The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-26
AN ADDRESS TO scHooLMA.AMs.
Radical Changes In the Instruction of
Children Suggested.

Radical Changes IN the Instruction of
Children Suggested.
The teachers of the city loeked to the
meeting of tho Teachers Institute at Odd
Fellows Hall yesterday afternoon. Male
and female, from the tender bud who is just
learning how to WELD the rod without shud-
dering to the aged educator whose toll has
made many horny listed, were there. They
packed the hall and the galleries thereof.
A listener at the keyhole would have
thought that a convention of bees was in
session. for the buzzing OF the whisperers
was tremendous.
The gray-hesded chief of the oldest insti-
tuition of learning 10 the country came upon
the stage with Rev. Horatio Stebbins and was
enthusiastically applauded. John SWEET,
the Superintendent of common schools, in
troducsd the distinguished scholar, who
made a plain. practical address on the evo-
luton of methods of instruction.
TEACHERS INSTITUTES.
DR.. Eliot said be thought that the holding
of teachers institutes would be of great
value TO those who attended They had
proven of great value TO the instructors of
New England. The New England REFORM
ers at their meetings bad reduced the size of
the textbooks which children are compelled
to memoriZe. He could testify that very
little of what the child is obliged to learn by
rote remained long in his mind 81 myself"
said Harvard's president, do not remem Der
the names OF the capitals OF half the States,
and do not believe that ] can bound any of
the States, With the exception of Massachu-
setts."
He next adverted to the brutality of CON-
polling children to memorize rules OF gram
mar which they cannot understand. He
believed that there should be rcyolu-
tion in the teaching of bookkeeping.
AS IL exists at present IL Is
sham. The boy who has been taught the
theory of bookkeeping in school has to
learn that he knows nothing about il Just
as soon as he goes In the business. Much
time, DR.. Eliot thought, might be saved by
adopting new methods of instruction. The
people do not appear 10 properly estimate
the capacity of their children. TIE years
which night be saved in the early part Of
pupils life might be devoted to serious
studies. In Harvard the faculty has de-
clared that freshman is incompetent to
study psychology.
HARVARD FRESHMEN.
The Harvard freshmen average 10 years
of age, vet the young men Of France learn
psychology at IT, and consider its study
their school years IL is held that children
cannot learn algebra under Is. vet hundreds
of thousands OF 12-year-olis in Europe
are mastering the science to-day.
Inc eaSfesl way u SOlVlDR equations OIL
the first degree is by algebra and not by
arithmetic as many children are compelled
to solve them now. Geography is a superb
study. Yet the schools have nothing with
which to teach 1t but maps and fat aliases.
What is wanted Is models TO show the carv-
ing ont Of the hills and contour maps. The
Government survey has furnished these
maps and they are used In Rhode Island.
DR.. Eliot concluded with an earnest exhorta-
ton to his many hearers to carefully study
| the habits. ability and ambit on OF their
| pupils and give them instruction accord
| iDgly.
A. E. Winship of Boston, editor of the
| Journal of Education. came forward after
| the applause had subsidized He proved to
| be a forcibe speaker and quickly Interested
! the big audience In his theme which was
| the 'Pnblc School Crisis" He said that
| America Is land Of crises. The gravita-
| ton of human nature makes any republic q
| land Of crises. The permanency OF re-
| public is determined by the way in which 1t
meets crises. The American public school
| spirit is the fruit OF series OF crises. II
| comes from the common and the free
| school aud its crisis is produced BY the
| existing state of affairs in America. There
| Is more crime here than In England, and on
| the public schools the responsibility Of de
creasiug crime largely depends.