The Forrest City times., 1891-03-20
ThOrougl1pess.

There is thoroughness and thoroughness - thoroughness of the letter and thorough ness of the spirit. The one deadens mental activity. the other stimulates growth; both give mastery. The one is the mastery of words, the other of rela- tons and ideas. That is mastery of the exact words of one book; this of the Thought of many books. Thoroughness of the letter Is acquired by q process Of mental drudgery called memorizing the lesson, thoroughness of the spirit comes from enjoyable study. investigation and assimilation, and from the expression of the authors thoughts in the pupils own i language. Be thorough. but be thorough in sprit.-Southern Educator.
 To the sentiment herein contained we at once vigorously vociferate hearty. TO- tund amen. But how many there are 1 who think that thoroughness consists in the complete mastery of book and the words contained therein. Many teachers,
 in their over-anxiety to please. cater to 1 this popular idea. In their earnest effort to ''show off their school they too fre- quently fall into this channel of book thoroughness, which is bane to be dep- recated. This terrible mental drudgery, this eternal and forever memorizing pro cess, filling the growing mind with crude i facts, formulB and rules, is vicious in the extreme, and is the breaker on which much valuable time is completely wasted l The teacher thinks, the pupil thinks, everybody thinks that the getting of the words of text book is getting lesson and that this getting constitutes the be- ginning aud the end of all school duty. So many pages or paragraphs in the book are assigned for lesson and so many pages or paragraphs are studied-no more, no less.
 A visitor goes into the school room. He sees the pupils boring over their books with the avidity of the most profound philosopher. He hears them recite. Every pupil answers correctly in the lan- guage of the book the book intcrrogations of the teacher. They never miss single question. and therefore get marked ac- | cordingly. The visitor goes away de- lighted He thinks and he says that that is model school indeed. The pupils all answer so promptly and so correctly every question tproylGing the teacher don't gu outside Of the book. In short, the pupils arc all learning so rapidly are so thorough.
 This school Is far from being a model school. Now, We Go not nran tn oppose book study at all; on the other hand we favor it. But while We favor the nse of the book by the pupil, this use can only be for desired end-for specific, definite, intelligent purpose. A parrot can be made to repeat correctly the spoken words of any speaker; but because the parrot can correctly speak collection of words Is that any sign that it understands tine words t uses? Not at all. Nor is it any sign that any individual has just and correct conception and intelligent understanding of any subject simply be- cause he can correctly speak the lan- guage of an author. Because little child can speak short Reclamation is no sign that he knows the meaning of what he speaks This principle is SO axiom atic that it needs no comment. In the ac- cumuation of knowledge. therefore, it is not the pouring into the mind the words of any text that will properly educate the child. Far from it. The memorizlng of the words, rules and dates of any lesson and repeating the same to teacher with out single mistake Is no evidence that the mind is growing according to its in- herent, God-given principles. No system or training Is more fallaeious or more de- ceptive. And so We repeat that thorough ness Is not the mastery of book by any means. IL is not the pouring into the mind the truths that are found in the realms of the movable; it is not the getting of the words of any author. This is thoroughness of the letter; but thorough ness of the letter never has, nor never will. lit any individual for the highest possible usefulness in life. Thorough ness of the spirit will. The thorough ness of the spirit of the author of any text alone can mfuse into the heart and mind of the growing child the principles and essential characteristics of a useful life. Unless We teach this thoroughness, unless the spirit of the subject we may study instill into us an intelligent compre- henston of the truths it contains all our getting Is ''as sounding brass and tink- ling cymbal Unless we have this thoroughness of the spirit all school work and all memorialng Is in vain. Be thor ough, but be thorough in the spirit.
 l Says one of our most learned thinkers and teachers on this same subject: 1.-The teacher who requires memoriter recta- | tions and makes use of threats and pun. lshmsnts to enforce his acquisitions Is . most venerable nuisance. Revolutions come and go, in church and state, in home and school. but this oppressive dy- nasty still holds its sway over millions of nnocents. If any extraneous power Is ever adjured to consummatc aud justify this tyranny 1t Is that of the relentless exactions for examinations under that baleful watehword, ''fhoroughness. '"
 Rules, paradigms, remarks. observations. notes. are extorted by imprisonment and 1 ferule: and this is thoroughness in the estimation of the force teacher. . Am 1 not safe in saying that at least seven-tcnths of all children and youth now in our city and village schools are being repressed disheartened, demoral- ixed, demonized by just such an infatu- ated idea of thoroughness and just such mode of teaching it ?'
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