The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-23
Educational Department
|. E. J. BROWNE, EDITOR.
school Management.

for this occasion and 10 select my own
subject I did not select the above te-
cause I felt that I was capable of tell
ing how a school should be managed,
but thoughtit a good subject-one that
might learn much from by investl-
CATION, and that might introduce the
subject and thereby awaken an interest
that would develop much concering
this great question.
1t is question momentous in mean
ing-a question in which all teachers
are interested, question thatcontlnues
to be of interest and Importance, i
question that we can never ignore, and
one that will always keep before US
that degree of interest that it should
do. 1t is a subject not only for the
inexperienced teacher, but for those
who have taught for years.
The question that confrontS the
teacher on beginning his work is,
"How shall manage the school, how
shall control those large boys or those
large girls, how shall [ conduct the
school so as to gain their confidence
and respect?" To the experienced
teacher these same questions apply IN
almost the same way, except that he or
she has already tried certain methods
in Management and found them to work
perfectly satisfactorily, and they have
only to continue such government as
proves to them at that time to be the
best. All children are not alike, and a
plan of government that will suit one
child will be altogether unsulted to
another Of different temperaments.
Different management for different
localities. For instance, the plan OF
government in towns differs from that
in the country. When I speak of
management being different in differ
ent sections mean the plan OF man
agement that has existed according to
custom. For instance, in one locality
corporal punishment has been resorted
to rectify the violation of school rules,
r while in another suspension on eXpul-
sion: Again dismissal from school for
the day or half day for some oftense,
where in other localities different pun
ishments were resorted to.
About what kind of punlshments
should be inflicted depends upon what
the ofense is. I am not wholly opposed
to corporal punishment, but am in
clined to think it should be the last
resort. There are three terms used ID
the controlling of school. These are
management, government and dlsclp-
line, each of which differs but little in
the meaning they convey. The great
est difference, however, lies in man
agement and discipline. There are
some teachers who can manage a
school, but have no power discipline.
Management is for the time being;
discipline is the power teacher has in
intoxicating such principles into child
that will eventually become part OF bis
being, and were the teacher not pres
ent, vet the Influence of such training
could be seen and felt. There have
been many attempts to answer this
question Of government, but the MAORI
ty are very unsatisfactory. Many teach
ers fail because they enter the school
room with no definite plans, waiting
for something to turn up before they
think of what cause to pursue. By and
by some emergency demands imnedi-
ate attention, and upon the impulse OF
the moment they make an ill-directed
command that in no way is timely or
well suited to the pupil or the ofense.
Or perhaps a hasty and ill-advertlsed
rule is laid down which the teacher
cannot strictly adhere to. A teacher
should have as few rules as possible,
but adhere to those few to the very
letter. By giving commands or laying
down rules that cannot be adhered to
will finally place the teacher in such
a position that he can in no way exert
that disciplinary power ever the pupil
he would otherwise have. It has been
conceded by many who have made it
a study that government is only a
means to an end in the school room."
BY this it is understood that govern
n,eut Just so far as will keep order is
sufficient. For instance some will say
there is no harm in whispering just so
long as it does not disturb the other
pupils. What can be more erroneous
than such q plea. The school room is
place for study and for the purpose
of receiving instructions, aad it cannot
properly be done if the pupils are en-
gagged in conversation instead Of devot-
ing their time and energies to their
studies. Talking IS inconsistent to
good lessons, and the teacher who per-
mits it will find that a great part of
his time is almost worse than wasted.
Some will say there must be restric-
ton upon talking. I would like to
know whether the line is to be drawn.
Just consider the question for one mo-
ment. TO prohibit excessive talking
or whispering, but still allow little is
like Il state passing law against theft
with proviso that little theft, if not
INDUCED in too frequently will not be
punished. When rule is laid down
it should be adhered to in order to ac-
complish true discipline. 1t should be
the aim of every teacher to endeavor to
instlll into his pupils the principles OF
self government, which is one of the
greatest ends to be obtained in pu-
pills education.
A teacher should constantly be on
the lookout for little things, and with
this old maxim in him that an ''ounce
of prevention is better than pound of
cure,n put stop to them before they
have arrived at stage of some impor-
tance. Always prevent offences as far
as possible and there will he less to cor
rect. Another important, and more so,
of all is how TO correct bad habits in
the school when they have been formed
at some future time.
This is not to be answered by any
one teacher to auothe.', but it is a aques-
tion that comes home to each one Of
US. How am I to correct such habits?
The answer is: must study the means
to be employed to correct them and
use judgment in selecting the very
best means. One requisite for good
government is good knowledge of
human nature. The indirect p-even-
titives are far more effective and have
q higher disciplinary value than direct
one, and if used properly will overcome
many bad habits. One great source OF
bad habits IN the school room results
from idieness. The pupils must he
Kept busy and interested. In all the
walks and occupations of life it is not
from the busy laborers. it matters net
how poor they are that the criminals
come, but they come from the idle, the
drones, the tramps. Arouse that sen
timent in your pupils that the idlers
will be moral tramp, knOW-nOthlnys