The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-02-20
SCHOOL MELANGE.


rDon't bea Robinson Crusoe Peda-
eoeue." This 10 q quotation from an
educational journal u a recent date. and
there q more IN Il than AZ drst glance
seens 10 be. That there are Robinson
cruroe teachers goes without saying
they shut themselves up from the
world. as It were. They DO not have
even a "Afan Friday" with whom to Goa
ult II e not necessary for them to
know what y going ON in the great
world. They spend Fix hours in the
school room hearing recitations and re-
ing 10 1t that the boys and glrls study
the books and recite from the pages, but
what to them, or the pupils, either. a.
far as they are concerned, 10 the liy-
ing. breathing present world around
them? Their work Is within the four
walls Of the school house. They do
know the branches to be taught and
know them well, perhaps, but as 70 tna
ADVANCED ideas OF teaching, such as
child study, nature study, etc, they
win have none Of II. Thus their lives
pass, and the sooner they pass % tneir
reward the better II will be for the pu-
pills under their charge, Better 70 pay
such teacherS their wages, and let them
stay out OF the school. than TO have their
infiuence stnmepd upon The minds Of our
children. There are such teachers In
the world, and their name 10 legion. Are
any such found IN Wheeling3
President Garfield once said to a com.
pany OF teachers: II believe there 10 no
profession in which there 10 so much
danger Of shrinking up in intellectual
powers as that OF teaching. assign
as a cause that teachers are too apt 70
Imagine they have learned all that %
necessary for them to know" There la
much truth in this saying, and II. would
be well for all OF us, who belong TO the
profession to ask ourselves whether we
are going through the shrlnkage pro-
cess or not. II we are we owe It to the
good OF the profession 10 step down and
out While there u the danger referred
to, there Is no profession in which there
Is a greater opportunity for Just the OPP
pOslte being the case, and we might add
that It Is the duty OF the teacher TO grow
intellectually all the time. There Is NO
profession that gives better opportunity
for this growth. The pay may be small,
but the hours are short, and thus more
time Is given for mental growth from
the reading Of good books, and thus
keeping pace with the movements OF
the great world, than is given to those
in any other profession. In spite Of all
this there are those in the profession
who 'have learned all that Is necessary
for them to know" What a piuable
sight this Isl A man or a woman who
thinks there Is nothing more to learn.
Such persons are putfed up with vanity;
aNsa0 ms N11nggNI
do others. 20 wud some power the gif-
tie gle US to see oursel's as lthers see
u.s." It IL not the truly learned man or
woman that Is thus pulled up. but the
one who has scarcely learned the alpha
bet OF true wisdom. Teachers should
be as wise as serpents." II not as
harmless as doves" though the latter.
might well apply to the true teacher
What do our pupils read? Are teach
ers keeping a watchful eye on what their
full to know what their children are
reading? We hear It said that crime
Is on the Increase. This the writer
doubts. but II It be 50 II comes mainly
from the reading OF those trashy books |
and papers, The remarks of a proml- |
nent New York Judge on this subject |
are SO pertinent that they are given In |
full, and the attention Of parents Is es-
pecially asked to their perusal He
says: There can be no question as 70 |
the evil tendency OF many OF the flashy |
and sensational story papers that are |
sent from this city every week by the
thousands ] have given some attcne
ton to this subject, and have traced |
more than one criminal to what be-
lieve to be the influence OF this kind OF
reading. Such papers are read by the
youth of the land with q relish that no
other sort Of literature gives to the boy
fish mind. The effect is in every way
most unhealthful. It engenders to-
tally wrong Views OF life: fosters de-
sIres which are antagonlstlc to every
principle Of rational living, and by lead
ing the youthful mind TO the contem-
plation OF brilliant achievements OF
pirates. robbers and other criminals,
easily teaches II to disregard the coun-
sells OF parents and teachers. If there
is any justification OF public censpr.l
ship OF the press It would certainly
seem to find warrant In the existence
there are upwards OF twenty-five OF
these publications in this city,
with a combined circulation of
$4,000. This does not include dime
novels flashy song books and Ike pub
locations The evil influence Of these
publications Is enormous IT would
be well for every parent and every
teacher 10 read these words and to
ponder them well. Coming from such
source, they ought to have greaa
weight. This accounts for the great
amount Of crime. in spite Of all our
schools are doing to stop It.
There viii DO perhaps 400 school boys
In the parade on Dewey Day" This Is
mot a fair showing. There should have
been at least 600 in line Our larger
bows seem averse to marching; those Of
the higher rooms, the very ones who
could do credit TO our schools, but few
OF them will march at all. All hopot
10 the BOYS who do march They VIII
mot regret It. This Is to he day to
remember in our city. while We honor
It as WashIngtons Birthday, We also
have the privilege OF paying tribute
10 the greatest hero Of the closing cen-
fury, and II ia well TINT the boys. VINO
viii be the men in the years to come,
should be willing 10 assist IN having
AZ. triH,,,tn THE PEDAGOGJJE