The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-01-15


pupil. When the child enters the school
It knows many things. Some know
much more than others: and tits the
wise teacher who Is able 10 find out Just
what the child does know, and With this
as q basis on which to build or from
which to start, she gives instruction to
suit the expansion OF the mind at the
beginning and the expanding OF II
from day to day. While the teacher
ought to be very careful not TO do for
the pupil what he can be led TO do for
himself, yet she oughtSto remember
that there are some things, especially
In the primary grades. that need to be
told and might as well be told first as
last. This Is especially true as regards
the primary pupil. In teaching the
child to read we are told to present the
object when possible then the picture
and finally the word. Ifsthe object Is
known to the child, the picture will be
known also, but no one will Intimate
that the word Is a thing that has any
resemblance to either the picture or the
object. But the word must be learned.
and often It must be told, and then the
pupil must be drilled until 1t becomes
so familiar that It be called at sight
whenever and wherever found. The
same Is true In teaching the tables In
arithmetic, the conjugations In Latin
and Greek. The fact Is that In order
to become ready and proficient In many
things there must be drill, drill, drill.
This Is necessary In order to fix them
on the memory, so that they can be
called up whenever needed. do not be-
lieve, as some do, that the memory is
like storchouse in which everything Is
labeled and put away In Its approprl-
ate place. so that whenever 1t Is need
ed It can be taken; therefrom but
rather impression are SO fixed on the
mind, that association may bring them
up again for use, and many times
when 1t Is not necessary to use them.
Without attention, there can be no
lasting impression made, but In many
things repetition is necessary. let the
attention given be ever SO good. How
necessary 1t Is for the teacher to know
the mind OF the child, as It's natural or
der of growth. This leads to child
study, which is so ensrossing the minds
OF educators to-day. all over the civil
lized world. The child should be stud
led physically, mentally and morally:
so that the instruction impaired may
be such as will lead TO the good health
OF the pupil. A proper mental growth
and to the formation Of good charac-
ter; these three. but the greatest Of
these is the formation OF character.
It would be we'll for the public school
teachers 10 ask themselves every now
,,1 than ar avian all i;,a time what her
they are measuring up to the standard
tds the true teacher. Is 1t their great
aim to make true men and women, Of
the boys and girls committed TO their
care, or are they only teaching for the
money there Is In It, or until something
better turns up. The state of West
Virginia spends great deal Of money
each for the express purpose OF maxi
ing a good citizenship and It will be
well for those who lhave charge Of the
school to know just what constitutes n
rood citizen, and then to do their very
best in assisting the state in the great
work.
On June 30 and July and ., the an
nual meeting of the West Virginia ed
ucational association will be held In
Wheeling. Perhaps one-tenth of sthe
teaching force OF the state will attend
This will give five hundred at least OF
the wise men and women Of the state,
and 1t will behoove us TO put on our
DIST airs for the occasion. They will
receive aroyal welcome from the teach
ers OF Wheeling.
THE PEDAGoGUE.