Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1897-11-05
GssrS County 9rrala.
ISLAND PoxD. NOVEMBER D.
Newspaners In Schools.


taius an article by {. de +.
Hoxie. instructor in Grammar
School No. 40, New York City,
on Use of the Daily Paper IN
Teaching" which is full of timely
suggestions. AS it comes from
one actually engaged in training
the young it must be conceded to
have practical value. The gen.
eral idea which Mr.. Hoxie de-
,sires to inculcate may be gath
cred from this extract:
Nothing gains or holds the
attention of school children like
an apt statement of timely facts.
Nothing is more effective in
illustrating ii principle or III
.clinching a point than fresh up
to-date knowledge. For such a
purpose the daily newspaper is
a never-failing storehouse to
the discriminating teacher. The
news can be made use OF III
connection with almost every
subject that is taught in the
class room. Is it geography you
are teaching? What added in
terest can be aroused by tracing
the progress of the Turko-Grec-
ian war, or by calling attention
to possible International COM
plication for Uncle Sam in con-
nection with Hawaiia's attempt
to prevent a Japanese invasion.
Is it history? Every page of a
well-edited daily paper teens
with what might be termed
cross references and side lights
upon the texts of the school his
tories. Is it grammar or COM
position? Select topic from
the papers-something on the
tip of everybody's tongue-and
how much added interest will be
developed in the analysis, pars-
ing and construction. Give a
dictation exercise on Jameson's
raid or the latest exploits of the
Cuban patriots, and see how the
interest developed reacts to pro
duce better spelling and punctu
alton"
The same principle Mr.. Hoxi'
applies to civics, by citing ex
amples which may be used il
teaching pupils the duties ant
practices of citizenship. Ever
arithmetic" he says, may b.
enlivened by judicious reference
to passing events" The studen
may be set to figuring out tn
time consumed in transmittin;
an important news dispatch
and so on. Mr.. Hoxie conclude
thus: "Of course Discrimination
must be used in the application
of current events to schoC
studies. 1t goes without sayini
that the trivial and viciou
should be passed by and onl
such news used to illustrate tn
subjects taught as will be helpful
to the pupil. But up-to-dat
illustrations let us have, if w
have up-to-date classes. AS En-
erson E. White well says: TIL
knowledge that tells in tn
class room is fresh knowledge
The Importance of the news
paper as an adjunct of civilizs
ton and education needs n
demonstration. But Mr.. Hoxi
shows how it can be made us,
full in what is often regarded a
very prosaic and humdrul
work. To be sure, it would nc
be safe to utilize all newspaper
as part of the schoolroom outfi
There is a class of yellow jou
nails which would breed mischi
wherever introduced, and II
teacher or parent would thin
of calling them into service ft
the purpose of aiding in the me-
tai or moral development of Il
young. But there are plenty
good, clean, carefully-edited p
pers whose columns daily furni.
matter of the highest educ
tional value. Every boy al
girl will be Better and wiser al
more thoroughly prepared
meet the responsibilities of /
by a course of this kind of rea
ing.
The Grandest Remedy.
Mr. K. B. Greeve, merchant of Ct
howia Va oa.A:Eo, .L.I i II