The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-20


detail, resulting perhaps in greater
knowledge of the subject, but bringing
out no definite plan Of action.
In some cases the pedagogues were
inclined to lay the blame somewhat on
the slow boy, or girl, as the case may
be, for allegedly holding back the
bright pupil. On the other hand there
were teachers who inquired why should
the instructors always hammer at the
boy or girl, and whether or not the
teachers were always right in their as
signment of studies to the pupil.
Prof. Scott opened the subject with
the statement that all of the teachers
who had taught any length of time
had discovered that, in the same
classes in the same grade, whether it
| be in the primary school, the inter
| mediate, the grammar or the High
School, was a great difference in intel
lectual capacity and industry of pu-
pills. He thought perhaps he had not
always done his duty by the bright pu-
pills. and perhaps had not done his
duty by the lazy or dull ones.
What should be done with these diff
ferent classes of pupils, was his query
The natural answer was that each
teacher must deal with them as his
best Judgment determined. He divid-
ed the pupils into four classes, as fol-
lows:
1. The intellectually competent and
Industrious;
2. The intellectually competent and
lazy;
3. The intellectually incompetent,
but studious and conscientious;
f. The slow or intellectually deficient
who are not studious.
The first class he thought could be
skipped over without much comment.
There were, however; pupils Of this
class, who from ill-health or work to
be done at home, were kept from Civ
ing sufficient time to their studies, but
who could be, and were, as competent,
under other circumstances, as the pu-
pills who are generally regarded as
bright. Even in his own school-boy
experience with others who We're bet
ter scholars than he, it was depressing
to him to fail to understand why this
or that one should be more intellect
ually favored than himself. For this
reason he said that teachers may. not
altogether appreciates that there are
some pupils who appear dull, but who
are as bright as the others, but do not
appear, so in the presence of others.
What should be done with such pu-
pills? Should they be kept back to
work over and over on the same
things? They can get the elements of
things but cannot look deeply into
anything.
Prof. SCOTS address was simplified
to the query: Shall we let the intel
lectually slow but conscientious and
hard students go along with the bril-
liant students in the same class and
give them the same evidence of intel
lectual worth when they finish as is
given to the
President Griffiths thought if the pu-
pills could be divided for actual school
work on the four classes mentioned by
Prof. Scott, the work would go on bet
ter. The difficulty would be in labelling
them. In his opinion it was up to the
teachers to determine the nature of the
disease which required such a division,
but he did not know of any panacea
to cure the ills. However, the individ-
ual pupil must be taken as a remedy
found to fit his case.
Mr.. Griffiths said he had read recent
ly in the Ladies Home Journal an ar
ticle on system in use in Batavia, n.
", by which the president of the col
lege there provides a substitute. or sec
ond teacher for the same class, at the
same salary, whose duty it is to coach
the slower half. The system there was
evidently successful.
Following out this principle he
thought it could be widened by dividing
the class into three sections-the aver
age, above the average and below the
average. He said it was his intention
to apply theIplan here if possible.
Prof Edgar Wood said it was neces-
sary to view the whole subject from
two sides-that of the pupil and that
Of the teacher. To subdivide schools ac- |
to Prof. Griffiths' suggestion |
would be to increase the difficulties of |
out the work. The thing to |
DO was to adjust the studies to meet |
the requirements of the class. Each in |
dividual had the right to have the sub |
lect matter brought before him in a |
way that he will be able to do some |
thing with it. If a pupil had hard |
text book and did not meet the de- |
nands of the studies he was considered |
hull If he had an easy text book and |
lid we'll he was considered a bright |
pupil The measure of pupil should |
be made by his progress from each |
starting point. He should not be meas
lred by attainment. Prof. Wood did |
not think the fault lay with the pupil |
always, but in the adjustment of the
studies given him. THE bright pupil
L.