New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1900-09-22
EDUCATIONAL.

The people and teachers of
Quincy, Massachusetts, celebrated
the twenty fifth anniversary of the
"Quincy Movement in education
April 20 by meeting in the old Stone
Temple. The following extracts are
from Col. Parker's address
The PRESUMPTION OF SCHOOL
BOARDs.-One of the profound
mysteries in this world is the mar
velouS psychological change that
comes over respectable, intelligent,
and otherwise wise laymen when
they are elected by their fellow citi
zens to serve on school committees.
Persons who would never dream of
experimenting an electric plant,
managing railroad, building Il
bridge over Niagara, leading an
army, or commanding ship, enter
the duties of school committee
with the astonishing presumption
that they can with safety minister
directly to the welfare of children,
mold society into right living, and
shape the deStinies of a nation by
means Of common education that
they can make courses of study,
select teachers, examine pupils, and
manage the internal and pedagogical
affairs of school system. This
prevailing state would be ridicul-
GUS were it not so awfully solemn.
The presumption of school boards
is the acute distress of the nation
it is the elimination of bad politics,
the very worst by-product of demo
cratic evolution. For this preSump-
tion millions in money are wasted
every year, countless children suf
fer, and free government is inn
periled.
TRADITION IN EDUCATIoN.-Good
people do not easily alter their
ideals of education. | have some
times thought that theology had the
deepest and strongest hold upon
the human mind, especially in New
England; but that is not true edu-
cational ideas are by far the slowest
to change. Noah Webster is nigh
tier than Jonathan Edward, tech
meal grammar, than predestination.
1t is useless for any one who at
tempts to improve education to
complain; the right way is to rec
ognize the situation and make the
best of it. Human progress is
measured by the time it takes for a
good idea to get into life.
The battle for the common schools
is the battle for human liberty.
The battle for freedom is not to be
fought out in cruel, bloody wars,
not by armies and navies, but in
the common school room, the camp
and training ground for citizenship,
METHODS IN TEACHINe.---~sA
method in teaching means to most
people certain way of doing
things, way fixed and finished =;
something that has beginning
and an end; something rounded,
routinish, and efficient; a panacea
like a patent medicine that may be
applied with unfailing results.
Method in this sense is the common
and awful delusion of the present
daV. With the artist teacher meth
cd is the way he or she reaches
an ideal. Therefore method is
entirely personal, ever changing,
ever improving. Insight, elimi-
nation, improvement, are the ele-
ments of upward and onward move
ments.
THE QUINoYMETHoD.-The meth
cd was one of everlasting change.
There was the opportunity, a faith,
spirit of work, an enthusiasm to
find better things for Gods little
ones. Each child has his own in
dividuality, his desires, his hopes
and fears, his grief and joy. In
school the child has too often a
separate stream of thought, or a
stagnant pool, totally separate from
his real life. A child should have
one life, wholesome and complete,
and the home life and the school
life should each supplement the