The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1905-06-08
EDUCATIONAL.
By w. +. LARSON.
when looking for faults that need
use mirror, not n telescope '
-Matthewman.

Spencer says. ITO fit a person for n
complete living is the function whic h
eucation has TO discharge. A completed
life is life of service Not only must
a person have high ideals, but his ener
gies must be used in such way that he
is continually approaching that ideal.
Only as we come nearer to that perfec-
tion for which we We're inte nded do we
grow.
The work of preparing for efficient
service in life is largely entrusted to the
school. 1t is here that special attention
is paid to the development of the child's
mind. The chief value of a varied
curriculum is that the various powers of
the mind may be developed and strength
ened. The powers of perception or OBJ
servation, if walked up, will supply the
mind with materials for reflection. a
strong memory and an active imagina
tion are accomplishments to good judg
ment and sound reasoning, and all of
these powers are trained i'll mathematics,
science and literature.
In these days when there ars 80 many
things to be taught in our schools, it is
especially necessary that the teacher be
able to select those topics for instruction
which will make the student efficient
The instructor must have II practical
know ledge of the growth of the child
mind. There are certain things which
II child cannot understand ut the age of
ten which are very simple at the age of
| fourteen. Very often it is this trying
to teach pupils ut twelve what they can
not comprehend until they are sixteen,
that makes them inefficient on the day
of graduation
True education is building process
not n filling process. Filling child's
mind with bushels of facts (Which are
often crowded out rs other facts are
put in will not promote the efficiency
of the child Facts are but mouthfuls
of intellectual food which mast be di-
gested and assimilated before they can
build up the mental tissue aud become
the source of strength to the student.
Are we not often gorging on: students
intellectually. producing mental dys-
pepsia and nausea In this way educa-
tion q. e., schooling may be a hindrance
rather than help to efficiency just as
overlooking ones stomach may be a
hindrance to efficient physical labor.
The true teacher must regulate the
child's mental diet so that the mind may
develop normally and be strong.
Education, then, to promote efficiency
must first of all be practical, practical
in the sense that the subjects Taught
can be mentally assmilated by the
student and enter into the upbuilding of
his character 1t must also be thorough.
Going over u certain number of pages
| during II term Is not the test of work nc
complshed. The subject matter treated
on those pages must be mastered so well
that ii can he used by the students and
applied wherever it may be necessary.
A child who is trying to manipulate the
figures in problem in such II way that
he may produce the answer printed at
the end of the problem il not gaining n
efficiency As far ~ mental power is
concerned he might Just as well drop
arithmetic. The teachers business is to
leaves.
In our schools at the present time,
there il, IN u rule not enough drill work.
| Why 80 many poor spoilers in the higher
grades, and even among teachers There
is not enough Of intelligent drill Why
are there 40 many who cannot work
ordinary short problems mentally, even
after years of mental training Some
times in getting the child along TO suit
birds eye view of four fundamentals
and hurried him off into fractions,
through decimals, finally to break down
| in percentage because his mental diges-
tion il unable to cope with the complex
diet served him At other times pres
sure from some higher source, either
consciously or unconsciously persuades
us that certain amount of matter must
| be threshed ont in Il certain time in
order that all may be well. To receive
the coveted diploma ~ early rs possible
we try to get over all the surface re
guired, 40 that it may be seen that We
! have been there BY the age of fourteen
we must have finished all the common
branches, although much of the work
requires mental powers which are not
developed until that age,
1t il often charged that our schools dc
not increase the efficiency of those at
tending. To some extend the charge /,
unqnestionably true How can it be
remedied2 One way is to get more
efficient teachers. Those communities
that pay low wages must expect netfi
cient service and consequently unfavor
able results. An engineer must he pait
an engineer wages or we have no righ
TO demand that the services rendered b,
up to the standard set for engineers
Teachers, like engineers, need prepara
ton for their work and no person cai
afford to prepare for that work ana b'
aid with wages that can be securet
without any preparation. Therefore