Morris tribune., 1889-10-16
The Newspaper in the School
Room.

.-r HOOIns
Under the above head Anabel Bar
ber, of Grand View, Iowa, has a very
sensible article in the last number OF
School Education; an article which 1t
would be well for our school teachers
to read and give it serious delibera-
tion; and further, If the teachers gem
orally should put in practice the sug-
gestions of the writer it would prove
beneficial, not only to the school
children, but to the teachers also.
The writer says:
The good influence of newspapers
has often been seriously questioned,
but we may consider it as established
beyond doubt, that good news
paper, properly read, is a benefit. 30
we can pass at once to the place the
newspaper should occupy in the
schoolroom.
Our need of the newspaper arises
largely from tile Importance OF a
knowledge of .lsdrrenC h-sstorv jn.sss
subject has been much overlooked
but of late it has been more appreci-
ated. In some of our large cities
classes of ladies meet weekly to re-
ceive instruction In current events.
Teachers are quizzed Numerically
they sometimes think by institute
instructors concerning people and
things of note. In fact, all are ex-
pected to know something of passing
events throughout the civilized world.
The student of past history has a
comparatively easy task, for text
books and references are provided
him; but how are the young people
of the day to gain an Intelligent idea
of the history of their own times?
Tt is a study which is never COM
pleted, but is serial story which
always remains, ITO be continued" +"
The papers must be, and are, the only
textbooks.
Granted that they should be factors
in the children's education, the prac-
tical question of "How?" remains to
be answered. I will give one or two
methods, hoping they may be sug-
gestive.
On Friday, either at the opening or
closing of the afternoon session, the
teacher should call for the news re-
port for the week. First the pupil
who has been appointed the week be-
fore for Domestic News gives his
list of important occurrences. Then
the one who acts as "Committee on
Foreign affairs" J" hands in his report.
Any pupil may ask questions con-
cerning tile facts given, or furnish
additional items. The teachers part
is to explain and make interesting;
also to supply any omissions. Be
sides this she should teach the pupils
to distinguish between important af-
fairs and unimportant- or sensational
ones. Atthe close of the discussion
she should appoint different pupils
for the coming week.
My experience has shown that this
is better than to leave the exercise
merely general one. Also it seems
more successful to give to one pupil
only one division Of news. IF you
wish, one can have state news, an
other general domestic affairs and an
other foreign items. IF this plan is
carried out hy an intelligent, enthusl.
astic teacher, the result is sure to be
good.
The newspaper is well suited for
T the supplementary reading which is
SO generally advised. BY the rather
inaccurate term newspaper I mean to
include weelxlies and some monthly
magazines rs we'll. Let the fourth
and fifth reader classes lay aside their
books occasionally and read instead
from the best paper you can secure.
/ would often choose editorials which
will inform them upon the topics OF
tile time. Those In the Youths
CompanIon are to my mind unex-
celled for this purpose. If the class
Is small tile paper can be handed
about iii turn; If large, cut out the
article selected, cut II into suitable
parts aud give one slip to each. The
grammar and composition classes en-
joy correcting grammatical and rhe-
torical mistakes found in their local
paper. Ht Is factthat they are gem