Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-01-11
Upward DecIensien,

|
the German experts who visited OF
schools during the year of the Louis
ana Purchase Exposition. The Scho
Journal referred to the Importance {
these reports some months ago. TIL
criticisms they contain concerning tb
work OF our schools are given in
sympathetic spirit and reveal a kee
a ,preciAtion of our educational needs
| One point on which there is practice
un snimlty among these critics is tba
the results produced in tao first p,i
mary years are in many instances as
tonishing, but that the more advanced
classes accomplish comparatively little
This criticism is not new, but it comes
| with renewed force from these visitor.
to our schools. Generally speaking
We do poorer work as we advance.
Either the primary teachers oversti
mulate the children at the start anG
make them blase, or the grammar
teachers are of an inferior caliber peda
gogicaly. 1t may be that both condi-
tions exist. The fact is that in their
desire to make school work interest,"
ing, the teachers exhaust in the first
three or four years almost every avail
able source of new experience. No
less undeniable is the fact that the
teachers Of the more advanced classes
in the elementary schools are not us
ually very anxious to labor for progress
in professional knowledge and skill.-
The subscription lists of the educa-
tional periodicals suggest this. The
text books, too, show that there is
comparatively little demand for i'm
prOvement.
With US in America, with children
as active and bright as any to be found
anywhere, the programs of work above
the fourth school year are meager and
narrow. There is frightful waste of
time in arithmetic and geography,
owing largely to inadequate methods
of teaching. Reading is still too large
ly occupied with Improbable triviali.
ties. In history We have yet to learn
to separate essentials from non essen
tiaIs. No wonder the results of The
grammar schools are often disappoint-
ing.
The high schools are no less neglect.
full of their opportunities. To be snre,
tue product of the grammar schools Is
not as we'll prepared for the work as it
ought to be. However, this is no ex-
cuse for the prevailing neglect of pro-
per adjustment of the beginnings of
the high school to the program of the
school The first high
school year was not devised by friend
of humanity. 1t is-of course, l am
speaking of general conditions only-a
cruel imposition taxing the ambition
OF the neophites to the utmost. Many
lose courage and drop cut Their de
parture is great misfortune. The
more reasonably the high school pro.
ceeds in adapting itself to the pupils
as they are. the less difficulty it will
have in holding them.
1t will pay the superintendent to in
quire closely into the reasons why so
many pupils give up the struggle to
gain footing in high school work.
There is something wrong with a school
which loses large percentage of its
pupils in or at the close of the first
year.
Nothing stimulates a child to great
er effort than the feeling of genuine
growth. Artificial stimulants must
necessarily lose their effectiveness in
the course of time. The teacher
who labors conscientiouslv and intel
ligentIy to broaden and deepen the
children's understanding and to de-
velop their power of independent think
ing and efficient doing, will have pu-
pills ambitious to learn and advance
COnscientlousness alone Will not do it.
Conscientious treadmill horses-and
their number is legion-do not inspire
the onlooker with the beauty and mag
nitude of life. Intelligence in teach
ing means pedagogical insight and
conformity with the results of the best
experience. 1t is because
of the lack of Intelligent teaching that
the work of the advanced grammar
classes and the first high school year is
so generally found to be unsatisfac.
tory.
There are few significant passages
from the German reports as translated
by DR.. Hailmann. Dr. bunker writes !:
In America. on the other hand, all
great educational problems are in a
fluid condition; they are discussed in
III eetlDgs, books, magazines, and new g.
papers, often thoroughly, sometimes
specifically, almost always with
enthusiasm and subjective con-
vlction. The widest public If
interested Ill the discussions.
Usually the thought itself is derived
from German studies, but here it is
projected into the world of things, be
comes deed, often, it is true, before
it Is matured. fne public Is pleased
to see it carried out; how this is done
is frequently a minor consideration. =
Everywhere there is creduIous optim
ism coupled with harm less dilettante
ism, every where high aim. liberal ex.
ecution, but lack of solidity in matter,
of detail.
While with US the school frequently
points out TO the children the made
quacy of their work, holds them to th
perfect solution OF minor tasks witt
painful attention to all difficulties, all,
| OyerWhelmS them with difficulties an,