The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-20
COMMON SCHOOL CULTURE.
a Now Book OF Special Interest to All
Educators.

Following is the New York TribmGs
book. entitled "rho Young Idea; or Com.
mon School Culture"
| This modest little volnmo, a mere pamphlet
in form and dimensions, contains matter 20
give serious thought 10 parents and teach
ers, and 1t is cast in way 10 drive home
and cinch firmly every demonstration il
makes. II IL addressed to tho defects OF
the common school course II Is n docu.
mcnt which strongly reiniorccs all the
arguments which have been made against
the examining methods employed in the
public schools; against the practice Of I'LL.
ing children with yorbiagc TO which they
seldom attach the right meaning, and often
no definite meaning against the mischiov-
Gus OF futile modes OF instruction which
make the obtaining Of marks the chief aim
Of the school lie. aud which subordinate
everything 10 preparation for so-called ex.
aminations and exhibitions, both Of which
are entirely misleading rs TO the quality
nhl quantity Of tho knowledge required
| The author has produced singularly inn
! prcs-iyc results by alternate quotations
| from popular writer's and teachers and cx-
tracts from the examination papers IT thc
| children themselves. These latter eta.
| tions are IN many instances irrcsistibly alb.
| surd, but when the reader has paid them
the unavoidable tribute Of laugh hc will
| reflect upon the value ot the educational
| system which produces such results, aud
lac will ask himself whether indeed the
IL Of iatFt q
the Republic are being IN developed aud
disciplined by the present school curricu.
lum M Ia leave M room for doubt MS to
the progress Ut national intelligence
Mrt lo Row could not have framed her
. protest mDru powerfully than she has done.
, Tho evidence which she n1durc-. step hy
step, un each rcpHutr branch VI insifur.
ton. b. cumulative nud in mass IL consti.
iulrs The most grave indictment 1T the s,s.
tenn. Crown men aul women may dis.
pute with each other ls tu the effect " this
or that educational method, Unfortunately,
and. unless thcy apply tho crucial ties. Ol
the actual results Ut the c1ntruycftcd
method. Withoutany profit but these ter.
| rihlo examination papers bring us face to
face wiihruaiiiics They show cuurluaiyplv
what rae curvnt educational methods arr
producing. their ti'cct upon chidrrn's
minds the extent % which ,Sry evoke
comprehension. the extent also 10 which
they encourage p1uoi-ly1ming. From
such evidence there IN no appeal. The
children are not swift witnesses, or slow,
OF suspect. Their answers exhibit boz ever,
instance all the knowledge they can bring
10 bear upon the spyriiic subject. and nt
the same time throw light upon the
general tendencies Of the educational
machinery. The inability OF largo
| proportion Of school textbook writers
. 60 put themselves on the childrcn's
level in constructing their explanations b
, one Of the most fruitful suurrcs of cuniu-
! sion. u b. not sp bad n In the period
when English children we're st 20 learn
! Latin by tho aid of that Eaton Latin gram
mar. every word ui which was IN the Ian.
guago to hc acquired. In looking back Il
Is difficult 20 understand how so mon.
strous nu imbpclity % Wnnton q cruelty
o. that, could have been tolerated within
half n century. liut We must not hc ton
severe upon the past generation, iur u our
. successors read Mrs Lc Rows liilo book
they will hardly avid thinking "a
, | rlightngly of us s wo now DO oi the poo.
pie who taught latin in latin.
Following arc Flme definitions which
tend a. show how much some children
attach TO the baud words they arc com,
, PEELED Ia learn by rotc
"ogcIIsk one Ut thc marks u punciui
, | uuu.'
'n1,olov, drofsy Iu che head"
"ENnurgIni one Who FIe1ks from hi'
= | stomach"
j "lrunlcal something very hard"
. "lg,,in something % DO with getting
!. | drunk
Epoch, o. ruler or ,on u a King and
, CON DO 10, possible chat 20 t. re- conscious and
a, Intentional NIIur.amf=
y Monastery place Tor mdnsiort"
y The statement a trfmtmut b. Kind u
TuHsc up uuo will be fool TOO enough ID chat
l.uFr. especially tlr 1r.ims ui the trrma
q rlut uul tlow s uu iud.spuiablo truth boz
|. tho assertion.
q "A uu,uiS d, ono who sit, a.hc,." n W,
d ut.put 30 ns dr.. upulu oi thr manner ir
d which ihc creature L. supposed to cXtriCnt,
!. itself from Boz own debris
I. "a sling D. something made from an old
. Shoe, De- evidently Hu original declaration
a aud MT borrowed inlm books. bat there ~
y suspicious flavor about "foutonic, a ycry
y strong WORT OI spring medicine"
q Truly m another pupil explains
a. ~ d'nuliuu lH something YOU find out '
Sometime 30 would s,gm 10 be- something
~. you rhut hli out
~ uituns
y "linistrungistp drink GOO much whisky. '
y funiir b. something 90 loo thc garrut.h
''6 N's' aud thou Dec ave inscparablc,