The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-02-06
THE SCIENCE OF TEACHING.
Interesting Address by President
McNeiIl of the Normal
School.

noon last, President Mcneil, of the
| Normal School, read the following very
interesting paper on Some factors that
count for success in teaching";
"The topic to day is old. For more
| than two thousand years it has occupied
| the attention of thoughtful men. Soc
! rates. the model for all succeeding ages
in teaching the art of logical statement
| had pronounced views on the relations
} that should exist between pupils and
/ teachers. In reading through Plato s
/ Dialogues, in which our ancient friend
: and brothers methods are disclosed we
/ come to q full and realizing sense OF how
| much the best Of modern thoughts has
! its inspiration In the hoary past. In
discussing some factors that count for
success in teaching, no one can claim to
| be original. Ideas are largely the pro-
! duct of mental evolution, in which we
! find conflict of two opposing elements.
( The survival of the tlttest' wages war
against the forces of atavlsm. Growth
and development contend with degen-
Grafton with much varying results and
under such changing positions that the
person who doubts his own views may
| be certain only Of It's feelings and int IN
tons. We need to reach an under
standing Of the significance of the term
success. In the ordinary acceptation
of the word, success means the reallz-
alton of ends sought for. 1t comes as
! the result of following definite pur
pose, through trials and trlbulations, in
sunshine and shower, alone and with
| others, in season and out Of season, by
| earnest labor and calm determination
to the outcome of effort. Intelligent
guided by second judgment, and held
to place by forceful will, precedes a
! prosperous issue. Success is largely
| the measure of ones ideals. Even from
| the narrowest range of vision, we readily
! see that success is not the creature of
| fancy, but yeritable entity, the pro-
| duct of effort, the hunger of the soul.
| Success is positive; it advances from
one point to another with face to the
| front and with singleness of purpose. 1t
| is not mere negation, the result of
chance, or the emptiness of dreamy
hope knowledge and skill, tact and
common sense, understanding others,
patience and sympathy, honesty and
consecutiyeness, perseverance and
| pluck are universally considered ele-
ments thu help the person who seeks
! it, to attain success.
| In the teachers world, success can
not be limited to instruction, to discip-
| line, to promotion, or to distinction. 1t
! is measured in part by the fruit Of he
teachers labor in the character AMI in
telligence of his pupils, and in part by
| the product Of his own efforts to grow
in knowledge, directive force, manly
sympathy and inspiration. A teacher s
success or failure cannot be measured
| fully by public estimation, but many
! factors that count for success may be
recognized. 1t is fairly safe PROPOSE
ton to FAY that people can not teach
safe to hold that period of apprel tice-
ship should precede that of Journey
manship, and that master workm en-
! ccLould have the training Of appren tees
! and iourDevmen. before they attem of
| 10 direct the energies of those who have
| less freedom of movement or skill in
| execution. Good doctrine maintains
that training in the details of any craft
art, or profession should always, for the
sake of economy and justice, precede
the attempt to direct the handicraft, OF
art, or energies Of others.
The teachers work deals with the
| content and extent of the branches
| with the content and extent of pupils
intelligence, with the energies and i'm.
pulses of humanity, and with the
growth OF conscience and the develop.
ment OF the wall. The instructor must
be able to adjust the labor of his stu.
dents to their means of getting know.
ledge, power, and skill. He can succeed
IN that adjustment only when he knows
what to adjust, and how to adjust, and
when to adjust. knowledge of the
branches is Indispensable. KNOWLEDGE
OF how sensations become precepts
how precepts are blended by grouping
simllarlties and dropping differences il
forming concepts, how concepts are
compared when judgments are formed
and how Judgments are used in reason.
ing Is equally necessary. knowledge
of what induces the feeling of interest
what causes attention to take hold Of 2
subject TO note how it agrees with and
differs from other things that have 2
place IN the mind is important Know
ledge OF what desires are and how will
exercises delibcration and choice and
puts forth yolltlOns is too valuable not tC
claim place in the teachers stock in
trade" knowledge, well wrought out
thoroughly related, and ready for I'M
mediate use, is an essential factor Il
success in teaching. Professional train.
ing Is now required in many directions
No one may become pilot until he has
mad, IN addition to the other KNOWLEDGE
required. professional training in the
art of guiding vessels. The man who
has valuable stable of horses is willing
to e2trust only such men as have had
training In educating, caring for, and
developing horses. When a man pre-.
sents himself for the position of trainer,
the owner desires TO ascertain what he
knows about horses; how he proposes
to develop their good qualities, how he
wouid curb their evil tendencies; wha,
feed should be given when certain work
Is required; how much work ii is prof.
table for horse to do; and what exer.
clses are hurtful and nealthful. He
would not be satisfied if the candidate
should say that he knew horses from
mules and At considerable distance