The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1896-02-21
THE STATE READING CIRCLES.


s..r.,,. rh. school Journal. F b. I. l---sl
The men and women on the In
diana Reading Circle are charged
with the duty Of selecting books the
reading of which will make u,
If the state better teachers
rhe offices they hold in the schools
.of the state return no ernolument-
they serve for the purpose oi al
tanning bette. teaching. They ar
supposed to look over the lars'
field and select volumes that VIII
practically reach the most import
ant end. Whether they select wise
H. cannot but be discuss
1t i good thing for person TO
read Shakespeare, and if teacher
should ak advice on this point We
would counsel him To read a much
a. he could. not neglecting arIthme-
tic. geography, and other school
studies, the Bible. the practice oi
school songS. improvement IN man
ual and physical training, much
drawing. the consideration Of moral
development, and several other
things,
4 For the wear 1896 the otii .ers Of
1.-The Indiana Reading Circle have
E-elec Ell Guixot's History oi cIyili
zation. ''..Self- Reliant Emer- n }
.The Great Stone Face" (Haw-
Ithorne), The Holy Grail and
1.-THE Vision Of Sir Launfal. etc
We doubt whether the fathers
land mothers will see particle oi
benefit accruing 10 their children
iron this work OF the committee
No. they have not done well; It Is
wonder such capable men a.-d wo
4 men a are on this committee coulc
& not have done something mor'
= practical.
The supposition is that the teach
.rs know how IT, teach already ane
this is a mistake; there is no sub
iect so large to-day As teaching;
the Indiana teachers consider tina
lthis wear. they will need To conside
In mex; year. and sd on. The neg
lIect 10 put this subject before tn
ID teachers in helpful way cannot b
\ EXPLAINED away on the ground tina
the teachers need literary cultur
most Of all. That Is not thel
pressing need.
The teacher stands daily before
'Sllittle company Of young souls
whose manner Of growth h know
very little: he faces problems in Il
management Of them that deman
nd special thought and study
short he needs to study Education
But right here the committee IN:
.ay the teachers have had educ
ti,nal books and need chang
What mistakes have been made
the selection 81 educational book
II i goOd question What
the reading tina, will benefit Il
great majority Of the teachers
Indiana? Ii does not seem TO
that this committee considered -
i.usly the needs If the great bo'
lof working teachers. suppose
good type were selected and
question asked him, What i yo
pedagogical difficulty" Would
not reply. "The arousing Of an
tsres, in study and to be in order
And this is but saying he d
no, understand young human
ture. And will not all help Y
can be given him be in the reve
ing Of the laws Of mental and mo
development. Suppose, Tor exa
III. the country doctor was advl'
by hi city brethren TO read Shak
,eare. Would this help him G
small pox and diphtheria,
Or. again, suppose these "a
teachers were sert to really g
normal school, would the facu
put Shakespeare into their hands
tee a text book? Ii j. to be regret
tina, twelve precious months are
be thus wasted, not for the teach'
% ,ns sake entirely, but for the 90
|. IN children there are standing bel
pur them. Let them if they have
'es-. desire to read in unreal lI'c
!, % - nevertheless pictures out real
own a copy OF Shakespeare. an'
saAc they may have the taste and !
MAJ read Hamlet; what Is sald
= Shakespeare applies to all oe
!, al. not relating to the science and
of teaching. But II II i de-
Ip that they teach better to-mor
than today they must have -
ma thing that throws light on the Y
lens that daily arise in the sch
!. =, room.
,shsr - al