Graham guardian., 1903-11-13
FRIDAY. NOV. 10. 1908.
HINTS TO TEACHERS.

youths to fill positions requiring |
knowledge of "the three RS" com
plain that the boys who apply foI
employment often spell badly
know little arithmetic and display
general ignorance in matters o
everyday concern to themselves
and their employers. In this re-
gard the Ctlsen says;
They can recall isolated facts in
a number of ologies. They can
also parse, and they may have a
smattering of algebra and Euclid,
As respects baseball records and
names of champion football experts
they have well-stored minds and
retentive memories But to do n
comparatively simple sum involv-
ing the exercise of a little common
sense the manipulation of few
vulgar fractions or decimals and
the application of familiar rules
this is beyond them.
Boys Of from IA TO l6, in an age
Of abundant and costly free schools
are wanting in the very elements
of a practical education. Nor is
this confined to poor boys the ms
of parents struggling with adver-
sity, but presidents of colleges and
chronological schools affirm that
rich mems sons nowadays come
to their institutions wretchedly
equipped as respects the three Rs.
The skill required to write decent
ly plain English sentence and
spell the words correctly seems to
be scarcer and scarcer every year.
Our special mining exchanges are
continually harping on the pro
priety of an engineers being able
to write a report in intelligible
English aud in words so spelled as
to avoid bringing his technical
knowledge into contempt The
"hjgher education" in tact, en-
counters its greatest obstacle in
the shortcomings of the lower
schools. The cause of this de-
crease of efficiency in the schools
that gives the average hoy all tho
education be ever gets is to be
found, it is believed, in the null
tiplicity of subjects taught at the
dictation of faddists, interested
publishers and ignorant school
authorities. The latter are per-
petually adding to the curriculum
some new science or accomplish
ment, thus laying new burdens on
the back oftbe harassed teacher.
In almost every grade the boy
also suffers, being forced TO cram a
far greater variety OF subjects than
is studied by the boy of the same
age who is being educated in an
expensive private school. Both
teacher and pupil have more than
they can do. The former is unable
to give his individual attention to
each of his many pupils, and the
latter lack the mental capacity to
absorb the multifarious sciences
arts and crafts presented 10 the un-
developed faculties. The system
is at fault. The boys get no thor
ough grounding in essentials, but
are hurried on from grade to
grade, digesting such scraps of
knowledge as they can.
The remedy is to sweep away
the ruck of ologies which prevent
a thorough training and recur with
constant emphasis to three RS
writing and arithemtic,
taught with old-fasbioned aiten-
ton to spelling, would satisfy the
the educational requirements of the
great majority of boys vastly bet
Ter than the present chaotic ourri-
,ula. A way must be provided for !
bright boys who want IN )re, but
he needs of the average boy who :
goes into business" should bo the
iret concern Of our school authori.
lies. As things go, education"
'or tho latter is mockery. 1t is
nockcry because it ignores the
velI-tricd maxim, "NJt many
hinges hui muob."