The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-04-09
Report OF Lisbon School.

Report of Lisbon School.
Ist. I am teaching the Lisbon
school.
I'D. This session began January
n, 1895.
sd. Length of term is six months.
4th. There are thirty-eight pu-
pills enrolled.
9Th. I am using, in a large meas
ure, the books that were in school
| when / came here. / introduced
the late adopted text books as op-
portunity offers.
9th. "A child should receive in.
s~truction in mental Arithmetic as
soon as he enters school, and writ.
ten should go hand in hand with
mental. He should be taught
during the first year all possible
combinations and comparisons Of
numbers from n to ten, by means
of objects. In connection with OBJ.
ject work, and mental operations,
teach him how to make figures on
the blackboard, and how to express
operations according to the forms
of written Arithmetic. When he
learns to read in the third reader,
give him a text book. I do not
think one can be used with advan-
tage before then.
9TH. Elementary language lessons
should precede Geography and His
tory, for these cannot be studied
advantageously until a child has
acquired a considerable amount Of
language power.
Scientific Grammar should sue
coed History and Geography, be-
cause most grammatical terms are
SO abstract that they are utterly be.
yond the comprehension Of a child.
History may be illustrated by means
of stories, Geography by pupils
natural surroundings. Each may
be made SO simple that a child may
readily grasp the meaning.
Sth. I do not think Latin can be
taught successfully until English
Grammar has been thoroughly mas
tered by the pupil; and he cannot
study Algebra with any degree Of
satisfaction until he has acquired G
fair knowledge of the principles of
Arithmetic.
9th. To my mind eight hours is
not too long for the daily session Of
a country school. All Of this time,
however, should not he devoted to
mental work alone. Give an hours
"play-time" at noon, a recess of
ten minutes in the morning, and
one in the afternoon. During school
hours, when pupils seem to be tired
of studying, read them a story; give
them movements in calisthenics, or
any kind of exercise that will rest
the mind and body. BY having
eight hours session the children
have time to prepare their lessons
in the school room, where the
teacher can make them study and
lend any necessary help. They can
not always study with this advan-
tage at home.
(b.) When properly conducted,
much good may result from literary
societies in school. They lead the
pupils to see that rules and regula-
tons are for their own good; that
they are not made by the teacher
for his own pleasure in exercising
arbitrary power. They incite
scholars to put forth vigorous eff
forts for self improvement and self
control.
(c) Whipping is looked upon as
a relic of harbarous days, and the
only influence to be brought to bear
upon the youthful mind is moral
suasion. 1t is my belief that a sys-
tenn OF education where a pupil is
put entirely upon his honor to at
tend to his school duties will, in
many cases, produce as agregious
failures as hat which prevails
where the dread of the birch makes
every recitation a torture.
If discrimination be used in the
application, I doubt not that the
restoration of the rod, in a measure
to its former place of honor, would
be attended with most benefcent
results.
Some pupils who are going in
the wrong direction need a whip,
ping to turn them around.
Teachers sometimes have to whip
a child to make him obey her, and
obedience is absolutely necessary.
Some pupils have to be led to
fear a teacher before she can work
on his moral nature, and it is very
seldom that anything but a whip.
ping will bring about the desired
result.
1 agree with Balm, that "when
corporal punishment is kept up it
should be at the far end of the list
of penalties, but ar uncommonly
well-trained school must that be,
where a teacher never has to resort
to the last on the list as a means to
accomplish a necessary end.
The teachers aim should be to
prevent as far as practicable the
necessity Of corporal punishment,
but when it is a necessity, I say
give it judiciously, coolly and de.
l~iberately.
stSpare the rod and ruin the