The National tribune., 1893-01-26
THE MODERN scHooL-TEACHER.
Some Practical Observations Upon Modern
Methods.-No. 1.

Some Practical ObSeryaftonS upon Houefh
Methods.-No L.
FRIENDS OF THE c. c.: Whilst leisurely resting
myself one evening in n large and co,nforta BILE
rocking chair, and waiting for something 10 turn
up that might give me something for reflection. my
attention was suddenly, and i'll careless way,
drawn toward two little girls. apparently deeply
Interested in their play. should not have given "a
second thought to the little ones, but that their
amusement was moi only novel and cute, but strik-
ingly realistic and represented the mirror OF lie
rejecting back to something of the original.
They were engaged i'll playing school. The two
little misses were the teachers, and the puplls a
host of brigbteyed. rosyfaced dolls. AS the littie
teachers went on in their work, their bright ilttle
faces lighted up with interest and wisdom, giving
attention on ." checking" a bad boy. or senoing Il
pupil errsud. The two teachers were re-
spectively Miss Sweet and Miss Pretty.
The tone of instruction ran something INK % TINS:
In Miss Sweets room 49, Willie, you re bad boy
Didn't hear you talking?"
No 'um, IL wasn't me-
Charlie, was il you?"
No. um, il was Willie; saw him. He stood
right up and talked
bad boy, stay in an hour after school. Nellie, come
here moment You please take this note over 10
Miss Pretty Now hurry. FIRST class close DOCS.
pass
In the meantime Miss Pretty's room is enjoying
a rolic behind their books, whilst she Is reading
the note from Miss French, which ran thus:
DEAR DOLLY: My room is in terrible fight
How's yours? Let us join the two rooms together
"'i' 'i-''e :" 'f'.o
"Trt-a-la. EN-.
"P S-Say, do you know Mr.. Chappie is coming
10 me tonight? Wen have nice time.
Ta-ta"
The note read and answered, Miss Pretty puts on
Napoleonist look, determined TO have order,
which she eventually succeeds in obtaining after
checking " nearly all the boys aud some of the
girls
lumhuse"
"Yesm"
well. what did he do? What do you know
about him."
"oh dear dear when will these children get
any sense? Maude shall have TO send note
home 10 your mother if you don't study more dill
gently. Next, Prudy, What did Columbus do?
cant hear word you say mercy, mercy speak
louder / can't hear you. NextH
Such the trend of instruction in Miss Pretty's
room. Let now return TO Miss Sweets room.
Nellie had just returned with the reply from Miss
Pretty, and whilst Miss Sweet absorbing it's
contents the pupils appeared to enjoy the opportu-
nifty TO throw spit balls, steal chalk put flies in
their ink wells. This appeared to be the case from
~lnt the teacher said when she raised her little
head after reading the note. The spelling class
might have been moving along well enough, but
johnny Smith pnci,ed Mabel Brown and she con-
menccd TO cry. Again the lesson WAS disturbed.
60 mp 10 Mr. Chance Che Principal) with this
note. Tell him you're a bad boy, and stay there
Till lie comes
The class was spelling Columbus Santa Maria,
Pinta Ferdinand isabella voyage. Columbian Ex-
position, and bounteous and fresh supply OF
words of this like
two teachers resolved to combine their heads to-
gether and talk little. They hadn't seen each
other for an hour Just think Of il. II was more
talk, checks, notes etc, than instruction. So went
on the ingenious play of little teachers. was
forcIbly struck with The idea that whatever they
did and said must have been absorbed from what
their teachers do rs their ideas must naturally
have been formed from practical experience ey-
cry day in school. Not being old enough to form
ideas of teaching for themselves in playing teacher
the little would do aS their teachers do, aud
in this find the real picture of the child reflect
ing the teacher of io-day.-Amos L. Seaman.