The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1894-02-08

Texas, January 81, iSal-rhe following
table has been compiled from the reports
recently mndc by the principals.
1. Number OF pupils tested. ,......... 2.ss6
. Number haVing little difficulty In
recognizing aud pronounclng words. 1898
3, Number that open thcif mouths
sufficiently when they read ........,. 1,22N
when they read .,........ '"N i.e7s
5. Number that read with proper vol
unie, not too softly, not too forcihly. i,i76
6. Number that read 10 the hearers
can easily understand what Is read. l,i20
Z. Number that read with easy, nat
Regsi N.Y. 4 am led TO believe is as well
taught IN the Houston schools as II gem
orally is throughout the country; but you
will doubtless agree with me la the opin-
ion that the table given above showa that
we have room Tor great Improvement. ln
the district schools & per cent OF the chill
dren read so they can be understood while
only 20 per cent read with easy, natural
expression In the high school, where 100
pupils were tested. 90 per cent read with
proper volume ana only 90 per cent read
lucntly and naturally.
Your attention IL respectfully Invited TO
these suggestions;
l. The teacher rs well as the pupil,
should habituuliy study the reading les
teacher an almost houudless opportunity
for intclligcnt, original work.
2. During the rScitauon the text BOOK
should be laid aside. II the teacher Keeps
the book in hand while his pupils are read
ing he uuucnsciously gets the thought
through his eyes rather than through his
g. Before children are called upon TO
read selection, the teacher should re
move 10y reasonable drill all mechanical
difficulties, such as those met with In the
recognition and pronunciation OF the words
found In the paragraphs or stanzus TO be
read. The children's minds VIII then be
ready to receive aud 10 enjoy the thoughts
of the author.
l. The drill preceding the reading les
son proper should consist OF exercises IN.
stead OF literature The new words and
phrases that occur in a selection can be
combined aud rccomhiucd Ia simple eNer-
ciscs until the recognition and pronuneih-
ton of the printed forms will he Occoinpa-
MED by no apparent mental EFFORT
o. The reading lessons should form an
excellent basis for the study of literature.
The reading of genuine literature that Is
adapted to the capacities OF children
should give pleasure to our pupils and
should awaken IN their minds n permanent
interest in the classics OF our language.
In the average first reader especially, me
selections are almost exclusively confined
to- exercises for drlll, ana there are but
few lessons in which literature Is found
Horace SCuddCr, I'm an article published ~
Tho Atlantic Mon hlv, says. II should
like to see a primer IN which the litera-
ture is printed In gold, and the Intervening
& Mrs, Pollard the author Of Polard's
Manuel of synthetic Reading and Spelling
at the conclusion OF her hook Of zoo pages
thus gives emphasis to the two uh-impur.
tant phases OF the work In reading, !. e.
TO notwithstanding and thought-giving ~
never have any difficulty IN teaching chill
drcn to read well, FOR teach them to
talk for the author after studying MS
meaning"
Very respectfully
Superintendent of Schools
At the last institute for the culorcd
teachers the results as shown by the re
ports OF the principals Of the colored
schools were given, and MIR W, w. Bar
nett the principal of the Elysian street
school, delivered "A practical and helpful
lecture upon methods Of milking the les
am pleased to report that our teachers
believe reading is the fundamental the
most Important subject In the curriculum
of the public school, and that in TINS CITY
strencthened by the work Of the past
month Very respectfully.