When compared with the speed Of its flight.
The tempest lags BEHIND,
And the swift winged arrows of light"
There was, however. one exception to this rapid
movement. The lecture on Psychology moved
slowly and We were required to repeat, write and
re-writc the words:
longest before the mind" after which We passed
to another room and were not long in acquiring
our accustomed speed. In lees than one hour We
peoped the thirteen colonies wiIh 3 0000of peo-
pie, produced an ontline Of their objects, aima,
purposes and the ambitions, discussed their forms
Of government to an inventory Of their great men,
pared them to engage in great war for indepen-
dence. In another hour We fought over again the
IS great battles Of the Revolution chased General
washington through New Jersey more successful
y than Gen. Howe had been able to do, captured
General Burgoyne In less time than it took that
General to address his gentle hyenas, rs Burke
Csrolinias in manner calculated to be vastly
more humiliating to the pride Of CoHnwallis than
the superior ecneralship Of the Connecticut black
town. concluded treaty Of peace at Paris and pro-
claimed the Independence Of the United States
In the Physiology clas: the rapidity was equally
animal. We began with the protozoan and traced
the different forms Of animal life in Quick success
sion, step by step and in less than 30 minutes had
man In his true position in the animal kingdom,
endowed with reason and the current Of red blood
circulating through his system more accelerated
than . he had swallowed gill Of alcohol. As We
would be attracted BY some beautiful form and
ne would hold up his hand . sign that he wished
70 stop and examine it, but the instructor. with
regfetful expression upon his face, would say:
HE was behind time and We must 90 on" and
generally we continued in course until the bell
rang when we went out to another room to 60
in which normal institute should be conducted
est NUMBER. "Be specinc,' ''discuss in detail"
Ratticnlarize, &C., are expressions with which
all OF US are more or lees familiar. They come to
" IN the form OF commands, exhortatiOns and en-
Treaties for our Observance in our intercourse
with our pupils. Is il not litt. surprising that
they are almost wholly disregarded at our normal
institutes: The question naturally arises. are
conductors and instructors responsible for this
mode ofconducting normal institutes! We answer.
no, emphatically. no. They were simply follow
ing instructions and doing the very best they
could under the circumstances. I do not wish to
be understood a. condemning our conductor or in
etructors. They are gentlemen for whom have
the highest respect personally and ss educators.
As class, however, there are criticisms which are
applicable to them as well ~ to teachers and it
One thing that helps to prevent the accomplish
ment OF desirable results il the continuous ef-
fort on the part Of teachers to appear much wiser
than they really are, and equally harmful 10 the
practice Of conductors and Instructors Of protect
ing and shielding them in it, AZ understand it,
to gain additional knowledge, and to strengthen
the weak points is OF more importance than these
exhibitions Of what We already know II Q teach
er really wishes to have something explained that
ne does not quite understand he generally tries to
shape his question in such manner as to leave the
impression that he understands it. but wishes it ex.
planned for the benefit Of those less fortunate than
himself. No person ever forfeited respect BY say
know what he knows not. The teacher who stands
on what ne knows, processes his ignorance Of
what he Knows not, and expresses q willingness
and determination to improve, stands on bedrock
and commands the respect Of all who are compe-
tent judges Of his ability. do not mean to say
that II is necessary to make an exhibition Of his
ignorance.
The practice Of some instructors Of showing two
or three methods Of conducting q recitation or ex-
planning u subject, the modification Of which, in
order to adapt these to the wants Of q country
school involves rs much thought as the origina-
ton OF new plan. reminds me Of the old lady
who insisted that her.guest should partske heart
lily Of whatever he ''liked best when all she had
that our normal was nearly free from these entan-
glements. Yet, In reviewing the work Of our last
normal and trying to adopt the plans and sugges-
have experienced come difficulty. One Of the
greatest was in recalling the plan in detail 1
would like to know how many teachers have care
fully reviewed the work Of the normal compared
their note books with the course Of study and
tried to enlarge them by supplying the particulars
the details l am. however, afraid to ask those Of
you who have. to indicate the fact By holding up
!ected it and the Board of examiners may regard
it MS prima facia evidence that you there for
the express purpose Of prepar ng for the examna.
ton. You will find this an excellent exercise Of
memory and there will be another examination.
With all these defects connected with our pro-
fession,l am proud to say that think there are 40
in the profession Of teachers as in any other pro-
fession. often wonder why our insane asylums
are not crowded with 0Octors who In their more
mature years lose their reason when thinking Of
a mot ha fvAO l.
so few lawyers become insane on account Of the
entauglements into which they have ignorantly
plunged their clients. whereby they have become
bankrupt and besgers may be explained by the
fact that their conscience grow harder a. they
grow older. Why ministers are equally fortunate,
may be accounted for by their acquired habit Of
thing outside Of themselves The weather was
unfavorable, the brethren did not pray, or some
like dimculfy instead Of their own lack Of ability
was the cause Of their failure.
But to discuss the subject more directly, will
say that in my opinion normal institutes should &C.
compiish the very same results that q normal
familiar with the history Of normal institutes in
this state, neither am familiar with the motives
which prompts legislation in their establishment.
II may have been pure desire to elevate the stan
dard OF education for the enobling Of human char
acter, or 1t may have been the product of desire
to attract immigration and thereby increase the
price OF real estate The probabilities are that it
WAS the product Of these and other motives. Be
that as it may, we have the normal institute and
the question is: "How shall we get the greatest
good out OF it," 1t seems to me that regular
course Of study should be prepared that teachers
should become students fthia institution in every
sense Of the word, that two years should be
spent in the study Of certain branches Of educa-
tion and certain principles Of teaching that after
thorough discussion and explanation of these
branches and principles at the nOrmale, il found
competent diploma in these branches and pr1n
ciples should be granted. Then additional branch
es and principles should be taken mp and these |
continued until the teacher deserts the profession
or grows old and drops ont like the SCARED oak Of
the forest never to rise again. When this shall |
be done. believe that normal institutes will cease
to be place to prepare for examinations that
they will not only command the respect of teach
ers, but the admiration oil all men.