The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-18
SCHOOL MELANGE.

SCHOOL MELANGE.
A general meeting Of the teachers Of
Richie school was held "wednesday.
The meeting was held in the grammar
room. superintendent Anderson was
present and spent the time In a talk on
Reading" He made the point that
there was no subject in the teaching Of
which there was such an opportunity
presented to teach morals, manners
and the many little things that 90 TO
make up the cultured lady and gentle-
man. II the reading lesson tells Of a
great man. let many other things con-
corning him be brought out BY proper
questioning, II It tells Of a great event
In the worlds history. let the teacher
tell much more about It and thereby hx
upon the mind Of the pupil all that IS
necessary for him to know, or at least
create that interest in his mind, that
viii lead him TO study for himself. The
reading class can be made the place
where the elements Of all the branches
may be fixed upon the child mind.
Deeds OF herolsln. acts Of virtue. in
fact everything ennObling can be taught,
While at the same time reading can be
much better taught than Il can in the
hCm-drum way Of calling the class and
allowing the pupils In a liStleBB manner
70 con over the wordB Of the book. In
the recitation. both teacher and pupil
J nbAFlfH H. f1Rysnl fhn TiFfEIu 0hHftfd hal
taught to read plainly and distinctly, 50
that all can understand. Reading ID In
terpreting the thoughts Of the author
and this Interpretation should be Of
such q character that all who hear can
understand Il. This win lead TO proper
information, distinct articulation. with
emphasis placed Just where It belongs
The cultivation OF the voice should re-
ceiVe the serious attention OF the teach
err There Is no better sign Of culture
| than that shown by the cultivated hui
man voice. All this will lead to the
proper and patient study Of the reading
lesson, by the pupil before reciting. The
reading lesson should be studied more
than any other lesson, whereas the OPP
pOsite is generally true, l. e., Il receives
less study than any other lesson. Many
I OF the pupils Of our schools to-day are
dragging along In their other studies,
from the very fact that they cannot
read well enough to study their les
sons. He urged on the teachers the
absolute necessity Of paying more at
tention to the reading lesson. on Tues
day, Mr.. Anderson talked on the same
subject to the teachers Of Webster
school.
In the recent organization Of the
West Virginia University under the
committee system. provision was made
for a committee on teachers' bureau,
and Thomas c. Miller, Thomas e.
Hodges, Charles Il. Patterson. Ken
meth Mckenzie and ]. David Thomson
were named as the committee. The
work Of this committee Is set forth IN
the following extract from the record
Of the board Of regents: 1t shall be
the duty Of this committee to keep q
record OF the graduates Of the univer-
sity who wish to teach, to gather tntor-
nation as to their knowledge and abil-
ity. and to recommend for vacancies
| such persons as seem most likely to
succeed: TO keep similar record Of
those Of the alumni who wish to be
transferred to other positions: to assist
boards of education and boards OF
school trustees in securing good teach.
era, and to cooperate with teachers
agencies IN placing graduates OF the
University" This Is certainly laud-
able undertaking. and should meet with
the heartiest cooperation Of all who
have the good Of the university at
heart, and all friends of education VIII
do all In their power for It's good, at
least, they ought so to do.
A letter received from Prof, j. B. Nc
Clure, of Dlngess. Mlngo county. states
that his school is progressing finely.
He has started library and has been
receiving some handsome donations
from different places. Prof. Mcclure
has gained for himself an enviable rep
utatIon, as was shown last summer
when an effort was made to turn him
out OF his position as principal. al
most the entire population Of the VII.
lage, mon. women and children Joined
in petitionIng to have him retained.
The writer knows whereof he speaks
when he says that Mr.. Mcclure has the
confidence Of all the patrons OF his
school, Us he visited the little city I'M
der the hill last summer and talked
with quite number Of those who are
his supporters. We need many more
such men in our schools. Aside from
| DGlnH NO, teHCneTs MT. MCNluTG .
popularity comes from the fact that he
takes an active part in everything that
has for Its object the lettering Of the
condition Of the inhabitants OF the lit
tie town In which he lives, and the peo-
pie there do not think MS some In
Wheeling do. that the teacher has DO
right to take part in anything outside
OF the school room. They gladly second
him In all his efforts. and so they are
being crowned with success.
In continuation Of the above. we ask,
has the teacher a right to take part in
the affairs Of the community in which
he teaches? In answer. 1t iS suggested
that the teacher Is a citizen, and a.
such he has the same rights as any
other citizen. He should be leader in
the community and should be an active
worker in everything that has for Its
object the lettering OF the community.
and should be a positive opponent OF
everything that tends to It's demornllEa-
tIon. Should he NEEDLE In politics? He
has right TO his political opinion, the
same as any other man. and It 10 his
duty to exercise Il judiclouBly. 1t would
perhaps, be unwiBe for a teacher to be
an active partisan politician, but that
Ii left to his own good Judgment; he
has as much right to be as any one else
has. IN support Of these assertions, at
tention Ia called TO the fact that the