Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-05-28
THE REroRT COURTEOUS.

NilN l1N1l SUNNI ifits ohN nv sam Np"h
spcechlesS, never to rise again" He
died on the 18th of October.
THE RETORT COURTEOUS.
Mr.. Henning Replies to Prof. Crago's
Charge That He is an Enemy of the Public
schools.
To tie Edt0r ofhe Register:
Sm;-Am | an enemy to our public
schools simply becausel insist that at pres
ent they do not meet the required demandsi
That they do not reflect in their organiza-
ton the evolution of the relatively hence
geneous TO the relatively heterogeneous.
That Professor Crago is not frank in his
nsinuations-that he is prone to discuss
the words, not the spirit of my article, the
vehicle, not the contents, IS only too evil
dent. Would he have been regarded as an
enemy to all government in lao, because he
stigmatized that of George III. as corrupt,
Would he have been rendered an enemy TO
Christianity by supporting the Reforma-
ton:
| have no desire to occupy newspaper
space with personal discussion, but in
sist that the present system is essentially
an evil one We know that our political
system is corrupt Does the Professor
Nudi ~ AulN lDbu Oil BbAAAANAoAios 10 ~ luoh
or honorable then to insinuate that lay
the blame on teachers, and charge them
with Intentionally perpetuating an evil;
This artificial system has devolved a
fearful amount of unnecessary and arduous
toll on them. He considers good system
and bad agents; / argued an essentially in
adequate system, therefore bad; and, good
agents | have no sympathy with phrase
twisting
The Professor does not tell us of the
number of those students which turned out
bad, altho he recollects some that were
successful. Our school system presup-
poses that which we know TO be false-the
possession by all students of an equality of
inherited capacity. 1t is considered the
apex of pedagogics when each grade has
the same lessons from the same books, and
finally answers the same questions on the
same day throughout the schools of the
country Now how does this affect the
teachers. Do they furnish the books. Are
they free agents! Can they depart iot
from the set course of the termt They
have simply to do the best they can with
the materials furnished them. So many
lessons in 50 many books, so much review
work for final examinations.
Then when attack system which is
the daily terrOrs of their lives, when call
attention to the fact that their lives could
be lessened by pursuing natural system
of education | am accused of insulting
them Does the Professor lay the blame
on them himself that he asks me TO stand
the responsibility
Who are our criminals. Who constitute
the vicious and truly depraved. What is
the ultimate difference between the law
abiding citizen and the habitual criminal;
Education. If now we find that system
of education permits the perpetuation OF
ignorance and wee; that 1t Increases as
the population increases, Is not the system
reSponsible As il then virtually begets
evil. is il not evil. If the word evil, which
means but the oppoSitco of good, is more ac-
ceptable to the Professor than devil, the
opposite OF God, | withdraw il. What
good the twisting of terms does | fail to
see.
What are the duties devolving on educa-
ton but the task of intoxicating knowledge
where there is Lacks Who needs this edu-
cation more than the children of the poor:
Who receives less of it, The whole idea of
education centers around the above Ques-
tons. Would it not tend to produce far
greater relative longevity of the race If the
children of the poorer classes were better
educated: Would it not tend to eliminate
those class distractions which are the bane
Of this as it has been of all ages:
Is psychology so little advanced that
our educational system must needs stick TO
old methods of tuition,
Did not the life and labors of Pcstalozzi
teach US "a useful lesson in that there is
natural and therefore easy method Of in
struction.
Shall we still teach indigestible rules
when the explanation OF the natural basis
would forever fix those rules in students
minds. Would we have to 60 over and
over again with the rules of addition sub
traction. multiplication and division If the
principles of these processes were first in
culcatcd.
This is what the Professor should con-
slider \ student desires to accomplish
something. to witness tangible result; the
cause then becomes plain, and he is ready
for additional work But if that picture is
not made for the mind to grasp and assimi-
late. he simply depends on memory and be-
comes machine.
Suppose we had Il manual training school,
the admission depending on ability to pass
an examination. Would this eradicate the
existing evils Would il enable us TO reach
that very class which it is our duty to
reach. Or do we intend TO allow the natu-
raj disadvantages of the poor TO always
remain an inseparablc barrier 10 the unity
of our race: 1t is the rapid increase in
our population which demands the most
thorough educational work.
Herbert Spencer well said that ii was the
end and aim of knowledge to devise means
TO perpetuate itself, that is, through in
creasing our ability to teach it. Psychology
teaches us that there is an orderly sequence
in the development of the faculties This
is our basis for rational system of educa-
ton. If this were followed the teachers
would not be compelled to daily witness
scholars avoiding lessons and see them
learning to lie with straight faces when
they give answers that were prompted by
ADLER scholars or those that happened TO
remember the answer given in the book.
Instead Of spending millions for charity
would il not be well TO use them in educa-
tional work. By maintaining paupers we
remove their disabilities in the way OF an
increase They have children that in their
turn become paupers. Is not this perpctu-
ating evil.
In conclusion, let me refer all readers to
the Professors unjust article, and then
contrast with it my assertion, last Sunday,
that daily toll and agony was thrust upon
teachers by an iniQuitOuS system. l take
no issue with them, but with those who
shaped. and those who are in authority and
maintain this system The system itself
attack on all issues, and the sooner the
public buries It, the better for future gen
eratiOns.
1t strikes me that if ire cannot solve the
labor question: it is time we were en-
deavoring to raise a generation that can.
GEO. X. HENNIG.