The Washington times., 1895-06-19

as well as by his observation and reading.
In like manner in the number work, as the
child progresses from the simple problems
of the intermediate grades-problems that
have been developed intelligently step by
step by means OF many illustrative OBJ
jects concrete in their natuTe-to the
more abstract tasks of the highest grades,
he is led to recognize the steps in his think
ing and to state them in the clearest
language possible. He knows what he
is trying to reach and the successive stages
through which he has passed to attain it.
These statements lead to definiteness of
thought, thereby securing, as a necessary
sequel, clearness of expression. He follows
neither the ipse dixit of the teacher nor the
blind formula of the textbook. He memor-
ICES no rules, but unconsciouSly learns to do
and incidentally TO talk, by dealing with
every subject in it's normal order regardless
of the textbook arrangement-principleS
and definitions being disclosed in their
logical sequence and in their natural con-
nection. He awakens to the realization that
rote learning is undesirable; that he has
within himself the power to surmount OBJ
stacles and to overcome difficulties, as well
as to explain in clear and unmistakable
English his whole experience to his teacher,
his parents, his fellow-pupils and his friends.
This is not the work of q day or of a
single year, but follows from the continuity
of the grade work under the direction of
model teachers throughout the entire course.
a single year of poor unintelligent teach
ing by the old-faShioned hearer of recita-
tions will set at naught much of the good
that has been previously accomplished. In
the beginning of the fifth year the child
is taught to know the English sem
tence, to know it when he sees it,
He is trained to recognize when
sentence naturally closes and is warned
against running distinct sentences to-
gether. This training goes on until he is
able to view q sentence as an entirety,
until he can tell that with which q SEN
tence is begun and that with which it
closes, pains being taken at all times to
enlarge his vocabulary by suggesting to
him, for the expression OF thoughts better
words or by leading him to discover the new
word by Independent self-investigation.
He soon learns in this way to know and
define the several kinds of sentences and
to show their uses in the compositions in
which they are found.
After this unit of work attention is
given to dividing the simple sentence into
| subject and predicate, and subsequently
to finding the central idea or base of each
| Inquiry is made into the relationship eX-
| listing between these bases In this way
much collateral information regarding
the plurals of nouns, the case forms of pro-
nouns and the time or tense forms of ir-
regular verbs is gathered and assimilated.
| The derivatives of the base W ords are found
and study made Of prefixes suffixes, and
! homonyms. In this grade the Normal
| Reader is Indispensable as a means of CO.
ordinating language training with the
| fundamental preparation for teaching the
history OF the higher grades.
SIXTH GRADE.
The work of the previous year is first
| reviewed, the analysis of the English SEN
| tence being extended to include phrases
| clauses and modifying elements of all kinds.
| Care is continually taken to view these
as entireties Parts of speech are recog-
| niZed, but all routine parsing strenuously
avoided. The study Of etymology continues
! through this to the eighth grade, but not
| as q separate subject. Even in the last
| year, where a text book (word analysis) is
| provided, instruction is Eivcn in this branch
not as chief purpose, but as subordinate
| to the main design, which may be con-
| sidered the study of the structure of the
| language.
Themes for composition are taken from
| the geography, physiology and history
work of the grades. Outlines arc pre-
| pared before the children talk oEwrte.
| Moreover, in talking or writing they
! follow these lines. giving to each selected
| part its proportionate value. The topical
analysis must present a logically arranged
| view of the whole, with the distinct CO.
| ordinate parts equally considered, neces-
| sary minor parts subordinated and non-
| essentials completely eliminated The ut
| most profit is thus derived from this
| strengthening of the minds habit of
| classifying.
| The people, their customs and modes of
| living, cities and their distinguishing char
| acteriStics; sections OF Countries ard their