The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1905-02-24
ON TEACHING.

Before / ever married at all /
was a school na'am and it nearly
always fell TO my lot to teach sew
eral grades, or if in the country the
whole school, till I've never been
situated so / could carry out a few
pet ideas that I've always entertain
ed. I've often thought that could
have twenty or twenty-five pupils for
five years and could | commence with
this class at from five to eight years
old I'd never let them see into the
text book the first year. Instead
would commence teaching them to
write the very first day. One beauty
about teaching a child to write the
first thing is that you give him some
thing TO do. The secret of good
order in the school room is to keep
pupils busy. That's the secret of the
kindergarten system. The children
are kept busy so beautifully, SO
BEAUTIFULLY busy that they have no
time to be idle. So I'd never worry
my little pupils with books cor
course I'm not taking in considera-
ton that the parents would kick, y
but Id commence with the name of
some familiar little word that ap-
pealed to the hearts and minds of
the little children. Dou you know |
think teaching little beginners is the
most delicate, the most responsible
work the teacher has, but / digress.
Id teach him this little word in
writing so he'd know it just like a
picture And do you know, Id be
patient. so patient with little ones.
When / was a young lady teacher
used TO be tight" More than
once I've tapped little fingers with
my pencil because they didn't write
the traditional CAT" as readily as
thought they should. After / be-
came a widow, and taught again, l
found myself wanting to help those
struggling little fingers-and how
little and rusty some of them We're.
1t seemed like / could appreciate
or comprehend what hierogiyphics
the letters were to the childish mind
AS | say. Id find myself wanting to
help those little fingers, not once
nor twice. but again and again, and
yet again till the letter or word was
I've seen little pupils in
mischief during these last teaching
DAYS and I'd look the other way, or
change the subject. and get them
busy. where as in other days-in
those golden DAYS of young-lady
hood when / knew $40 much more
than / do now. I'd descend on the
youthful culprit and-well and.
So much depends on the child's first
y ear Ia school His reception then
and his treatment color his whole
after school lie. He goes from his
home world into a new uuiried world.
n he rs met on the threshold by il
teacher. one whom the
child feels be can trust. teacher
N DO understands that his young AMI
mBl spirits are just natural and need
guiding. this child IL fortunate. He
mny stumble. bat the teacher helps
hlm Ia rise. be- encounters barriers.
bus she teaches him boW 70 climb
over them or move them away BE
scis discouraged. bui a kindly leok
from her eYo will reuew his hope
surh "a teacher as This r. child =
hest friead next 20 hiA mother.
The other side - uot pleasant The
tsathef Rho chllis the child by q
cool ana indifferent reception. will
l~aff and sramn the puplis Falad
saA heart rather than have bad
afAsf The mas hSnevy # The ~ehons
,uou seems 10 bee formal sad auto
u&fis. al ghs wafsnsh ana life and
sssisl sunshine freeas, and he
ahiia's 'aFs tar ivsrns-g Ana far he
sehsea and hes teaeheF fress~ wath i
Buf thanks "a psasaosoxxa and
s rsass~l ana hEw ksmAsr@ags@n wehDaAs