The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-01

many OF US pass them by with signtless
eyes. Children are naturally interested
IN the life around them, and this inter
est is the true key to knowledge. AMI
male make splendid subjects for Ian
Euage lessons, and tiny, fluttering leaf
contains many a pretty story.
There must necessarily be much re-
production in the primary grades, Tor
pupil cannot write his own Thoughts un-
til he has thoughts 10 express. thoughts
must be developed, and a child Of SIX
years starts out with very few OF them.
These lessons should De given fire.
ouently, at least twice d week for the
first half Of the year, and for the last
half, three week should be given
''The language should be carefully cor
Related with the reading lessons. Know
ing the nature Of these lessons, what
kind of a test shall be given? Before
any test can be given the teacher must
develop in the mind of the child that
which he wishes to test. II such be the
case, how greatly will the test sno" Ioi1 1h
the wisdom OF the teacher.
LAS to their mental culture, persons
are judged more by the language used IN
rneir. conversation and correspondence
than any other way. Habit and style OF
language are usually formed by the III
teentb wear. Hence, to form and reform
the language of those under our Instruc-
ton, especially those in the primary de-
rlartment, should be our first and last
care. This can be done only by unremit-
tant practice, line upon line, precept up
on precept.'
Not merely by language lessons as
language lessons, but every lesson IN
every branch. when well-aught and wei
learned becomes a language lesson of the
most practical kind. We need more OF
the nractjcal. more OF the correlative in
pur lower grades.
eff pupils would catch the thoughI VI
t.e sentence more readily. there would
be better reading; IL they thoroughly un-
derstood the language or the arlthmeIc
the problems would be easier to solVe.
LET us begin TO lay, in the first graoe'
,be foundation for easy writing, ana IN
a few wears our high school pupils VIII
NOT have such a repugnance Tor confi'o-
eitjon as they have at the present oay'
When tactfully directed, children Ike 20
Tell their thoughts on paper. Letter-"rlt-
,nq when actual correspondence Win
teacher or playmate rs permitted oe-
comes "a thing of beauty and JOY for-
ever
eTeachers. as models, must be caretul
% present none but the purest dlc'ion'
promptly correct each error, and gently
encourage the best efforts OF their young
charges.
And from these conscientious and
reaseless endeavors We may expect
rich harvest, for
"sA child, more than all other slIts
That Earth can offer to declining indn'
Brings hope with it, and forward-looking
thoughts
MISS COOKSEY'S PAPER.
Miss Fannie Cooksey of FL Rene, read
4ba. following neat and comprehensive
paner on Literature in the Primary
Grades, Quite. lively discussion toi-
lowed. by clyde Reynolds OF crescent
City. c. W. White of Norman ana w. a
Delzell of jefferson.
"Of all tna educational advantages
which we ale III duty bound TO place De-
fore our pupils, fhere is none mSnef t1ah
+ha presentation of good literature
From the first sentence in the primer TO
fhe lost in the college course, noUalii5
hut what is pure and elevating snoulu
he given to the minds of the men anu
women Of the coming generation.
zone of the best ways 10 incufcate
iove of good literature in our pupils IS
" the good, old-fashioned practice OF
onr onening exercise. How many OF us
learned to love Dickens by listening 10
the clear kow-toned reading OF DAVID
r,pperfield?' And how many first tast-
sd the delights OF Hawthorne's day
dreams in hearing the 'Wonder-Book
read?
..Rv open,ng our schools with some in
teresting book we not only cuf;lVafe a
taste for good literature but Ighten the
5ruagery of the school room and enlist
the interest of the pupils, which fs
special incentive to punctuality in the
uorning.
AT present our pupils pass from the
blackboard. chart and primer to the
gra led readers, which, for most pupils,
are the chief material of reading
throughout their school lives. The Sc
l-ctiors in these readers contain the
nbey Of literature that the child Is in
troiuced TO during 9lis school life, lit
erature devoid of literary merit and in
ssIr Able OF making lasting or vivid i'm
preston upon the mind of the child,
cthg.r than that of confirmed distaste
for such homilies. What child looks back
and recalls with any vividness or pleas
ur, the very ordinary incidents AMI
.s1adoWy characters with which our
aaders are largely filed?
The mechanical part Of reading, as
a general thing. creates dislike rather
than a love for reading. Robert NJ.
King has said, Our educational system
stops just where It's assistance might
be made invaluable; just where II passes
ont Of the mechanical, and touches the
individual: just where instruction ceases
10 Joe a drudgery and becomes a source
of.pls9slTfsa. 'ednrsI :lEAiSos 81 .sro1JBn .
The question arises. what is the nat
ural introduotion Of the child 10 this
field of literature? We cannot pick hin'
up ana drop MIN in among Scott, Long
fellow ana Tennyson, and others. and
tel him to feast and revel until satisfied
Just when child is ready 10 take uT
the formal study o. literature. il ques-
ton But a child is never too young q
listen. II is not necessary for him 10 g.
a nigh school before ne knows and love;
a Bryant or even Shakespeare. You say
they are TOO deep. How many or Us
learned TO know and love the clasSica