Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-11-28
of the authors meaning. and who pro.
duced such painful conglomerations OF
words as this

THANKSGIVING IN THE OLD HOME.
A little brown cottage, which long ago was
filed with music, and merry laughter sounding
from the bottom of the room to the high tim
bers. is now solitary and quiet The youthful
favorites hurry home again. and from the oeo
safe covering, and went forward in the rays OF
the morning sun, their shaking quilts tollng,
but as the gathering time Is over, and the white
frozen yapors curl the stubss of wheat and rye
from the noble earth's care and distress.
The mother is looking out OF the window
glass, with her hands keeping the light from
her weak eyes, the flush of girlhood colors once
more her cheeks, which are slender ana psie,
for her children are coming 10 their cottage IS
they came before, yet they hsd been taughtt
wander, OF they LEI low to toll and weight and
their mother ks ed them as if it were great
reward. Over the frame-opening sill they
stepped with the heavens OF early life over
them; the Heavenly Father blessing the chill
dren who have mother to look to them they
will look pleasant in the face OF management
to the person such mercy is given; mother
belief ard mothers petition holding the
children near to Eternal Life.
Brief are the shaking tunes OF life, the cries
of the sick and suffered, over the quiet in hard
toll, blessing moves Eden-style; IN the little
and study living; and wherever true hands
have worked God hears the honest giving to the
poor.
WHERE THE FAULT LIES.
Perhaps you think this is an execution
ally bad production, but there were many
others almost equally hopeless. Perhaps
it occurs 10 you that the pupil who con-
structed this remarkable exercise is one of
those extremely dull children who, by
dint of remaining two or three years in
grade, al last come nearly to the end Of the
grammar school course. On the contrary,
at least seven or eight good teachers have
judged her and have not found her want
ing, for from the eighth grade up she has
been promoted every year, and it is not
impossible that at the end of next July she
may be sent forward 10 the high school,
there to pursue such studies as algebra and
Latin and ancient history and literature,
with what profit TO herself and with what
satisfaction to ker teachers | leave you 10
imagine. Are any of you saying that we
must be unfortunate in our teachers or in
our pupils? l believe that a more faithful
and conscientious corps of teachers than
our own il would be hard to find any where;
and the pupils who come to us from other
schools, other cities, other counties, are, to
speak mildly, no better than our own.
Poor reading is SO common that we expect
it, and are surprised only when we meet
with an exception.
HOW FAR ARE WE TO BLAME
For this condition of things? When pu-
pills present themselves to US for admission
to our respective classes, and confidently |
give us, rs kind of password, the inform
alton that they have read through the |
fourth, or third, or second reader, do we |
patiently try to discover whether they can
and do resd intelligently and thoughtfully |
in that reader or in anything else? Do we |
test their power of calculating distinctly |
of pronouncing fairly we'll; of conveying |
to others the ideas whose printed express
sion they see before them? Do we not |
rather smile pityingly at their Ignorance in |
that reading is Of the slightest |,
in school, or home, or public |
life, and say eondesoendipgly to them, |
Never mind about the reader. How far
have you been in arithmetic, and what |
grammar have you studied ?"
THE REMEDY.
What can we do to bring about an i'm
grovement2 Can we not all of US for no
one teacher or one grade alone can effect a
change-there must be step forward all
along the line), can we not, collectively
and individually, think CT some means
that we can adopt as an aid in the good
work? For it is a good work, and one
whose accomplishment would affect ma
terialiy every study which the child pur
sues lat HOPELESS distance, sometimes) or
that we endeavor 10 teach.
Can we not, first of all help our pupils
to some comprehension OF the words thst
they now see only with the eyes and not
with the mind? Cal we not show even
the younger children that the expressions
used cannot always be taken literally--that
sentences do not always state actual facts,
but only suggest them? Children are
growing so painfully and barrenly literal
tina. unless some active measures are soon
tot- he ,,rsrar ff oil
ature will be incomprehensible TO them.
When it is possible thing that pupil
half through our second grade can be puz-
zled and distressed by the statement that
some one was sitting in the sun" because
"the sun is so far away that . person could
not sit in it, perhaps you will agree with
me that what We think of and what
really is
PERFECTLY SIMPLE READING MATTER
Is sealed mystery to many of our pupils
and believe in helping them up to bet
ter understanding, not in trying to find
baby reading matter for them. You need
not talk of figures of speech by name, but
do not be afraid of them, for they cannot
be avoided, even though they may be
sighted. There is scarcely strong and
impressive word that is not good for more
than its face value. Why, when you think,
you will see that it is that very fact which
gives them their peculiar force. The bare,
literal meaning enters the mind like
drill, and into the opening thus made the
higher, better, more real meaning slips
smoothly but firmly, and is held and
riveted there forever.
and while we help the children to see
no longer "as through a glass, darkly,"
can we not each day ground them in the
pronunciation of few words, and teach
them the importance of enunciating firmly
the terminal sound of every word and
every syllable? The universal adoption of
that last suggestion would enable US to bid
a Joyous farewell to indislinct and rapid
reading. Cannot the children be taught
how 10 stand how to use the lungs; how
to hold the chin?
CAN THEY NOT BE TRAINED
To read with fairly good expression-not
sffectedly and Electrically, but simply and
earnestly? You will find that most of
them are absolutely afraid to do so now,
and il needs our united efforts to remove
this one obstacle to their improvement
fear of ridicule.
Fellow teachers, together we have the
children in our care for eight, and in some
cases, for eleven years of theiI young lives
can we not together bring about better
condition of things than now exists? No
one alone can do all that is needed, but
would there not be the beginning of
a grand and necessary revival if each one
would resolve that no matter what subject
is crowded OUT by the exlgencies of heavy
demands upon limited time, this thrice
important study, reading, shall be faith
fully taught? Do not neglect it, for it is
the guiding light that illumines the path
way of the little child; brightens and
cheers, and makes possible the progress of
the hopeful youth; and that finally flashes
and gloTs in splendid radiance as the cul.
tured man walks with steady tread
through the boundless kingdom of knowl-
edge, enabling him TO gather for his own
use the cleaning gems scattered along his
way, sending backward its brilliant rays 10
reveal the hidden secrets of the past, ard
giving him the power to show to those to
come the achievements Of the present.
My First Love.