The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-11-15
BILL APPS LETTER
William Assists Grandchildren In
Solving Problems.
TOO HARD ON TIE LITTLE ONES
Barlow Philosopher Discusses Modern
Methods Of Teaching and Re-
cords HE Dlsapproval
Thereof.
TOO HARD on TIE LITTLE ONES

we'll lAaL sum is easy III you know
how to do It, Our little school girl has
me to help her every night and some Of
these tangled up sums strain my old
fashioned mind. for the rult Of three
is abolished and new methods adopted.
4 remember a sum in the old Smiley
arithmetic-if six men can cut four
acres Of wheat in three days by work
Ing six hours a day, how many men
VIII 1t take to cut nine acres in four
days and work eight hours a day?
These perplexing problems remind me
Of Judge Bob Strozier's charge to the
jury in a horse case, where the plain
TIN sued for damages because the horse
he bought was a stump-sucker and
wouldn't work on the off side. Four
teen witnesses had testified, some for
and some against the horse, some for
CHAMBERS but not for stump-sucking,
some for stump-sucking but not for
CHAMBERS, and some swore he was
sound and some unsound. Gentle
men," said he, If you believe that the
horse had the CHAMBERS but didn't
stump suck, or that he sucked stumps
but didn't have the CHAMBERS, or that
CHAMBERS is an unsoundness but stump
sucking is only habit, or if the horse
wouldn't pull when worked on the off
side and couldn't be cured Of it,
though tn. court knows from expert
ence that lOuld be cured of it; or If
you believe from the evidence that
the horse was not warranted sound as
against stump-sucking and off-siding,
but only against such material things
as CHAMBERS and swiney and the like.
Nthen you must find for the plaintiff or
the defendant according to the weight
OF the testimony"
My candid opinion is that some of
these miscellaneous problems are too
perplexing for children not yet in their
teens, and if parents or grandparents
or uncles or aunts or somebody don't
give help the child would give up in de-
SPAR. have often wondered how
those pupils got along who had no
help. My father helped me all my
school life and my wife and | have
helped our children. 1t is impossible
for a school teacher to give patient at
tentlon to each child where there are
thirty or forty pupils in the grades.
Only five hours to teach in and four
or five different textbooks for each
pupil and book, while it taxes me half
and hour every night for one pupil in
one book Hence it is that only few
pupils get fair education in a grad
ed school only those who are bright
and willing and have help at home.
Parents that can't help OF won't help
lose their home influence over their
children. Every phase of their educa-
1ion is turned over to the public school,
which Is free machine and teaches
books only. LAorals, moGesty and ODE
dience are not in the curriculum.
Many little children are sent there to
get them out Of their mothers way, for
she has work to do or shopping or Wis
= lting, or must go to the club. Never
theless, few make good scholars and
good citizens, and for their sake the
system must go on. 1t is no better in
the colleges, for the most charitable
estimate is that not more than ten III
a hundred ever make a creditable sue.
cess in life. The ninety had Just as
well not been born, but the ten will
save Sodom, and it will be found that
these ten got their best education at
home. Good morals, good principles,
obedience, self-denial industry, kind.
ness and good manners are a better
foundation to build on than books. To
make the home happy and inviting is
the secret Of all success. The family
is more important institution than
the school, and love is the keystone OF
the family. l scolded little grandson
Athe other day and he got mad and went
off and told his little cousin that grand.
pa was mean and he was going to tell
his mamma on him. Next morning he
came to see us again and came to me
and kissed me and 1t made us both
happy. A liCtle granddaughter was
troubled because her baby brother was
sick and the doctor was sent for. She
Rourned over it tearfully and then
frightened up and said: well, if baby
dies am going to keep him for doll
The innocent prattle and sports OF
these children is my greatest comfort
Sand it almost grieves me that they
have to grow up and encounter trouble
- grief and misfortune. George
Bncis Train may be a crank, but