New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-22
MORALITY IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOl-S.
PLEA FOR PRACTICAL TRAINING BY PERSoNS
BETTER FITTED THAN THE AVERAGE

To the Editor Of The Tribunes

BETTER FITTED THAN THE AVtAA"S
TEACHER.
TO the Editor Of The Tribnne'
Sir: The subject 50 recently agated in newborn
by the good cergymcn of many secs, the teacninS OF
morality in the public schools, is by means new 10
those whose interest extends to the future men ana
women of orr country. 1t is subject of great as
well a. grave. importance.
should the edicr in time go forth that moraihy
mast form a pat of the school curriculum the queS
tion arises how shall il be done or. rather. how can
il be done. in order to make a deep and permanent
impression upon The recipients Teachers ana pupis
in the city public schools form an ncongrous ee-
ment | believe | say teachers advisedlS. lno
methods of their appointment certainly not caicu'
lated 10 secure. invariably the moral tone so I'M
porant in their close association with mpfe'Slohaoo
youth during - many hours Of the day
The repetition of a few formalteS I'm stated
way and at stated hours and the mere naming ~ theo
"moralitic,.' while the pupils feel thai ulere III
the teacher no backbone If morality. as must III 'o'
many instances he true. will eventuatc in little
good if il does not work serious harm. We all Ki'o"
hOw auckIy even the youngest in school take measure
ment Of the capacity Of the teacher. mental ana
molaI nor are their Intuitions T. be de'pseh'
In trying to help solve this most ab'truse problem
of the method Of teaching morality to our boys ana
grl,-for when we think dllhcnlt things out W VI"
own partial or complete satisfaction we somehow ieel
that We have helped the world 10 keep on moVng-i
have marked out q certain line which would put
10 practical te,' were | teacher and not TOO mnch
cogsed and hamrcrcd b. the cast iron rules Of schooi
board. We must all be granted some lndiNhuduS III
whatever do. can never develop the pest 'r"'
i, in IL, am Practical or | am absolutely nothing
/ asked A little fellow in the street some months
ago how he came to lose one eve. lie replied \ BOY
at school knocked it ont What text for teacher
to carry into the school room, Thought fact tha'
the Youngest child any department can easily com
preheud. Will" the simplest language can make pam
that is moral weakue,a to exercise pyscal strehg'
over physical weakness. With proper reverence De-
lieve that five minutes Of such easy. familiar but
emphatic talk woud DO more good than "A Whole term
of de,utory Bible reading.
While / wa, looking from my window recently
little girl whom | know suddenly left her group OF
playmates. ran to her home, and very soon emerged
with as large and uscou, bunch of grapes A. ever
saw The fruit filled her hand and hung way over
| on all sides, Ny own mouth watcrcd she ran over
to her paymate, and | eagerly watched to sec OK
what manner II stuff she made. They clustered
about her, cldlihc. and hope they enjoyed the fra
grince the grapes must have emitted II was certainly
all they did enjoy The moral lesson of such incidents
should conf,., be- aimed at the mothers. but since
they are Of too old growth to be appgoachabe, We
can only aim them at the mothers Of the future My
relations to child warrant no admonltons but were
| a teacher in her school should dwell upon the pro-
pety Of eating her rare delcacies in the privacy OF
her own home and the incident should not 20 entirely
! to waste.
suggestive traits be gathered in our own house
holds, in the home, Of our friends, certainly III the pup
llc streets Of city, and most certainly among INC
children Of a conElomeiate city school II the lntens
be- 10 limit the term morality 10 the street inter.
prrtati0n of the ten commandments Ihou sialt NOT
etc then. too. the cities full of incidents. but ~
is greatly - BE- desired that the bro4deS possible con-
strlcon Of the BE- permitted, should this inotc-
tiou ever bccom" mandatory. .
LAST ulght. when heard the Young man, our nelgn.
Dor reach h- home late and 20 up the wooden steps OK
! hi- house with boots Of uou and heavily bang ms
front do Is his nightly custom, tlonEhl were j
a teacher should make that fact a text aud draw the
moral OF having respect to tho rights OF others.
young lady tOld ~ that her family came 10 ths
country scotland when she was but nine years ol
age. The children were an placed IN a public school,
and for their very broad accent Wero the blt OF RID
louie among the pupils 40 much - mat II b"'aih"
real family grief she said the TEACHER oftfn plac'I
her upon the platform. directing ner 10 say tnhEs'
ar IN rchear~e and submitted the trial, assuming
mat snc was simply conforming u school rules. ~
rayvned upon her M time that she was Only lrnslh
amusement and pupils. for they all langnea
together. and ~hc declined the honpr - anu thof,I
repoaedv struck her hands for dis0bedlencc, with
national pcrfinacity she persisted IN declining 10 De
made the toy ~ the How would TINS teacher
devoid ~ an delcacy of feeling or human sympathy
I pose A. Instructor IN the morilltlc,. T..
Incidents are without number, u>etul instruments
IA ho-,. who hv their munitions or their moral ell-
| cation know how hi7dl" them useless or worse
sun harmful u the hands - those teachers VINO owe
! their appointment 70 ppullal phlci'h'e' vt p'"cr
rather than adaptation t0 then work - !.
! However the cloud only thick"nS As endeavor w
penetrate IT, with the public school teachers >rlecuh
! \. AZ nre-cut Nv brain srOv~ heWllfered. ana am
les ,uie own theories now ihat see Iirnl
somewhat elaborated by pen and ink I therefore,
rolegate problem 10 the clergy 9T ther nor, tdn
| or complete solution. JULIA D H'-N''
Albany y. y, Dec. >, l-9o.