The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-08

little; to the teachers of those days
they were radical innovations, funda-
mental changes in teaching.
The propositions he made, in his
seventh annual report, to the people
of Massachusetts,, can be put in a few
words:
First-The humane treatment of child
ren: the partial abolition of corporal
punishment. 1t is very difficult for us,
at the present time, to understand what
this meant. The strap and ferrule were
used as continual means of enticing en-
terprise and study on the part of pupils.
He called the attention of the teachers
of his state, very earnestly, to some
recognition of childhood and it's needs.
He showed clearly that the child must
be treated as Il human being.
Second-The prominent matter was
the teaching of spelling in the schools.
He would not abolish the spelling book,
but he would change the method of
teaching this subject. His lecture on
spelling is one of the strongest pedago-
Sfcal documents in existence.
Third-He attacked in u very logical
and convincing manner the teaching
vi i'tAhiiS ~ tlt ID, - IIletuOu. lie
showed that twenty years before the
time of writing his report the A, B, c
method, had been abolished in Ger
many. He urged the use of the word
method.
Fourth--Iie made u strong plea for
better teaching In every direction, with
full exercise of the powers of the body,
mind and soul of the children.
Fifth-He described the teaching of
the deaf in Germany, and the use of the
oral method
Flfty-three years have elapsed since
this epoch-making report was written,
and we have seen the universal ac-
ceptance, by educators, of all these
propositions of Horace Mann, with the
exception of the last. Boston had the
reputation of having the best schools in
the United states. The principals Of
these schools have been and are called
masters. 1t would seem that on gen.
eral principles these masters would
have accepted all his propositions and
heard the gospel of better education
gladly, but the opposite is the truth.
These masters were well educated men,
in general polished gentlemen, leaders
both in society and education; but they
met every proposition of Horace Mann's
with scorn and contempt. They de-
clared that Horace Mann would over
turn the grandest system in the world
that had existed in Massachusetts, for
two centuries. They said-although he
had given all his time and energies for
several years to the subject of educa-
tinD- fhat I, hal 80
cation, whatever, no practical knowl-
edge of the schools.
FIGHT WITH THE MASTERS.
The thirty one masters formed an or
saniZation to oppose Horace Mann.
they divided uD the work among their
strongest writers and thinkers, who
wrote long articles in reply to Horace
Mann's seventh annual report, in which
they attempt to show logically that
Horace Man was entirely wrong in
every particular; that severe hogging
was the only means by which the child
ren could be governed; that the old
Fashioned spelling was right and should
be continued; that the only method by
which children could be taught to read
was the old fashioned A. II, G method
They maintained that the schools were
good and the teaching proper and
right They poured out the vials of
their wrath against the method of
teaching the deaf orally. Horace Mann
replied with great energy and profound
wisdom and keen sarcasm He cut the
ground from under the masters in his
clear. strong, logical way, but his in
domitable opponents of Improvement
came back with a rejoinder, and one
pamphlet followed another, in which
they showed clearly the greatest con-
tempt for Horace Mann and his work
They declared over and over again
that the schools were good enough; that
there was little or no need for the
training of teachers. Their great cry
was that experience teaches" that the
only way to learn to teach was to
teach, without any preparation in a
pedagogical line. 1t will readily be
seen that these masters were the con-
trollers and leaders of education in
the United States. When they turned
all their batteries against the great re-
former the people followed. The Mas
Stl'iuStltS ItdtItTS association
was organized to oppose Horace Mann
BY rule of this association, Horace
Mann was excluded from it's member
ship. Most of the teachers meetings
consisted of virtuperat tions against him.
However, he had on his side strong
men. Samuel G. Howe, the Greek
patriot and founder of school for the
blind in South Boston, stood by his
side. Charles Summer was his friend
There was an attempt made to elect
Charles Sumner q member of the
school board, in East Boston, but the
opponents of progress elected another
man. and would have nothing to do
with the great statesman. The balance
of power was with the masters. Most
of the teachers were unframed. and fol-
lowed gladly in the way of the con-
servatives. The result was that the
great reforms which Horace Mann
urged We're kept out of the Massachu-
sets schools. and, to a great extent, out
of the schools of the whole country for
over fifty years, by the influence and
writings and speeches of these thirty
one masters.
Endowed with the purest spirit, high
ideals of education. perfect abnegation.
Horace Mann had to bear a tremen-
dous load of opprobrium. He was charg-
ed with trying to destroy the common
school system. He replied by trying to
point out the tremendous necessity for
better teaching. These practical school
masters stood shoulder to shoulder III
solid opposition to the slightest inova-
Ton, ia pI,f,
much Horace Mann brought to the
little children. how awful the neces-
sity was for the upbuilding of the re-
public. these teachers. believing that
they were right. prevented. by their