Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-02-09
The Educational Column. !.
o.E 19cs, Go. slstu Falling Waters, VIVA
FOR TIE ED. COLUMN.

Mr.. EDIToR.-Having observed
the infrequency of the contributions
to the Educational column, | beg
leave to submit a few general remarks.
am not a teacher, neither am / a
patron, but one who is deeply inter.
ested in the advancement and en-.
lightcnment of the youth of our coun-
try. feel it to be the first and most
important duty ofevery parent to en-
deavor to have his or her children ac-
quire a sufficient knowledge of the
different branches to enable them to
battle with the world on terms OF
equality with their fellow men. A
failure on their part to attend to this
all-important duty is just cause for,
and should provoke the contempt and
bring down upon them the curse OF
their offspring in after years. Every
child can acquire this knowledge; the
high and the low, the rich and the
poor alike, with no distinction, so per-
feet is our American School System,
II the parents will attend to their
duty. Whilst our school system is
such a grand one, we often hear COM
plants made. Some complain that
thSiA Nhii0iCh w NV OillCIS llldl
theirs learn mischief. All in one ac-
cord censure the teacher.
Now | am not champion of teach
ers' rights, but do say, do not be too
quick to eensure the teacher. Reflect,
ask yourself the question Do | try
to impress upon the mind of my child
the Importance of study? Do teach
him good behavior at home? Do ]
try to inculcate into him principles OF
obedience? Do / try to make him
ambitious, to acquire a knowledge OF
usefulness or "do | allow him to GO
to school when he pleases, never look
after his progress in his studies, meyer
teach him good behavior. believe all
his little fabrications and in fact allow
him to do as he pleases ?" | fear in
many cases the latter is the case.
Then how can you expect your child
to learn? You must remember that a
teachers lot is by no means an easy
one.
He or she must have different treat.
inent for almost every scholar. One
needs to be petted, another needs
more or less frequently an application
of the training rod, aud another some
other treatment to make them obe-
dent. Each sees the treatment of the
other and spirit Of hatred arises,
some story of horrible treatment by
that hateful old teacher " is carried
home, and the parent instead of re.
primanding that child for +" tale bear
ing" eensures the teacher. What
stalwart creatures these pedagogues
must be, to bear the anathemas Of
heartless and oftimes, almost brain.
less parents. Help the teacher, it will
pay you, and your child will learn
30 per cent. faster and the teacher will
be happier. No more on this subject
this time.
One thing / have never compre.
hended, is, why our Arithmetics
have such long methods for solving
problems whereas our histories and
similar works are so abridged. Vice
versa should / think be the order
Why not teach your child short
methods of solutions? They are
easier and mora comprehensive. Fol
In working fractions like the follow.
ing-S4xS4, instead of proceeding to
change both to improper FRACTIONS,
&C., why not multiply by the next
higher number than itself, which is
and add !, which gives the correct
answer and with one half the figuring
and time. The same may be said OF
percentage or interest. For instance
in computing the interest on S529S.0(
for two months at per cent, why &c
through with the methods now taught
when scholar only has to learn that
moving the decimal point two places
to the left gives the interest on the
amount for two months. To illus
trate S52.9S.00. They are easier laugh
and easier learned. No long rules o.
unnecessary figuring. OF course
may be charged with egotism for thi;
but pray do not impute to me such /;
disposition. r. N. r.