The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-10-04
AIDS TO EDUCATION.
An Ohio chOol- Masters Met nod of Teach.
ing English Grammar.

An Ohio School Masters Met nod of Teach
ing English Grammar.
While the leading educators Of Dis
trict No. AZ. Sedgwick County, Kan.
are engaged in an earnest effort to
bring their school to higher point OF
efficiency by the use of the slow match
and shotgun, some other parts of the
country are not idle. jackson town.
ship, Hancock County. O., has been
heard from. The problem which the
Ohio instructor of youth located there
has been at work on is that of COM
pulsory education. This subject is
one which, as we all know, is far from
being settled satisfactorily. Laws are
passed that all children must attend
school, but even if they can be en-
forced. it does not follow that all chill
dren will study their lessons diligent-
ly and be able to make a showing sat-
isfactOry to the conscientious and
painstaking teacher. To accomplish
this end has been left for the Ohio in
structor referred to- The advanced
grammar class was on the floor and he
called on one of the boys to explain
the exact relation which the participle
sustained to the various parts of
speech. The slothful but unsuspect-
ing youth was free to admit that he
could not do so. On hearing this la
mentable confession the Jackson town
ship educator drew a slung-shot from
his sleeve and struck the misguided
young man couple of light blows.
With the slow Notch. the shotgun and
the slung-shot we'll established among
our educational appliances A merica
may well make new boast of her
great public school system.
What measure Of popularity the
common leather and lead slung-shot
may obtain as a means for impressing
English grammar upon the tickle mind
of youth it is too early yet to say. 1t
certainly does not look encouraging
for it. when we learn in the course of
the dispatch bringing the intelligence
of the whole affair that it's first user
has had his license to teach revoked
by an unsympathetic board of examin-
ers to whom the beauties of the slung-
shot are as sealed book. But it's
promoter, Mr. John Walters, has many
things to console him as he sees an Or
binary teacher installed in his place.
Calico heard as good men as reside in
Jackson township ridicule his tele-
scope. John Walters may yet live to
conduct gramm II publishing house
and announce prominently in his ad-
vertisements a fine slung-shot with
every volume.
Mr.. Walters ideas on educational
subjects are what may properly be
called advanced. He thinks that the
teacher should not only be able to
offer the pupil instruction, but also be
prepared to see that he takes it. 1t is
all very we'll, he argues. to assign a
pupil lesson on the subject of partici-
Piles, but it is better to see that the
lesson is impressed on him so that
he will not forget it, even if it takes
new slung-shot every day. Our Ohio
friends ideal teacher is one who, while
the scholars are at their books, throws
his feet up on his desk, draws on a
pair of brass knuckles and calmly
uses large jack-knife in the guise of
toOthpick till recitation time Then
he calls the class to the floor, gets out
his textbook and other weapons and
proceeds to drive the children in
trusted to his care along the fowery
paths of learning on fast run. Give
Prof. John w. Walters a common
school grammar and a good slung-
shot and he will agree to carry the
rules of syntax to the dullest pupil.
All is novelty, all is excitement with
the Walters Method of Teaching En-
glish Grammar. The ordinary instruct
or approaches the weary student with
the dry and uninteresting facts con-
corning participles and their relation
to other words; it is true that Prof
Walters comes up to him with the
same facts in one hand. but he is
reaching into his boot for six-ounce
slung-shot with the other. The effect
OF the jackson township idea of COM
pulsory education on our school sys-
tenn will be watched with interest,"
Fred. H. Carruth, in Texas Siftings.