The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-07-13

Ptr2cuct ana by reiterated claims OF
all tax payers. and sensible men are
agreed that there should be no useless
expenditure OF public money; but In
the matter Of education. we cannot nf-
ford to make q show Of reducing ex-
pense unless IL can DO done without
hurting the school There Is an album
dance Of teachers, but the number OF
those capable Of doing good work v
limited. and they can usually get higher
wages than the average. The posses
sion Of certificate by a person Is no
proof OF ability TO develop the think
ing powers of children. and many have
failed TO realize this fact Aproftable
school must have teacher skilled by
nature or art in bringing out the best
work of scholars, and such a teacher il
not low-priced one. AS with mer-
chandise, SO with teachers-the best u
usually the cheapest
The health and well-being of chill
dren require that schoolrooms &c
lighted and ventilated properly. Over
study Is one of the rarest causes of Ill
health among the young; impure air,
cold floors and damp feet are most FREE
queu tcauses. Eyesight Is rarely injured
by hard study or reading when the
light and position of book are all right
Unnecessary straining of eyes does the
major portion of the mischief. School
authorities are morally bound TO pro-
vide against these too common ills OF
village and country schools by provid-
ing rooms 1T for scholars The econ
l. -
health and eyesight Is utterly false.
impoverishing a community. Many
parents are careless in matters of
health at home. but the children of all
should be protected In our schoolrooms-
There is place for economy in
management In many communities.
refer to the money paid TO agents for
schoolroom supplies OF all the idlo
expenditure of public money, none Is
more senseless than about half that In
vested in high-priced maps, charts and
other apparatus for common schools.
Persistent agents, using influences OF
every character when possible, arc
frequently found placing their goods
at an enormous price In schools that
never use them. Sometimes the board
Is only ignorant of the needs OF tho
school. frankly admitting IL, and makes
the purchase through a desire to help
the school. Sometimes IL is we'll known
that the agent has used financial ar
gumcnts. / write only of the many,
very many unused and useless supplies
found stored in country schoolhouses-
For the purchase of needed maps.
charts, books of reference, etc, GER
tainly have naught but praise; but
boards with limited means at their
disposal do we'll to make small invest
ment in such supplies until trust
worthy teachers find them a necessity.
Better use the extra money IN better
teachers and better school-grounds, ana
buy nothing upon the representations
of agents. AS rule, "A teacher who Ia
capable and has the public confidence
is the best judge of the actual require
ments of the school, and such n teacher
rarely urges investment in many high
priced aids TO study in the common
schools. Such as are gotten are
standard, and not the novelties OF elo-
quent agents.
Country or village schools of sixty
scholars should usually have two rooms
and two teachers, and when there are
two or more rooms grades should be
established and n regular course of
study adopted. Classification and the
passing from grade TO grade by merit
inspire pupils TO better work. The last
few weeks of school are not drag. but
are filed with the best work of the
year In the attempt TO make sure that
ss..osis viii &c passed safely and
the next grade entered with credit
The course of study should pave the
way 20 graduation ut the end, and tho
number of years necessary should be
known. Ii costs little 10 print few
hundred copies OF the course of study,
and IL Is well TO print the general reg
ulations of the board. This informa-
ton Is needed by parents and students.
and is helpful to school and teachers.
Good teachers should be kept, when
possible, even II an equally good teach
er may be hired ut a little less money.
Knowledge Of individual scholars ena-
bles the old teacher to accomplish more
than new one can do. Personal
friendships should have no place In In
fuencing the selection of teacher;
boards are not elected to serve private
ends. The teacher should be such
one as any careful parcat would choose
as an associate. ana, in large extent.
pattern for his child. The child is
taught to look up to its teacher; tho
teacher should be one 70 be initiated.
He should not exert any influence
counter TO those things reverenced by
the parents whose taxes support him
and whose children are taught to re-
spcct him Good educational facilities
for all furnish q socialism in fact moro
effective than that demanded by our
dreamers and anarchists. --Alva Ageo,
In Country Gentleman.