The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1895-02-09

saws that if a child is not able to enter
into the sense or follow the chain of ideas,
and made to repeat what, to him, is sound
without sense, it is not strange that he
becomes restless and disobedient.
The teacher should explain to the pupils
at the first, that all have come there for one
purpose--to be il strusted, and that it is to
the highest interest of all, that the teachers
whole time should be spent in imparting
knowledge, and not in enforcing discipline,
and that if every one will attend to the
work necessary to the requirement Of
knowledge, there will be no necessity for
government. Furthermore, rather rigid
discipline at first ohyates necessity of
close watching later. outstanding all
this, it will be impossible to keep the
school room us still as church while the
minister is engaged in the prayers The
performance of the actual duties, if con-
Quoted in an enthusiastic manner, cannot
be without more or less noise; but all
unnecessary noise should be promptly
checked. 1t should also be considered that
60 or 10 pupils in one room will make more
noise than 20 and 30 When any one
points me to a perfectly quiet school, my
first query is, GLOW many pupils does it
contain?' and the next, edo they make any
real progress with their Studies if they are
perfectly quiet ~
Some children are by nature so full of
ployed. they will fall into mischief. These
are sometimes the brightest children in
your school, but their surplus energies
need to he directed in the right channel
with judiciously assigned lessons, and ways
and means must be devised to keep them
employed proftably and pleasurably.
never care to see Il child who has not
enough energy about him to occasionally
get into harmless mischief. There are some
children who possess such IA degree of
inanity, that they will never cause their
teacher any trouble; and when grown up,
will never agitate the world.
1t is from the child which if not given
employment will fall into mischief, that
we must expect our Coming progressive
man. of the twentieth century.
Activity, we should remember is one of
the laws of chlhood consequently, if we
do not furnish our pupils with ample
occupation they will soon learn to find
something to amuse themselves.
A well-arranged daily program of class
exercises and study, is an important factor
in school management but it is assumed
by many teachers that the class program
regulates seat work this. in my opinion,
is mistake. Individual attention to
certain degree must be given to the differ
ent pupils after leaving a class, to be
assured that they are fifty employed.
They should be trained to think deeply,
that dormancy will have no dwelling place
in their undeveloped minds. High thinking
is IL mark of great intelligence, and implies
fixed attention. Thought however, cannot
be promoted by forcing attention, as can be
amusingly proved by an incident of which
recently read in a Philadelphia daily: "a
fond mother had an only son, who caused
her much anxiety by his utter disregard Of
all her lectures, and his habits of inatten-
ton At last, one evening after reiterated
threats of having to 20 to bed supperless,
severe foggings and other promiscuous
punishments, her son rewarded here with
apparently the most assiduous attention to
all she said. Secretly congratulating herself
on the fact that she had at last succeeded
in arousng his embryo powers of thought,
she spoke ut some length on the dire results
of inattention. Judge of her dismay, when
at the conclusion he casually remarked,
Why, mother, I've been watchin', and
your under jaw moves, but upper jaw
don't " Here was plain case of mistaken
and forced attention; yet undoubtedly, it
was better than none at all.
German teachers say they would rather
manage a dozen German boys than one
American boy; but we should recognize the
fact that 1.-THE child is father of the man."
and is it not best to tolerate in our boys
those characteristics which make them free
men, than to encourage the German spirit,
and with it the submissiveness and polit-
cal serfdom of adult Germans. As self
government prevails in our nation so should
it in our schools, and we need not fear a
downfall Of our republic, so long as the
principles on which it is based are taught
in our schools
Ruskin has told his countrymen to set
their minds on multiplying Englishmen.
Let us set ours on multiplying Americans.
The teachers in our schools are the prime
factors in this work, and with them the
responsibility rests.
And now, fellow teachers, in conclusion,
never become discouraged, especially with
serious difficulties.
of thou faint in the day .of adversely
thy strength is small"
Remember the words Of the immortal
Coleridge:
"O'cr hayward childhood wouldst thou hold
firm rule,