The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-11-09

hour illustrating and emphasizing a
fact when a question would have re-
vealed complete understanding OF
every truth involved, However I'M
pre,sive Your illustrations may have
been; however forceful your etnpha,
sis, your half.hour has been lost be-
cause you have taught hofhihg.
This was failure 10 teach on account
of the previous knowledge OF the
pupil. One may fail to teach
phase of u subject on account Of his
lack of knowledge or because one is
unable to impare what one knows.
In each case failure tn cause some
one to know what one did not know
before was failure in teachlng-per-
msne,lt or temporary, according to
ones profitable appreciation OF the
value of a failure. If a teacher gets
imbued with this conception OF
teaching he will never be satisfied
with the belief that to tell is to teach;
he will never feel the self-compia.
cency that a well-delivered lecture
from himself may give; for his teach
ing conscience, will be quickened
and the desire will never suggest
itself to show his class how much he
knows, but keeping himself in the
background, except as q personality,
to see how mech he may cause one
TO know who knew little before.
This scholarship and this ability
to teach are Important factors III
ones ability to govern. The ability
to govern does not follow as neces-
tary sequence from scholarship and
seaching ability. but these make
governing power easier, more natnr-
al. less constrained. This governing
power, this executive ability, this
disciplinary force is one of the prime
requisites of q good teacher. me
history Of education shows that
MANY have failed because they di6
not have it. It may be gift, it may
be an inherent quality; butlike many
of these qualities the ability to gov
ern may be cultivated if a teacher
finds cut early enough that he lacks
it. This course of pedagogy that
your institution offers you under the
leadership of one who is in all re-
spects worthy of true obedience
should prove co you a great blessing:
You will get here in your course or
ectures and in the works OF peds-
gogy the expression <of accumulated
experience. You will anticipate
pedagogical biunders and errors in
discipline and management. 1t is
here that you will learn that teach
ing is both science and an art; that
it has history as we'll as living,
active present; that to refuse to pro-
fit bv the experience Of others, to
grow beyond the narrow limits of
ones own ideas is to stagnate and to
fail. Let the author Of the Herbar-
tiaa Psychology applied to education
speak to Us:
DIR. .JoHNSoN'S LAPSE.
"dtis reported that, in one OF his
rare lapses from massive common
sease, DIR. Johnson said thai every
thing that can be known about edu-
cation has been known long ago. To
the teachers, who TO day take pride
in repeating the saying. quai:hed
assent must be yielded. Certainly
all that they know about education
has been known long ago.
Truth to tell, teachers trouble
themselves very little about theories.
So far as practical work is concerned
there is no trade or profession that
stands less in need of eNhortation
under the text: Not siothful in
business yet no occupation, claim
ing the rank of a profession, shows
less interest in the theoretical aspects
of its work.
'.At first sight there is an air OF
modesty about the man who dis
claims all pretensions TO be an 'edu-
casionist,' who proudly proclaims
that he issqnite content to be plain
schoolinaster, whose business is to
teach and not 10 talk about teaching.
Give me class says he. and /
shall teach it. Do not trouble me
about the. science of education.
There is no such science. Education
is purely empirical
.'1n the dictionary empirical begins
with the meaning depending upon
experience, or one s own observation,
but it sonn works its way down to
'quack.'
CLOSER examination shows up this
modest ScNoOtNaSCeE as an arrogant
aud iutolerant empiric-emplric is
prettier than the other word. His
position is summed up IN whatever
conclusion you may see your way To
supply I" the premises: a true
Schooimasser is born. not made.
do not require making.
There is a small and diminishing
Number nf very superior teaching
persons whe sniff at norma! colleges,
and Go not respect even university
professors nf education. Such teach.
ers d" no, require the practical work
of the colleges and despise the theo-
ries nf the universities. Innate ideas
have in their day been regarded as
something very wonderful and in
nate faculties have aroused even
more awe. Both must sink into
comparative i,tsignificance compared
with this marvel "f inmate professions
The knowledge Of education possess
ed by the superior ones reached
their soul by ,,o earthly inlet. They