The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-25

observers man of nervous temporal
ment observed and pressed the button
that made the record a few seconds or
fractions of a second sooner than the
phlegmatic observer. 1t has been found
necessary to add or subtract a certain
definite amount of time to or from the
work Of each observer. This allowance
made for his slowness or quickness is
his personal equation" The term ORR
ginating thus has wdened out in its use
until it has come to be n synonym for IN
diyiduality, idiosyncrasy, special defects
Tor abilities Our subject may be freely
translated, therefore, to mean the EN-
pnasis which is to be laid on individuality
| in teaching. as opposed to work done for
! n class as a whole.
The speaker said that the stimulating
influences of classes was invaluable and
laid emphasis upon the value and inn
Iportance Of organization But where the
individual pupil gets to be organized out
Of immediate. sympathetic contact with
the instructor more is lost than gained.
! He discussed his subject under three
general heads. The first was THE PER
ISONAL EQUATION IN THE IMPAIR
ITATION OF KNOWLEDGE.
|
eral water was bottled. The bottles, he
observed, were not set in rows and the
water soShed over them from a bucket.
But a funnel was placed in each bottle
and the water was poured into each one
separately.
In proportion as teacher can come to
know the individual child, his pecuiari-
ties. his special needs he will be likely
to succeed in imparting knowledge.
He spoke of the value of laboratory
methods in bringing the instructor into
helpful contact with students.
Not infrequently a student may be shy
and nervous and unable to do his best
before large class. n wise teacher viii
often be able to deal delicately with sucn
n case so as to reassure the pupil. There
are doubtless not a few Instances where
scholars are misjudged, simply because
teachers do not know their temporal
ments, etc.
| >. MENTAL TRAINING-Eyen more,
here. is a knowledge of each scholar
personal equation essential to success.
The old fashioned Southern teachers did
not know so much about pedagogy, had
little organization and less equipment.
But they dealt with children of all ages
not as mere numbered things, but as
persons having their own peculiar char
acteriSticS.
Socrates, the greatest human teacher
that ever lived. if Plato has given Il
faithful account of him, knew the per
sonal equation of each of his disciples
and taught and dealt with each one
with distinct shade of difference.
OF course in our great. crowded schools
we cannot hope to give all the attention
that is desirable to the personal equation
of each pupil, but surely each teacher
should seek to do all that is possible IN
this direction.
3. A knowledge of the peculiarities-Of
the environment, the associates of the
student or child is essential to success
IN HELPING TO SHAPE AND
MOULD CHARACTER. DR.. Taylor
secuted the idea that a professors OF
teachers responsibility or work was end.
ed when the lecture was finished, or
school hours over. Great possibilities
of usefulness-equal to those of the min
lisrry-are in reach of true teachers, whose
hearts are in their work.
Biography-especially autobiography
teens with expressions, on the one hand
of regret for the little help and SYM
lpathy given by teachers, and, on the
iother hand, of gratitude for the helpful
Influence Of true teachers at critical,
transitional periods of life.
DIR. Taylor closed by saying that the
teacher also had his own personal equa-
tion-peculiarities weaknesses, oddities
etc. The pupil is not long in discerning
them. The teacher should aim to calcu-
late his own personal equation-to see
himself as others see him. If he sue
Iceeds. he will be apt speedily to quit some
things and to begin to do others.
'sCHRISTIAN EDUCATION"
On last night was the subject discussed
by Rev. DIR. John G.. Kilgo, president OF
Trinity College He said in substance:
y The subject for discussion this even
ing is one of no mean Importance. II
carries in it the issues of eternity, as wei
as the preservation and purity of human
affairs Christianity is not an ordinary
religion, and Christian faith is not an
ordinary impulse 1t is the final reli
gion, and carries in it every issue OF
life This makes it the awfullest body
of truth known TO men, and gives 1T the
absolute claim upon human thought.
Education should aim to elevate the
human race and fit it for all the relations
possible to it. In this proposition | thinl
| will find universal agreement. Bu
when an attempt is made to analyZe anC
apply the proposition, it is apparent a
once that it is not fundamental truth
By what method is the race to be ele
waited, and what are all of the possible
relations of man, and how is he to be bes
fitted for them? are the Fundamental
Questions at issue between all educationa
policies.
Il Education is not the primary factor il
human development. Only men of shall
low thought and small investigation
would claim such for it. There. is always
doctrine of life that is more fundamen
tai and which gives shape to all educa
tional aims and methods. Beyond thi'
idea no education can go, and for it will
all education exist. The traditions o.
China have fixed all educational limits
while the caste of India set the limits
to the life of the people. In Sparta the