Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-01-08

the university only. o. 70 . college
doing academic work Of equal breadth
and scope. must the secondary school
look for its teachers.
The preparation for q teacher q
English in q high school should con.
sigt approximately OF one years study
of the higher forms of composition
AMI rhetoric excellence, q year de-
voted to a general survey Of English
literature from chaucer 10 the present
time. al least a year given 70 the
study az AngIGSaIon. and a ) much
more TO middle English. and q year
each gwen tp two or three charactesis-
lie periods Of English literature In adj
diiion 10 this. som knowledge 81 Lat
In. French AMI German Ii imperative,
and old French. old high German and
Gothic highly desirable. Such a
course. extending over Al least four
years Of university work. would equip
i teacher fairly well for the work Of
English instruction.
But preparation II not the only
thing needfuI An int llectual machine
may teach Latin or mathematics.
Even III science work there are Ger.
tain cut and driei msthods that arr
moi unproductlye Of result. But no
mere mechanic process can be brought
to bear upon instruction In English
literature. IL the teacher succeeds at
all. h. must haze personality. He
must have a lore for his work, an en-.
thusIasm. an appreciation for the
truly great IN literature that will In.
spire his pupils. Given teachers with
such a spirit and with the knowledge
Of the subject necessary for a logical
presentation or the work outlined By
the committee. and the adoption Of
the work TO the needs OF the school
may safely be left to individual initi
alive.
However, even under such condi-
tons. some uniformity in the arrange
ment Or the course and the work re-
quired would not be amiss. Under
present conditions II Is highly desir.
able, as in many schools where the
recommendations of the committee Of
ten are followed the course Is arrang-
Ell without regard 70 any pedagogical
principles and apparently without any
consideration u any sort.
a noted Instructor, in referring to
the work Of the committee. said
The books for reading ARE set in or
der that the pupils may learn. first,
the art OF science OF reading; second,
critical reading third. creative read
ing iii e~ndeayoring 10 bring about
thi1 result, and at the same time get
the greatest possible moral stimulus
from the work in hand. I have come
ID The following conclusions: Prose
fiction forms the best introduction to
the high school courae ID literature,
because II fl much neare the child's
actual life experience; because at the
axe when The child enters the high
school. rhyme has lost much II It's
power, and the deeper Significance Of
poetry canno be grasped. For this
reason ] have usei as my first years
work In English Addison'a "DeCoyer-
ley Papers" GoIdsmith's Vicar Of
Wakefield" SCOTS 'Iyanhoe. and
gorge Elliot's @Sllas Manner. Three
periods q week are devoted 70 reading
and criticism. taking pains TO bring
out the literary value Of the selec-
ton. keeping before the pupils the
historical and biographical material
essential 10 the thorough enjoyment
.of the work for enjoyment must be
The primary aim Without this pleas
nreabie mental activity the work II
void Of moral and Intellectual sig.
nifcance, with IL. the work goes on
admirably The rise and perfection
u The novel, the growth u plot and Of
character portrayal are discovered BY
the pupil at first hand by observa-
ton AMI comparison. After his own
discoveries are made and formulated
he is ready TO take an intelligent and
enliyening Interest in the history OF
the English novel.
IN connection with the reading, the
pupil should devote at least one period
4 week 10 composition 10 the class
room. The topics should be largely
taken from the classroom reading.
and the work should BIO under the di.
rect supervision Of the teacher. The
pointing Out and correction Of an er.
ror ~ soon ~ II is made Is by far
the most enicicnt way Of ~eraiicatins
IL
The only textbook used In con.