The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-03-31
Mt. Decimals may be re-

according to the position it occupies.
Now we are fairly introduced to numbers
and the question may arise, should we
take up any new studies at the present
time? Studies should be taken up in the
order of Importance and then get well
started in each before another is added to
the list. Too many studies are apt to
confuse and discourage We should al
ways strive to sustain the courage of the
student and devote time to the several
studies in proportion to their relative i'm
portance.
1t might be well to introduce variety in
the reading exercises by selections from
geography and physiology few i'm
portant facts may be impressed upon the
mind each day. Something of the science
OF language and history may be introduced
from time to time, but they should not
become regular study until the most
important principles OF arithmetic are
every child to know how to compute the
interest on a note and perform other bust
ness calculations. but knowledge OF geo
graphical and historical facts is largely
ornamental. In arithmetic are a great
number of definitions and rules, but to
learn these would be wholly at variance
learns his trade The mechanic learns
the names of tools by seeing them and
hearing them called by name. He learns
their use by seeing them used, and be-
comes a perfect workman by practice.
Just SO every wore. should be to the pupil
the representative of some practical idea.
He should not be required to learn the
definitions of terms which to him are
nothing but combination of meaning
less words.
No child can learn to subtract until he
has learned to add, neither can he learn
to divide until he has learned to multiply.
The several steps must be taken in their
proper order. Every process mastered
gives the ability to perform higher proc
esses. The pupil must be able to find a
greatest common divisor or least common
multiple, but it is not advisable to hold
him on these subjects till he can compre-
difficult in arithmetic. | would perform
these processes by the most convenient
method. though it is rather mechanical.
and become familiar with the most i'm
portant principles OF each subject in the
most practical manner. The pupil must
know how to find least common multiple
before he enters fractions, and then he
must know how to add subtract, multi
ply and divide fractions before going be-
You'd these subjects, but it is not neces-
saly to hold pupil on any subject until
he can solve all the problems given under
that subject. Much valuable time may
be saved by selecting the most important
facts and classifying and assimilating
them according to the dictates of reason
and experience. But the free use of rea-
sui Is CNCI NltNCt Will IL suspicious pN
The churchman aust not deviate from
the we'll beaten paths.
In correspondence with school directors
was once told that they feared too much
originality. On another occasion they
wanted to know if | was a musician
could play base ball. lawn tennis and Join
the brass band Such are often the mo-
tives in selecting teachers. If | could find
good base ball player who happened to
we'll to employ him to entertain the peo-
pie, while mine is the less conspicuous
task Of illstructing the children. When |
was pupil my teachers seemed to think
that books were to be learned, and fear
many teachers think SO still. wish to
call attention to the fact that books are
valuable for the ideas they contain. But
the mind of the pupil as we'll as teacher
ought to contain more ideas than are in
the books. Ideas are not bounded by
words. Words are only feeble instrl,-
ments for conveying ideas. We need to
acquire the ability of extracting know
ledge from books as bees extract honey
from flowers. And if we AGO uire this
art perfectly we shall retain about as
large proportion of the language of the
book as the bee takes of the flower to
form honey. In this way alone does know
ledge become a living principle which may
be assimilated to our nature.
Economy in school work may be facili-
tated by the following selections from
Parker's Talks ON Teaching. He says,
''Let the child get the thought him
self, in the easiest possible way, by means
of written sentences With the child
thought has always controlled expression.
Why should we throw this grand power
aside and try to teach child oral express
ion by means of palses and initiated in
heXion and emphasis? Primary education
consists in training the power of attention.
The end and aim Of all education is the
development OF character. Character is
the expression of all that is in the mind,
and it may be analysed into habits. Things
that have to be done should be learned by
doing them. Doing forms by repetition