Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-12-02
Educational
Column.
GUY STANTON FORD, Editor.

| Ills discovery tDat DIE cn1tQron are OlO
enough to think for themselves. Chi
cago Record.
1t is fallacy to think that football
and other school and college sports are
waste of time, or worse. As DR.. Frank
McMurry said in a recent lecture,
''They are vital need, required not
only as a means of rest but to counter
act the effect of ofttimes barren curric-
ulums."
*
From the Inland Educator The
school day is too long for both teacher
| and pupil. Too much time is spent in
doors. The amount of work at present
ought to be done in half the time and
| could be accomplished with forenoon
sessions. Three hours of the largest
self-activity on the part of the boy with
the rest of the time out of doors or at
some manual work would accomplish
more than the present humdrum sys-
tenn.
~
Presence speaks. Children six years
old recognize the quality of a teachers
presence. They are seldom mistaken
in what teachers face expresses. A
passive and characterless expression
means easy discipline and indefinite
and soulless instruction. A slow and
labored bodily movement encourages
like movements on the part of pupils
Enthusiasm, mental and physical, pro-
duces enthusiasm, mental and physical.
All successful teachers are quick, earn
est and positive, in speech and action.
A successful teacher is an idealst.
Personality is the force which moves
others. An aggressive, unselfsb pur-
pose is always present in successful
teacher. The ability to lead others is
organic. The condition which inspires
and moves others is a growth, not an
inheritance. Conviction is the mother
of reform. Man is more than a mere
believer, if he is more than matter
j. n. PATRICK
*x*
The no-recess agitation seems to have
| quieted down. 1t is the exceptional
teacher who wishes to abolish the recess
when she has it, but no teacher ever
wishes to return to it who has abolished
|it.-Journal of Education.
*xx
The course Of study. together with
the rules and regulations of the Board
of Education, will be published during
the holiday vacation. The preparation
of this handbook has taken consider
able time. The gain to the schools from
having some sort of guide cannot be
estimated. Hitherto the work has
lacked unity and defniteness.
*x*
Football needs no defense before the
Grand Rapids public. That the same
cannot be said of every community
where Ligh school team plays is the
fault, not Of the game, but of the high
school instructors who give this import
ant branch of school work no adequate
supervision or direction. At least two
teams that our boys have met this sea-
son are shining examples of what high
school athletics become when the prin-
cipal or his represe ntatlve Go not ac-
company the team or advise in It's bust
ness arrangements. Straight, clean
football can only be maintained by the
| active interest and supervision of those
in command of the school system. When
the principal is so much of an old fogy
| as to think boy is simply machine
for registering facts, an assistant should
be hired who is man with boys head
and interests.
~
Some people outside the city are read
Ing this column for letter of late date
from Principal Parlin of Wausau pro-
tests that he did not consider that he
bad been formally challenged to joint
debate therefore he had not refused to
meet us-would we please modify our
statement? Certainly, Brother Parlin
Wausau would not entertain the idea of
joint debate between the two high
schools.
s#*
In looking over the public library
have you ever found a book entitled
"Recollections of Eminent Men" by E.
P. Whipple? 1t is splendid book to
draw out and read tor at least an hour
| or two.
~
Of the twelve teachers IN our corps,
seven are graduates of normal schools
or leading colleges.
~
Now that cold weather is coming on,
| parents should exercise more than
usual care in seeing that their children
start early enough to reach the school
building and become thoroughly COM
Portable before the morning session
opens.
The Merrill High school begins its
forenoon session at eight o'clock and
closes at three O'Clock in the afternoon.
-
A complete catalogue of the gradu-
ates and instructors of the University
of Wisconsin from 1S49-1S97 is to be