The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-14
EDUCATIONAL
(CONCLUDED)
FADS IN EDUCATION.

FADS IN EDUCATION.
Scranton isn't anything If not pro-
gressive, and the same spirit of restless
activity and excitement that charac-
therizes the city in other directions
pervades the schools. The days are
not half long enough. nor are there
half enough of them, to accomplish all
that is undertaken, and the result is
that the schools-which generally
mean the teachers-are criticised un-
mercifully. To quote from an educa-
tional journal. This is an age Of fads
in education" therefore ii requires
great deal of experience. good. sound
judgment and discrimination to decide
what to adopt and what to reject from
much of the so-called new education.
Nowhere is Pope's advice
BE not the first by whom the new is
tried,
Nor yet the last to lay the old aside"
more applicable than in the schools.
What boon it would be to the per-
picked teacher if some enterprisinS
nedagogue would discover or invent a
process by which to solve the problem
of how much of the new to try and how
much of the old to lay aside; and what
a blessing to the pupils under our care.
Perhaps that may be one of the Nyr-
lads of mysteries which will be made
clear by the y rays.
For the past few years the Scranton
schools have presented most excel
lent field for the cultivation of "fads.'
One time
IT IS CALISTHENICS
which has its brief day, to
be followed perhaps by language
lessons; and the pupils para
phrase poetry and write stories which
almost drive those who have to read
them into the insane asylum, but
which might be recommended as
remedy for tit of the blues for anyone
who was not compelled to read them.
But these matters are ancient history.
Another time ii is writing, and we are
eYhorted-nay, communicable write,
write, write, continually. Nothing in
education is important outside of writ
ing, therefore we must write every day
and all day long. TO give the subject
all the prominence demanded for il,
pencils are tabooed. and pen and ink
with all their delightful accompani-
ments, become the chief objects of in
terest in the school room.
Then it is drawing, and we are given
To understand that we might as well
he dead; in fact. are dead teachers"
IL we cannot. or do not. for II amounts
TO the same thing. teach art 90 The
sole object and aim of Il teachers life
should be to turn out of the schools II
generation of artists educated upon
the twelve easy lessons" plan.
We next encounter the music crank
not the kind accompanied by Il monkey.
But just here We are reminded that in
Scranton, where there are so many art
lists in that line. it is exceedingly un-
safe to say anything which
may be construed as derog-
atory to the musical enthusiast. there
fore we desist In this matter we Geem
discretion to be the better part Of
valor. We have just settled down to
the belief that all the latest improve
ments in education have been adopted
when we become victims to the geo.
graphical epidemic which has been
spreading over the country for some
time. In our case 1t assumes
THE STATISTICAL FORM
and we are required to find
out mass Of unimportant statis-
ties. which it will be much easier 10
forget than to acquire. In this matter
we cannot conceal our ignorance from
The public. SO we skrmish about note
book and pencil in hand. invading
business places and besieging every
body who we think may re able to
give us the desired information. Gem
orally we find that those whom we
question do not know any more about
such matters than we do. Why should
they? Who ever heard that q knowl-
edge Of statistics implies either an edu-
cation or superior intelligence? In ad-
dition to this. many Of our precOn-
ceived notions of the situation of places
and the uses of certain phenomena Of
nature are overthrown, and like the
perpleXed senator, we are in doubt as
to where we are at" And thus we go
on. as some one has very aDtly eX-
pressed it. ''cramming facts into our
heads and driving out our brains"
While we ere striving with all our
might. destroying our bodies. and we
almost fear our souls. to achieve the
impossible. the dear public is critics.
ing US because our pupils cannot spell
correctly nor make up Il simple ac-
count: because they cannot write let
ter or note according to the most ap-
proved rules or the latest fashion; be-
cause they
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. RULES
OF ENGLISH GRAMMAR
or do not know positively the
capital of the state i'm which
they live. Perhaps that sane
public would have more charity for the
long suffering teachers and ccnsure
them less. were they to come into our
schools and see our books filed with
written Lessons, some beautifully done
and some otherwise: view the draw
ings tackled on the walls--no matter II
they arc thick with dust; thev must
not mind a little thing like that: hear
the children sing the scale, for they
have never been able to get any farth-
er; and question the little 9-year-olds
in regard to the value Of real estate in
the city and county, and the limits ot
our congressional district. even though
they do not understand tie meaning
of those terms. And should they re-
main long enough to listen to the chill