Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-12-14
FRED. w. HARRIS. Editor.
Member d The ssvs, Dakota PgsM Association
How Can I Be More Thorough?
MARY KELLAM.


are my children's minds stronger to
day than they we're yesterday? Are
they better able to think and act
for themselves?
All cannot be done in a day or a
year. 1t is step by step that we
reach the top, and each day should
be a step. II we trip on a round
in the ladder we shall fall-if we
do not perform well the task of the
hour we shall leave a weak spot in
our foundation which, when we
build the structure of our future
workupon it. it will cause it to give
way, and the whole will topple to
the ground, a confused mass of half
v learned lessons, half mastered prin-
4 ciples, and our work has been in
vain.
n Let US not be az the foolish man
who builded his house on the sands
us have affirm foundation.
Often teachers are prevented or
Ehindered in many ways from doing
their work as we'll as they
have the ability to do, by diff
I%culties which, at first, may not seem
worth our notice, but which, if We
reflect again, we shall find to be the
cause Of much of our trouble and
Encouragement.
as Throughout the state of South
Dakota there is considerable of the
'Roreign element. In most instances
he people v in their native
J ongue at home. The only time
heir children are required to use
he English language is when they
re at school-12O days in the year,
I they are present every day during
term of six months.
Home surroundings and influence
ave much to do with a child's
rogress In school.
Unlike his American brother, the
oreign child has not the advantage
Z hearing the American vernacu-
sr; he has a very clouded idea of
ar use of words and forms of ex.
ression. We all know how incom-
lcte the foreign ch'ld's remarks
70. A great many of u smaller
ords, which really are not essen
al to the meaning. but which lend
sauty and symmetry to our express
ons, he omits. From this arises
ir greatest trouble, which is in
aiding. The greatest difficulty is
making the children familiar
] 18th the LITTLE words, which they
.esistently omit i conversation.
hat can we do with children who
n~tinually blunder over words
nich they should know at sight
fore they leave the Second Reader?
nght not the frequent repetition
these words in every lesson be
Efficient drill? There are always
ough new words in every lesson
bon which the class needs to be
billed without spending time on
e smaller words which every
lid should have learned while the
sons were short and easy. But ]
}S u to give just as much attention
these words every day as l do to
" words-thus the work Is made
n 6nbly hard. This "weakness"-
may call it snch-is more
ticeable in advanced grades than
8S|S primary ones.
Just at the time when the pupils
ole mental energy should be free
Il use in gathering the THOUGHT,
is laundering senselessly over
all c%onnectives and simple adjec.
2 es and adverbs which he should
z$sf able to comprehend at glance.
avc tried every way ! IA think
to remove this difficulty, but
ge thus far failed to reach that
gree OF success which | should
The reading in my school is still
from what it should be.
IL is the inability 80 read intelli-
Atly which hampers the work in
}her grades. Geography, gram
y, physiology aud history suffer
ess the pupil can read under
*pdingly. 1t is a waste Of time
ST ~... - a, ...u