The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-02-01

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orthogrdphy, and grammar, the
veriest rudments of language, ought
to be facilitated as much as possible.
If our boys and girls spend the great
est part Of their school days in master
ing the difficulties of the mere out
ward form of the language, without
its contents, they are cracking nut.
shells without ever getting at the
kernel.
"And here we must premise that
we cannot introduce rational teach
ing into one branch of instruction
alone we must introduce it into all,
If we are to make it easy and efficient
This great truth, which ought to be
selfevident, has been forcibly illustrat-
ed by the experience had with object
teaching. x Object teaching,
in order that it may reap its full bcne-
fits, ought to be carried through all
branches of elementary, and even
higher instruction through languages,
natural science, mathematics, and the
arts. The result of the narrow appli-
cation of object teaching has been to
retard great reform in education.
"Another great reform Kinder
gardening ng--the foundation Of true
education for childhood has been
greatly misunderstood and misapplied
through attempts to graft it upon the
old routine of teaching the common
branches. +
"True education is harmonious and
therefore systematic. One idea should
give law and measure to all its
branches. One method should be
carried through all its departments,
but varied according to the nature of
each. All the human powers are TO
be properly exercised in each pupil,
and variety of sciences and arts
which mutually complement each
other, to be used as the means for Sc
curing such harmonious development.
"This great standard truth of mod.
ern pedagogy, applied to the common
English branches, demands that in
the very beginning with them all the
mental and moral faculties of the
pupil should be interested and exer-
cised. You mast not begin Nth the
abstract elements Of language and
try to impress them IN meaningless
SyLIabIeS upon the pasSioe recolIec-
ton of tie learner !, you must begin
'cith q sentence fully 5nteligi6Ie by
itself. The pupil must be led to find
the single words and their representa-
tives, Ia few at a time,) and i'm
mediately after to recompose them
them into words and sentences first
orally and then in writing. X"
Object lessons should be connect
ed with the very first reading and
writing exercises not only the very
first, but all the subsequent reading
and writing exercises ought in them
selves to be object lessons. THE BE-
ginning ought to be made acith tie
sentence, because it is fully ineligible
and assigns to each word its meaning
in each case ; and we should end each
exercise with sentences, so that all
the elements mastered may at once
be applied, the usefulness of the exer-
cises at once appear to the mind Of
the pupil, and so that he may be
from the outset accustomed to the
practice never to do in school any
thing which is meaningless never to
do anything otherwise than under
standingly and with lively interest.
To keep up his interest unhagging,
which WI be the case SO long as all
his faculties are fully and harmonious
ly occupied, it is necess,,'rvv to time
the stages of his course of studies So
as to make him do thoroughly all he
can do, out also to carry him just as
rapidly from stage to stage of mental
and moral development as his powers
will warrant without over-exertion.
Interest IN the object gained Is po,o
er gained by the learner"
The foregoing quotations, taken to.
gether, are somewhat long, but
thoughtful readers will find in them
sound pedagogic truth, we'll worth
studying.
The next article will contain the
method.