Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-06-20

imnortance. In order TO excite mental
action the teacher must have an active
and we'll occupied mind. Many so-called
teachers read very few books and none
of them standard works. This is OF
course wrong The test of the true
teacher is efficiency; not the showing he
| is able to make in an examination, out
the final results that are produced In the
characters of those who are sent out
from under his care The true teacher
| is having his foundation so broad ana so
deem that all the com bined influences OF
earth cannot deprive him OF his real re-
ward-a reward well worth the seeking.
He should not expect great results his
work is TO see that the seeds OF a true
education are sown properly, and then
trust for the rest.
"Folk-Lore." by Miss Mary A. licklider.
In all countries. from the earliest
times. manySegendS, traditions and SUI
Derstitions have been handed down from
generation to generation. These, taken
together. constitute what is known as
folklore. The old-time slave was never
afraid so long as he had rabbits foot,
an alligator'S tooth or rlce-blrd Dill
in his pocket He had also great num-
Der of animal stories, all OF which rep
resent the lower animals as possessed OF
human speech and intelligence. Many
of the contingent rhymes used in chill
drens games were formerly employed
in sOrcery and cOnjuring.
While folklore has been engaging the
attention of literary men and has been
no IL
no risk of its being forgotten, 1t is every
where declining among the people them
selves. The study Of this subject is OF
great value The tales thus collected
have been carefully compared, Analysed
and traced back TO their Oldest forms.
Many new and important facts have
been discovered in these old wives IA
bleS. concerning the literary character
of our ancestors. their habits of life,
sports. moral qualities, worship, and
ideas of another world. 1t is certainly
worth the while Of every nation to pre-
serve anything which throws as much
light on its early history and develop
ment as to these beliefs and traditions
of its people.
1.-The Uses ofElectricity, by Herbert n. Hartzell.
The question naturally arises, "What
is electricity!' \ power in nature often
STYLED the electric fluid, exhibiting IL
self when in disturbed equilibrium or in
activity. by circuit movement; also by
attraction for many substances. Rather
an indefinite explanation, but it will in
all probability be years before we under
stand the real nature of electricity. 1t
-, al,
Probably some here tonight remember
when very little was said or thought OF
electricity Not many uses were made
of it. Fifty years ago we had no cleo
trio cars, no telegraph, no Atlantic cable,
no electric lights, no telephone. Now
see the change that education has
wrought The photograph is wonder
of the age.
Electricity will come to be the one
great power 1t is true ii is destructive
at times. but we shall learn to use it to
better advantage The power OF steam,
the ruling power of today, is very great,
but that of electricity will be greater.
We are entering upon an age OF electric
ity whose wonders no one knows.
"Pen Pictures from English Literature" by Miss
In the rotunda of the capitol at Wash
ington have been placed twelve paint
ings which mark twelve important steps
in the study of the history of our own
country. So have we, in the study of
the history Of literature, placed in the
halls of memory number of character
istic pen pictures wrought by the mas
ter minds of England and America. Our
first picture we take from Chaucer; Ed
mund Sponsors "Faerie Queene" fur
nishes the next. Shakespeare in the
Merchant of Venice has striNngly
portrayed The TriumphS of Christian
| ity." May we not have it with the
thought that Shylock became Chris
tian from conviction rather than com
| pulSionI
Burns gives us "a vivid sketch of the
ranting, roaring Scotchman, Tam
O'Shanter. Quickly from the ridiculous
to the sublime he flashes, and in ouI
| next picture, taken from the "Cotter'
Saturday Night, we look into the hum
| BILE home of the COtter, and from what
we see are sure that from the training
of such homes come the strength and
bravery of fair Scotia. From Scots
Lady of the Lake" we have chosen the
portrait of Ellen Douglas. Coming now
| TO America we place beside this fail
Lady of the Lake the beautiful, faith
full. true hearted Evangeline.
The realm of literature is full o.
beauty, but we shall point you to but
one more scene, and leave you to the en-
| ioyment of its pure, calm loveineSs-
| Whittier'S Snow Scene
Natural Science in the Public Schools" b.
Miss Ella May Turner.
For many years public opinion wa!
against natural science in the public
| schools, and from the encouragement
received from many of those who hell
make up public sentiment, the opposi
| ton still exists to a certain degree
Give my child a good practical educa
ton, says the parent; IA full course IL
mathematics. Why? Because it de
velops the reasoning powers? mo, We
were not thinking of that, but so tina
he may count money and estimate The
value of crops In other words, cult
vate one side of the mind and let the
other grow up in weeds.
The boys of today are to be the future
agriculturiStS; teach them the care o
plants and animals in botany and zool
ogv. Teach them also something o.
chemistry, that they may understand
soils and plant foods
The chief reason for teaching science
in the public schools is for the cultiva
ton of the moral and spiritual side o
the child's nature. a careful study o
the design and harmony running
through the natural world will do mucl
to do away with skepticSm.
As teachers in the public schools W.
should insist on teaching science, know
ing that if we interest the child in the
beauties of nature we lead him out o
temptation and deliver him from man!
an evil.
Improvement In Navigation by Richard X
| Bragonier.