The Press., 1893-01-12
Monson Correspondence.


 by inquiring of Mrs. Cyril Johnson of Stafford, member of the state board of -..
 MonsOn Correspondence.
 A. w. Edson, agent of the State Board of Education, delivered lecture on Teaching" at a recent teachers meet ing. He began by asking written defi- hilton from each one present of "teach- ing, ? as understood by the writer. After listening to them, with occasional re- marks, he gave as his own idea of the work the following: Teaching is pre- senting to the learners mind the thing to be known in such a way that he may come to know it by his own thinking" ," Then followed his idea of the necessary Qualifications of good teacher. First, a willing spirit willing to learn to be found fault with-accepting criticism without pouting or resentment, though he would not brook malicious or ignorant interfer- ence. A teacher should have thought full spirit-for example, one who can look through the rubbish Gas some call it) in the study of Latin, and see the training that cannot be so well acquired in any other way. He thinks that to cultivate the imagination is as desirable as to cul- tivate the memory. The order in which knowledge is acquired is, first, through observation; second, through imagina- tion; third, through memory, and, lastly through expression.
 "A teacher should be progressive" and he cited two extreme cases of schools which he visited recently. In one he ask. ed the teacher what her little scholars were doing. "They are lettering words, , was the reply. Lettering worlds don't exactly understand" "I will soor show you," said the teacher. She called out her young hopefuls, and, placing hel finger under line of words. she said "M", which was repeated by thepupiis witt variations, i'm" 'a,n ''a," ''n," "n,' "man, D ''man," 'p," 'sp ,"'a," Ca, "n, , ''n, ""''pan," "pan," and so on. "Ane how long do you expect it will take te make your pupils proficient in this ?" was the inquiry. 'O," was the reply, ''they have been lettering words only four ol five months yet, but I think year willbt enough" The other extreme case O. success was of teacher of the word ant sentence method, whose .tbaby class" hat read through twelve different readers O the same grade, and acquired 300 words the first year. ,,.. A. teacher should. be energetic. Tn, brightest class in the world will soon ge sleepy if the teacher is not bright and en ergetic. Any slackness of dress or other wise will prove an object lesson for tn pupil, though nothing be said. A teach CT should have tact, if she would be pop ular.s Mir. Edson referred to popular teacher of his acquaintance who enter heartily ysinto the, social life of the place attending all the parties and prayer meet ings, :" to say nothing of dances. "He teaching, 7 said MT. Edson, lis superfieia in the extreme,-not worth the snap o my finger. She will not wear in tha district, nor in any other, but at presen her popularity is son ething phenomenal And she will probably be married befor the tide of enthusiasm goes out, and he name will pass into the annals of tha neighborhood as 8 superior teacher. S much for tact without background c ability, but what might not be accom- plished by tact combined with ability" "We learn to do by doing," is mott widely quoted. MT. Edson prefers t modify it; and make it read, We learn t do by doing, thoughtfully. A larg amount of busy work gone through wit a view to killing time, or getting sue and such a thing done and out of the way shows very little Improvement, whil much less, done with thoughtful pains taking, shows great improvement.
 Every pupil should be required to mak effort. The dull pupil should not furnish measure for the lesson. Additional wor should always be given the bright ones Good habits should be taught, for exam pie: attentiveness, promptness, regular ity, cleanliness, quiet, and orderlinesl