The Magnolia gazette., 1892-04-23

b. tween what ara important facts
to charge the memory with and
what are not. With advanced
classes recitation SHOULD be heard
simply hy naming the subject and
requiring the pupil 20 give an ex-
haustlve answer at least as much
so as dill the author in that lesson.
4 teacher shouI be so familiar
with "A textbook that he could eX-
anime his classes on the lesson
without opening its lids, unless it
be u reading or spelling lesson, or
one involving mathematical pro9-
lens and also ia teaching flreigl
languages he wOuld often be com
Delled to resort to the book. A
teacher should be living, walk.
ing encyclopedia. aud in the Ordi-
nary branches most of the books
should be simply something in
which he outlines the lessons that
he requires his pupils to study, AMI
not means for him tn hear the reci-
tati0ns. La retirement he should
make himself SO familiar with each
one Of his text books thar, if nee.
e~sary, he could reproduce II very
similar one. One thing is certain
the better one is acquainted with a
subject, the more successful he can
teach it. In examining his class a
teacher should adhere closely to
the subject, and Introduce no idea
that has not an immediate bearing
upon it. In mathematics the pupil
should know the reason that under
lies every principle. All arithme-
TICS give this RUE for dividing One
fraction by another: "Ilvert tn.
terms OF the divisOr an multiply; =
hut some of the books do not give
the reason for this, and m my that
work very well in ari hmetic ne, er
stop TO think why this process di-
vldes one traction by another. The
pupil should be trained 10 be close
thinker, and when the author OF
The Textbook fails to carry out u
principle filly ~ his rule or expla-
alton, il should be ella loratrd bN
the pupi, or elncidated by The
teacher. Teachers who havea loDsp
way of explaining things need nor
ltopA 10 make ststema lc reas lnerS
If his pupils. The teacher shoud
| tram himself to a clear and logical
| Styla, aim no pains should he spared
to train his pupils To the $ np
method. IL fact, the pupil is APP
to adopt the IDEAS aud style Of his
tea he, VII ther lie soudieS to do
50 or not. Tnis is the result Of as
sOcIatlon and canfid nee. GAS the
I teacher is, so will the school be-"
No pupil shonid have too many
studies on band At once, and care
sl ,nld be taken that he he not over.
fnske ~ the studies that he mas
Bofsand girls who study ohar'l hat
they injnre their health and consti-
tuCion are read abput ofteuer than
they are en-; but seIious juries
gu side Of those to health frequent
~ result from overtas king pupil.
Ii he has more put upon hun than
he is able to accomplish he is lia-
bic to become discouraged aud CO
conclude that ne has very poor
capacity He takes it for granted
that the teacher Is a fair judge OF
what the les son should be, and if
he is unable to get il he is very apt
to suspect that he is lacking IN
natural capacity, aud becom' dis
heartened. No doubt tue prOspec S
tor many young pupils have been
Oiighted by oyrrtasks. 1t is far
better to make the lesson much too
short thau an iOta too long. II the
lesson consist Of single question,
aud that be thoroughly learned
some good has been accomplish /;
but if tn. re are many qu stiOns in
the lesson, and if the pupil fails to
know even one perfectly, on ac-
count OF an effort to get them all,
ime has been lost.
IL is a very unObsprving teacher
who is not aware that n two pu-
piis have exactly equal capacities.
When dull ones and Diight ones
are class al tOg -ther 1t often iXes
the Inventive powers OF the teach
cr to the utmost 10 keep the dul
ones up, a I'd he sometimes fails to
do 50 at er all. IL such ciassifi-
c .tiOu thrre ~ no Temedy but t.
ald the dun ones as much as pO ssi-
be i'll preparing tueir IysSoas.
There Is otCed a greater puzzle
20 adopt a nay to keep du ! pupil
np with ieir classrs than tnere is
10 fiud a plausible pl IN to grade
cOyntry scnOOis. The grading Of
country schools Is a question that
5 agitdJlns the min If teachers
Il sta, Is vntshIr OF our own. TIE
difii Il ty u owing to irregular :
tendance at such schools, and uu-
less the patrons can arrange their
ali airs 80 that TIA " "a send their
children regularly the successful
| grading Of country schools is an
Impossibniiy.
FIlling tue posiIi IN of teacher is
WORK enOug for any one man Ia
do. NJ m;cupation has z eatei
multiciplic,Iy of duties ia Il, or u
fraughE with greater responsible.
Ties. He ways has his u tniis an