Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-10-01

DER LnAC the conduct ana standing IN SUD
les of every pupil affects the whole class
of which he is a member. AS in society,
no man lives solely to himself, SO in the
schoolroom there is no pupil whose life is
not factor in moulding the spirit and
determining the progress of the whole
Also children appear to forget, at mes
that every child, no mater where he or
she may attend school, is subject to tie
state laws pertaining to truancy. There
fore the officer has the right as well as the
duty to question every child whom he
may suspect; and the inform atisn needed
to remove all just doubts should be cour-
teously presented.
3 INATTENTIoN TO STUDIES.
The third obstacle to progress in school
is inattention to strdy-a hstless spirit in
IN the school room This is in great
measure the result of the other two OBJ
stacles just spoken Ct. 1t is an effectual
barrier to all true progress; and by ere
ating and fostering an indolent habit of
mind and body it poisons the very well
springs of an active and useful life. Pa
rents can do much to correct this by man
| ifesting, not in the commands that they
issue-that have very little educational
value, but in their own daily life an ap-
probation of knowledge and of the bene-
fits of study, Here too it should not be
| forgotten that the pleasure of telling to
| friends what we have seen and learned is
| the greatest incentive to study. Hence
| the spirit Of home should be such as to en-
courage the little ones to tell, even though
it were with lisping tongue or in childish
| prattle, the things that they have heard
and seen and learned in the school room
| Appreciation of their infant store of
| knowledge will make them Jealous to
| increase it.
We call attention to these matt.rs be-
cause they form the chief obstacles which
| teachers encounter i'll their daily labor:
and because we believe that with due
care parents can remove them all. In
every position in society their are found
many families whose children are ever
regular and attentive. Why may not this
| be the care with all Moreover in other
nations where the school laws are strictly
enforced truancy and irregular atten-
dance are practically unknown. Why
may not our own nation enjoy this immu-
nifty The board is fully conscious of the
fact that the proper care for children de-
mands unceasing violence and constant
sacrifice. But as the most important and
| vital interests OF parents i'll particular, and
| of society i'll general are conferred in this
care dependent on it., inseparabl4 from it
as it constitutes man $ chiefest duty: the
demand should be met and the burthen il
such it must be- cheerfully bone. But
the task implied will not seem sc
formidable when we consider that the
dispositions which mainly determine the
actio as of the pupils in the prim Try
grades are formed ut the age of years anC
hence are the result Of home influences
It is to be feared tina; the factors which
are most potent in the formation of the
child's character, nor the early age al
which these influences act upon the in
FAINT mind are not always fully under
stood. On this subject an eminent
writer says:
Education does not commerce with
the alphabet; it begins with a mothers
look, with a fathers nod of appreciation
or sign of repoof, with q sisters gentle
pressure of the hand, a brothers noble ac
of forbearance, with pleasant walks, will
thoughts devoted in sweet and kindly
} tones and words, to nature, to acts of ben
evidence, to deeds of virtue, and to tn
source of all good, to God himself.
UNGRADED RooXs
One evil result of these obstacles is tina
they render perfect grading impossible
and at times detains pupils in rooms wher
disparity of age serves completely to dis
courage them. Seeking to apply a rene
} dy here the Board desires to open two O
4 more ungraded rooms where these back
3 ward pupils will have opportunity I'm
der some specially trained teachers to max
, up for lost time without disturbing tn
l order or impeding the progress of tn
1 whole school
+ If parents desire to secure the very bes
e results in the school room they mus
| moreover guard their children from tn
e evils resulting from i'll regulated read ine
: irregular hours, and II too early assumptio
t of the distracting and eXhausting duties {
e society.
I Whilst conscious that the SUCCESS of tt
It schools depends primarily upon paren
o we are not unmiAdful that it demands
: addition competent teachers, men an
)? women qualified by a liberal education
IS special training, and gifted with devotio
IS to this work. Here broadcast culture give
}, best results. In order to gain thoroug
h knowledge of the schools, and of Il
Q respective merits of the teachers, IL
l, Board was diligent in making the require
g visits. The impreSsio s received we
u fully discussed at the meetings and in 8
:? matters of Importance conclusions we
o reached only after complete examinatit
D of facts. The notes given to the teache
1t at the end of the year show that with mo
IS of them the Board was we'll pleased
III many of them are as yet young, and as
er are apt to grow somewhat remiss in Il
at discharge of their very exacting duties t
se Board desires to make the following re
IF concentrations.
g. 1. That the primary teachers shou
d, strive to attain thorough knowledge
re the kindergarten system which in pc
lis most of them have adopted. In all bu
work there is pGrpose of much educ
re tional value,-a meaning far beyond tn
e. of keeping the child occupied. This pr
ly pose should be thoroughly mastered by t
le teacher, and the part which each less
no plays therein should be fully understoc
ng and should be unfolded to the pupils
ho their young minds become capable
of understanding hem
be 2. Systematic reviews of work perta
tn ing to preceding years should recei
la marked attention. In the schedule thu
fe are, it is true, no hours allotted for t
'se purpose; as reviews are essential in all
vanced branches of education. Judicic
reviewing can never be loss of time
ire either pupil or teacher Their knowleG
he of past studies will be for most pupils