The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1890-04-24
EDUCATIONAL.
The Best Arrangement for AN Ideal Coursg
OF Study-Specitic Training for
Special Pursuits.
Opinions on Educational Topics by Educa
tors and Teachers In all Sections
of the Country.
The Coming School.

inc coming SCnOOI.
The future can be predicted only
from the progrcssions of the past and
the visible tendencies of the present.
The history of educational thought
furnishes us all the foundation princi-
pies for the coming school, and all
possible educational ideals to choose OF
build our own from. 1t also yields u'
examples, in abundance, of bad OF
good methods, or short-lived and en-.
during institutions. 1t has given us,
in Froebers work, the beginnings of 3
philosophical training by the state; in
Pcstalozzi's, some splendid suggestions
for the next stage Of public education:
in the work of specialists, the means OF
Systematically continuing the subjects
commencing in the course of previous
undertaking; in the schools of Athens,
| types of the final processes in general
schooling; in the professional and trade
! schools of later times, a means of
| special training for pursuits. This com
pIetcs an ideal course Of study. 1t is
arranged as follows:
l. The kindergarten, providing a
comprehensive rudimentary training
| for all the elements of character.
2 The primary school, continuing
! this training; establishing clear con-
ccpts of all familiar Objects; exercising
the more complex mental powers; con-
Meeting related things in memory; fix
ing habits OF study, and teaching the
three RS"
3. The secondary school, gathering
correlated facts into their several de-
partments of science; cultiyating the
| special gifts of individuals; teaching,
with each science and art, the literature
that belongs to it; necessarily conducted
by specialists.
4. The tertiary school. for the deeper
study of the classics, arts, and sciences,
! and the higher cultivation of the
logical, critical and rhetorical powers.
>. The SPECIAL school, in which some
profession or other industrial occupa-
ton shall be thoroughly learned.
If it is true that the whole boy goe:
to school, moral and manual training
must accompany mental training in al
schools. If it is true that the mind is {
unit, the same conclusion follows.
it is true that we act from motives
moral training is school necessity.
it is true that all knowledge is related
all the powers through which kuowI
edge is acquired must work together.
The educational thought of the
present is developing a true notion O
the Importance in mental growth o
the individual concrete concept. l
occupies central place in thought. be
ing the product of sense-uction and til,
basis of lnind-action. 1t can safety be
come our next fetch, since of such ar
the stepping-stones TO even true pro
: gress. In its worship the teacher nee,
J not lose sight of anything good. for al
lines of growth lead to it or from it
l Even physical exercise. manual train
! ing, and ethical culture may be includ
ed in the processes of concept building
| " hich is the chief Legitimate work 0
r the primary school.
s The most formidable obstruction i
the way of the coming school is on
. habit OF placing young and inexper
} anced teachers in charge of pTimar
t classes. where breadth of thought
detiniteness of plan, and skill in eXecu
ton are infinitely more needed than il
the subsequent work. To make one
self thorough in single branch @
study, with sufficient general intelIi
5CuCc 10 see dLlu SNOW liIC tCl)e1QtuCt
of tina br' CHI upou others, is the taSE
of the specialist in the secondary schoo
, proposed. 1t is indeed difficult task
requiring the patience and devotion @
genius. But most every human bein!
{ has Il natural genius for some on,
} thing; and, given the requisite trainirg
there would be no lack of specials
teachers. Far higher in the scale 0
genius is his who can. while planning
days work for little child, have aul
hold in view the whole of that child
character and destiny; and, if to pla
is easier than to fulfill, what shall b
said of the skill that shall faithful
carry out in daily, hourly detail, aim
so broad and deep and high?
With inexperienced young girls !
our lower classes, it is quite impossibl
to conduct education in accordanc
J with any known law. Even in tn
higher classes, under the tuition {
. competent teachers, true principle car
not be applied, because there is Il
/ foundation, or very poor one. unles
the pupil has received some training i
home. This is the secret of the cram
so complained of. To continue tn
practice of placing the weakest teact
erS where the strongest arc needed
the greatest pedagogical error of OF
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