The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-10-01
TOPICS OF THE SCHOOLS.

board VI euucauOn LOT tue lHV manu-
some ntw tIgs lately received. and
yhl-h are now floating from the build
InEs. They are very beautiful types
OF odd Glory" and they Will be kept
Eylus whenever the weather will per-
nit. This Is one way OF teaching pa
,rlotlsrn. !. e.. TO keep the Stars and
Stripes nailed to the masthead. and
ever floating. In this way n respect
fsg our nations banner will become u
part OF the very being OF our boys and
Girls, and generation will be reared
tElt will see 10 1t that It Will never be
hauled down where 1t has been placed
py those having the authority TO raise
Il. These flags are not only an orna-
neni TO our school buildings, but they
also show that our board OF education
IS active TO the necessity Of teaching
Irue patriotism to the coming men and
wcmcn OF our city.
at is great thing to be teacher"
Is this true? 1t may be and # may
not be. II 1t means mere drudge,
school keeper and 4 salary-drawer; IL
It means this. and nothing more. then
Il Ia no compliment to be teacher.
But II 1t means one whose life Is given
for the good OF others. whose whole
heart beats In sympathy for his fellow
mortals, and whose life currents flow
out into thousands OF hearts, making
them better. Ireer and happier. then
II is a great thing to be 4 teacher.
There are hundreds and thousands in
our land to-day who are up on this
high plane, and who can truly say 1t
Is q great thing for me to be a teacher,
while, perhaps, many can say. I am
but school keeper; never have felt
the heart thrills that come from reach
ing other hearts by my work or my ex-
ample. Such ought to leave the pro-
fession. for none should dare to take
upon himself the name OF teacher who
does not do SO from sense feeling that
this is his privilege in so doing, to
work for the good of others. not only
bis privilege. but his duty. and his
pleasure, to do.
The longer the writer teaches the
more he feels the Importance Of hav-
ing perfect understanding between
teacher and parent. Itiwould tighten
the work OF our teachers very much,
and make q great deal more effec-
tive were they, to know personally every
parent. How many teachers in the
city of Wheeling know the parents of
all the pupils under their charge, !. e..
~, ~, h, l.. 1o1
venture the assertion that there Is not
one 1t Is Just as much the duty Of
the parent to know Just how those who
are teaching their. children are doing
their work Come and see them at
their work just as often. as possible.
1t will do all concerned good.
Some one has said that our methods
OF teaching grammar are all wrong. II
they are not, says the same writer.
then the graduates OF our high schools
would be able TO write correct ap-
piication for situation. The charge is
made that they cannot do 1t now.
though they have studied grammar for
years. Granting this to be true, where
Is the fault, for fault there must be
somewhere? 1t must be In the apple
alton OF the teaching. one-half the
/ time in every recitation in language
or grammar should be spent in compo-
sition. II definition Is cited, an
original sentence should be used by the
pupil TO Illustrate 1t. 1t Is all right
TO know the definition. but the knowl-
edge OF these. Is of no account unless
the pupil, knows. how Ito apply them.
Take, Tor example. OF what use is 1t
to the pupil to know that every sem
trnce should begin with capital let
ter II he does not put 1t into practical
use In his writing? Better, far better.
teach the use OF good language with-
out the rules than to know all the def
nitions and then violate. every princl-
pie learned in our writing or our speak
ing. Some few are taught the use of
good language al home. but the ma
teacher to lead these into the forma-
ton of the habit Of correct use of our
mother tongue. The tencer who does
this Is doing more than many of our
teachers are doing. The Wheeling
schools are taking advanced ground
on this subject: this year there Will be
better teaching In language throughout
our schools than ever before.
One OF the greatest accomplishments
our young men or young women can
have Is the ability to express them
selves in good, plain English. This
cannot be secured In the study Of rules.
as before limited. but only In methodic
training In the use OF language In COM
position. In sentence building and In
reproduction. This, and this alone.
vii lido 1t. 1t Is the teachers duty to-
make every recitation in language
pleasant and a. profitable one TO the
pupils. He should be trained TO see
the beauty OF Language. especially the
beauty OF expressing thought In
clear, concise English. He should be
taught that the simplest way OF ex-
pressing a thought IS the best way. He
should be taught to shun the bombas-
tic style OF the stump speaker. but to
love the style that will present the
thought so clearly that "he who runs
may read" Not every one can be
great writer or great speaker, but
every boy and girl can be taught to
express his or her thoughts In man
ner to be understood by the reader
or the hearer. as the case may be.
When our teachers become SO perme-
ated with these truths that they will
act on them. then our boys and girls
will receive the instruction that will
help them acquire the ability to write
well. Many a young man otherwise
bright has failed to secure n position
from the fact that his letter of appficn-