Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-08-24
THE MARTINSBURG HERALD SATURDAY, AUGUST "a, 1889

l6dCutIE Ill tllO W u cSnOOiOs 1 0O- liOH
ever, believe that we could easily make
wish to do SO, could complete the Four
Years Course We already have class
es in several of the above studies. We
have two classes in German, where there
ought to be but one. There are two
Latin classes in the Principals room, one
of which ought to be in the B room.
General History is completed in the prin-
cipal's room, whereas it ought to be com.
pleted in the B room. 1t can, therefore,
readily be seen that few slight changes
would give the required time.
At the completion of this course, the
student should be awarded special
diploma,-a post graduate diploma, until
the . Four Years Course becomes the
regular course. Such a diploma might
prove of inestimable value to him for
it would indicate scholarship sufficient
for all practical purposes, and education
thorough enough to qualify the holder to
take charge of almost any public or Nor
NAL school in the State of West Va.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
The public schools of Martinsburg will
open Monday, Sept. 2, 1889. Parents
will please to remember that it will save
the teacher much unnecessary trouble, if
all pupils. who expect to attend school,
be present on the opening cay. SO as to
have their names arranged alphabetical
ly on the daily registers.
On Friday, Sept. 6, there will be an
examination held in the High School
building, for the promotion to the High
School of those students who failed to
pass the annual examination in June
last.
Students who wish to be promoted
from lower to a higher grade, in the
High School. will be examined on the
same day No other examination. of SIM
liar import, acU be giUen this gear, ltssless
By special order from the Board of Educd
ton.
l wish parents to exercise their best
Judgment in regard to these irregular
examinations, believe thatthe teacher
ought to express himself freely and
frankly upon all questions relating to
school interests, and I but do SO when I
say that am opposed both to the Sec
ond trial system, and to the custom of
skipping rooms. While I do not believe
that examinations afford perfectly fair
test of either a teachers or a students
ability, and while I shall rejoice to see
the day when SO much importance is not
attached to them, still, they are about as
fair for one as for another !; and if among
seventy applicants, one dozen fail by
reason of timidlty, fright, or the dificul-
ty of the questions proposed, l cannot
see how, with attending circumstances
the same, and without further prepara-
ton, any good is to be derived from
discrimination neither can 1 see how
the pupil can be better prepared, after
summers vacation, than he was at the
close of the school term.
l am, also, opposed to the promotion of
students from one grade to another, or
from one room to another. without the
students having taken the course of
study prescribed for that grade, or for
that room, from which he wishes to be
promoted. AS indicated above our
graduates are, as a rule, too young, at
best. In my opinion, no student should
complete his course of study before he
is nineteen or twenty years of age We
graduate, already, too many pupils who
ought to be no further advanced than
the Junior year. Why, then, have the
scholar = skip a room or two in order
to rush him through still earlier in life :?
1t is not advisable that any student grad
uate too young it is especially detrimen-
tai to the prospective teacher. For ex-
ample The schoolgirl completes her
course of study at the age of sixteen or
seventeen she secures a position as
teacher, she enters the school without
adequate self-confdence, without any
experience whatever in teaching, and
with feeling that her pupils, some of
whom are, perhaps, older than herself,
will hav T.
words, unless she has exceptional will
power and individuality of character.
she has half-failed before she has proper
ly begun. The girl, who, on the CON
trary, graduates at a becoming age,
who has seized the opportunity of teach
ing under the supervision of her instruc-
tor, and who, by reason of having passed
through her ''teens," has acquired pa
thence, courage, and above all else, self
confidence, goes into the school-room
equipped with all those admirable traits
of character, which bespeak for the
teacher almost certain success.
| certainly would perform the part of
benefactor, could 1 but persuade
students and patrons that the pupil
should not complete his course of study
until his reasoning powers have develop
ed sufficiently to aid his memorizing
faculties in applying and making use of
that which he has learned.
ask no one, however. to subscribe to
my views simply because they are the
views of practical school-teacher.
Nevertheless, do most sincerely ask that
every person. in any way interested in
the workings of our schools, read this
production carefully. If the patrons
agree with me, shall feel that my dill
gence in preparing this article has not
been in vain; if they differ from me, l
shall say with Paul, /" Let every man be
fully persuaded in his own mind - SO
that, agreeing or differing, I shall be
content, ever trusting that we all shall
dwell together in peace and quietude.
]. A. Cox, Principal.