The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1893-03-18
r BONO PUBLIOO,

To the Editor of the Intelligencer.
Please publish some educational state
ments upon the merits of the common
school course, authorized by the law of
Missouri. The books selected are gen
orally good, especially the Franklin series
OF readers, McGuffey's revised spelling
book, Rays arithmetic, Barnes U. s.
history, Townsend's shorter course in
civil government, Steele's hygenic phys
iology for advanced pupils, and Miss
Hyde's first and second books on practical
lessons in the use of English, but Buffers
Biographies are very imperfect in their
maps. More distinctness is needed for
mountain chains, important mountains,
peaks, boundary lines and rivers. All
these should nave a very bright and dis
tinct coloring so as to be easily seen and
understood.
Another serious objection is the very
great number of %unimportant questions
mixed up with those of Importance. This
destroys memory, deadens enthusiasm
and interest. The work should have been
properly graded and divided into three,
If not four books, and so published as
is the series of readers, discarding in
every case frivolous questions. The work
is one of much useless lumber In and out
Of school. The binding of much OF the
entire series of books selected is very I'M
substantial, much of it will soon soil and
wear out. One very great mistake was
made by throwing out intellectual or
analytical arithmetic. This is one of the
hest drill hooka auar nsad in the school
No pupil of mere average ability for
mathematics can ever without the train
ing, only to be derived from this book,
be anything but a slayish imitator of his
teachers work in arithmetic.
Miss Hyde's books on languages are by
no means good critical English grammar.
They are good only for pupils too young
to study grammar, but little more than
a preparation to study grammar critically.
No good ~grammarian in any language, be
such language English, Greek, Latin,
German Or French, is, or has ever been
found or known, who could not at sight
readily parse and classify all the different
parts of speech found in prose or poetry,
and readily analyze any sentence. This
qualification is fundamental to a proper
understanding Of syntax.
Pupils should also be constantly drilled
in correcting false syntax as given in all
our good works on English grammars
now in use, and constantly being made
and published by the ripest and best
scholarship.
Every good scholar knows this. Such
work should be as a rule commenced at
the ages Of 10 or IA, not younger; better 10
or 16. Disseminating and classifying the
words and sentences IN any language is
almost as beneficial in improving the
mind as are such processes in any of the
higher and more difficult subjects OF educa-
ton. The writer's experience has for
many years showed him that all common
schools with much stronger courses of
education in mathematical grammar and
natural science, and taught by teachers
of fine and critical scholarship, and q
sharp and a clear understanding of all the
peculiar mental characteristics OF his
pupils, were far in advance of what they
are now fed on; but little else than child
Cruel. / am in favor of much strong meat
in our schools in this county as we'll as in
all our towns and cities. Such gives n
healthy ambition to pupils n teachers.
PRO Bono PUBLICo.