The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-07
WORD WITH THE TEACHERS.

The meeting OF the school superinten-
dents OF Virginia in conference here is
an interesting event as touching a ques-
ton in which all right-thinkng people
are concerned and the coming together
of those gentlemen, who are largely re-
sponsible for the efficiency Of the public
school system in Virginia, has no doubt
been profitable
Many valuable hints as TO practical ed
ucation have been dropped, and IL we may
be permitted a suggestion. 1t IS this:
A teacher is too apt to fan into the
routine of school work and 20 confine
himself to the textbooks. The most
successful teacher IS he who imparts bits
Of knowledge here and there outsi-e
the daily routine Of the text. The teach
er should always presume on the abso-
lutte ignorance Of his pupil and take
nothing for granted. An hour or two
a week spent in reading some profitable
book TO the children. an occasional lee
ture on current events, on political econ
omy, on national State and municipal
government, and on the everyday affairs
of life will lend variety to the routine
that will be both enjoyable and profita-
BILE to the pupils. The matter Of general
information IS. We fear. too much neg
iected in the public as well as in the
private schools Of the land, but 1t should
not be neglected. Such information Is
an essential feature in the education OF
the child.
Another thing. which Is a sort OF hobby
OF ours. Is the matter OF observing While
the childs mind is developing, IL is most
important that II should be taught 10 see
and hear correctly. Careless reading,
careless seeing. careless hearing are re-
sponsiblo for most OF the sensational re-
ports which lack truth. Nobody real
ties this more than the newspaper man,
who is largely dependent for his news
on ,ther persons.
Newspapers are frequently abused for
in the main with the general public, be-
cause the general public has not been
taught TO see and hear correctly.
A trained reporter who gets an item OF
news originally is very apt to report #
correctly. because he has been trained
in the art Of gathering facts but when
he gets his Information second hand. he
Is. Of course. dependent upon the accu-
racv OF his informant and tho public l.
wofuily Inaccurate all for the lack OF
education in the art OF observing.
We believe that every child should be
made TO describe each day some thing
or some event that has come under lis
observation. This may be done either
orally or in writing. and such exercises
Will. in our opinion, be most profitable.
The child will soon acquire the habit
not only Of seeing and hearing correctly.
bur its Interest Will be excited in passing
events. and more than all 1t will learn
20 state the exact facts with attention
10 detail and yet without exaggeration.
There is a moral element also In such
training. II Is not the easiest thing IN
the world TO tell the truth. Some peo-
pie are liars by nature and have no am
bition 10 be otherwise. others are HAIRS
through carelessness. They do not vi
ciouKly miastate facts. but they simply
fan into the bad habit OF dealing with
facts careieEsiy. In short. truthfulness
y largely a matter OF cultivation and N