Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-10-18
PLATT TO THE TEACHERS.
The Senator Gives Some Sound AZ
vice Upon Educational Matters

The senator G1VeS some SOunu "A d.
vice Upon Educational Matters
other Addresses of the Day.
The event of that part of the Connect
cut State Teachers meeting at United
church chapel yesterday afternoon under
the direction of Secretary Hine of the state
board of education was the address of
Senator o. H. Platt, who talked to the
large gathering of teachers for about fit
teen minutes.
Previous to this a long talk upon the
study of history was given by Hon. E. D.
Robbins of Wethersfeld, member of the
state board. He gave many good ideas.
'Beware of bookishness," said he, sit is
the curse of our schools. It is things we
must study, the concrete before the alb
stract. When you have broken down in
the scholars mind that undue reverence
for matter in print you have done a great
deal. Teach them to seek for the source
from which the printed facts come. His
tory is very faulty. Bancroft's history of
the United States 1 consider a most par
tisan work. The daily chronicle of events
in the newspapers are more accurate than
most of the histories of ancient Greece
and Rome. And it is not all how to
| teach, but what to teach. I believe you
teach too much arithmetic, for instance
If we study history we must go back
we now use are mass of rubbish, in most
\ instances They are well enough to read,
but miserable to load upon a students
| mind. Don't believe daily examination
| can be q test of what student has
| learned.
Superintendent S. T. Dutton of the
Brookline, Mass schools gave an interest
| ing address upon Glow Does Manual
Training Add to Mental Culture?" A. B
Morrill, of Willimantic spoke upon "Tht
True Psychology" G.I.Aldrich of Quincy
Mass, upon "Supervision" and 7. M. Bal
liet of Springfield upon collective Teach
! ing" AL of these gentlemen are schoo
superintendent.
| Senator Platt was the next speaker Sale
he:
4 Time has wrought many transformation
| in the educational machinery of Connect
4 cut, and the system has been extended ant
perfected. It is highly modern. But tn,
! question after all is whether the produc
! has been improved. Does it make bette
l men and women than the old crude sys
tems I have been led to doubt that tn,
new, well-oiled machinery does reall,
I uO DcGCcI WOIh Gldu tu6 Olu. L see d.
the program that "schoolmaster' ant
"schoolmistress" have given away t,
teacher" In olden times these term
were the only ones used in denoting thos
who taught the common mind Ali of tn,
| old Dlasters use the old terms What ha.
become of thesea Perhaps modern school
master would be offended at the term.
is possible it has been dropped out be
cause the idea of education has come t,
mean simply teaching teaching
hope not. There is a sense in which tn,
teach moral as well as intellectual matters
To illustrate this Senator Platt read al
extract from paper giving ludicrously
composed set of rules which was posted OF
the door of western school house. Thi
notice was probably posted up by q schoo
committee, said he, Judging from the or
biography, but it contains the main idea
sof education. 1t shows an appreciation @
the fact that morality, good manners, and
in word, gentility, should be inbred int
the young. Get into your minds only tn
idea that children shall be taught TOWARD
the end to be attained. This object Shout,
be the making of men and women. AL
else has the name but not the reality o
teaching.
l think, then, that o teacher should frs
put himself or herself in full sympath,
with the child and carry it as far as posi-
BILE towards its highest ideal of man o
a woman. The work of the teacher is t.
bring the child up as high as possible to
ward this ideal. 1t is to develop the lif
which, with all study and all teaching, n,
human being can understand, that is tn
end of all teaching. Wherever life shall
place the child, development should be tn
main object. This it is that make
the first concern of the state that ever,
young mind may be so brought up to per
lection that the state may receive tn
benefit of all. A state where some hav
knowledge and some are in the black ig
norance of despair can be nothing but
despair.
An object which sends new thrill O
pleasure and patriotism through me wa
the sight of our national flag floating owe
our schools. 1t is a fine idea. It is tn
object lesson. We have too little of patri
otism taught in our schools. This objec
lesson should never be discontinued a
long as the child has anything to learn.
The sessions continue to-day, accor din,
to program already given.