Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-10-19


supply should be pure, the drainage
supply should be pure. the drainage
water should BE- permitted around or
near the school house and every.
thing should be done that Is possible
to protect The life and health OF tn
scholars.
what to do With the Dull Boy"
Paper read before the Hedgesyille
District Teachers institute, BY J. w.
williamson Baxter school, Hedges
lie distric
There are number OF pupils in
our schools, especially I'm the lower
grades, whose mental faculties are
somewhat duh and not as fully de-
veloped as the average pupil Of their
age They are SOW to grasp the
thoughts and ideas presented TO them
by their tutors and Ii Is difficult for
them to retain the important facts OF
their lessons, consequently they are
not so easily taught as brighter and
mere apt pupils.
In fact, the dull boy has always
been problem for the teacher. Only
few decades ago, the teacher tried
to quicken the dull boys mental SLOW
mes by the use OF corporal punish
ment, but the rod was found in most
cases to be poor bran tonic.
The first thing in regard to the
dull boy that should be considered b.
the teacher is his physical condition.
Is he as large as the average boy OF
his age or Is he physically deformed?
Is he calm ami self-possessed or IS
he nervous and easily irrtated? Prof.
Bnet, French psychologist, has re-
Gently made some important discov-
cries upon this subject by exper.-
ments on children in his Paris laba-
tory of exper mental psycho'o gy.
The modern principle of adapting
the course of study to the pupil in
s cad of trying to adapt the pupil to
the course of study should be applied
to- the dull boy as well as to bright
pupils. One boy may be easily inter-
ested in mathematical ami mechani-
cal studies, bur almost entirely lack
immaginative power. whereas another
boy with strong Inauguration may
be very fond of stories and like the
study OF history and literature but
may become entirely d.sgusted with
his mechanical studies
Again the dull boy should be view
ed by his teacher from the stand
point of his home surround ngs and
invirements He may lack home
ira ming and encouragement conse-
quently he may be difficult to interest
in his studies.
The duh boy calls fourth all the
energy and ability of his teacher for
he needs to be more thoroughly in
htIutiSu liidH lSiibCi itt5DAilSSfo.
He needs the teachers aid in the pre-
paration Of his every lesson, and his
eacher ought not to forget to thor
oughly explain his lessons to him
previous to their preparation.
Some think that dull pupils should
be placed IN separate class. Such
plan might be practical in graded
and city schools if it does not dis
courage he pupils so classified &c
is not pract cal however in our small
rural schools.
Do not cast the du'l boy aside for
the gems of greatness which were inn
beded in the minds of some of our
great men did not shed forth their
brilliant lghs until after their pos
SCISSORS had reached mature manhood.
Lend him a helping hand and give
him of your sympathy for he perhaps
more than any other often needs en-
couragement. Never stoop so low as
III tdil H-iu q ElOth~lCdu lOi IL 10 a
great mistake TO cause a dull boy to
think that his teacher considers him
10 BE- dull Patiently labor with him
and instruct him. and some day he,
co. may render good service to his
fel owmen We do not know what
precious gems God may have hidden
in his Uranium. for a rusty vault may
contain valuable jewels.
Train him to be diligent and long
after the brilliancy of his brightest
classmates has faded away, he may
have climbed up the great natural
wall of difficulties, which completely
discouraged his competitors and as
he like Washington at the Natural
Bridge OF Virginia slowly carves his
name above all others he may ut
cas- think kindly OF him who guided