The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-15
A BULLETIN ISSUES
TOS7ATE TEACHERS
State Superintendent Cotton
Emphasizes the Value of
ReCitationS.
FEW PUPILS ARE EDUCATED
DEFECT IN SYSTEM OF EDUCA-
TON is THAT FEW SECURE
PROBLEMS.

In his October bulletin issued to the |
teachers Of the state Fassett A Cotton |
state superintendent of public instruc- |
ton, urges them not to minimize the |
Importance of the schoolroom recita- |
ton. In his bulletin. Mr.. Cotton saws; !
In the first place the teacher should |
once and for all get out of his mind the |
notion that the mere repetition of
facts even in the slightest degree full
fills the purpose of the recitation. He
should realize that the recitation is a
process sometimes longer sometimes
shorter; that it is not matter of time
or pace. The recitation may extend
over one lesson period, or it may ex-
tend over several periods and may
stretch away into weeks and even
months. In the recitation as a pro-
cess there are at least three distinct
phases of work to be kept in mind; %
The specific work of the teacher GU
The specific work of the pupil. CD
The work of teacher and pupil togeth-
err"
Mr.. Cotton urges the necessity of
study upon the part of the pupil In
discussing the work of the pupil, Mr.
Cotton says: The second step in the
process belongs to the pupil-studying
the lessons assigned. And this is the
pupils specific work. The immediate
purpose is to learn the lesson, that is.
to think it. The remote or larger aim
is to learn to study, that is to think
This is the thing of all things he must
learn to do If he ever expects to be
scholar or to be really educated For
| this reason this is the most important
phase of the process, and it may be
said that nobody can do this for the
pupil
The teacher may aid him with as
| signments and suggestions and tests,
but the mastery of the lesson and the
subject the pupil himself must accom-
pllsh. To read the TRUTH in things,
in texts, in men, in life, we must learn
to study.
Few Are Educated.
| Here lies the test of the teachers
skill and of the pupils ability. Here
is the weakest spot in the whole pro-
cess and system of education. Here
is the greatest waste of time and ener-
gy. The most pathetic thing about
the whole business of school educa-
ton is that of the vast numbers that
graduate each year so few are educat-
ed. Very few learn to study Very
few carry away with them the ability
to attack intelligentiy the problem of
| life. There is a glorious aristocracy
of brains, but the password to it's
sacred portals can be obtained by
self-activity and eternal application
alone.
"The reasons for this weakness are
not far to seek. There IS still the no.
ton that education consists Of the
mere possession of facts rather than
in the ability to think. This theory
puts the stress upon mechanical mem
DRY, unduily emphasizing it's import
ance. Memory is important, but the
best way to train it is through close
observation and thought.
The pupil must be able to read his
problem before he can hope to solve it,
The careful teacher sees that his pu-
pills can read problems A great deal
of time is wasted in the lesson period
by having each member of the class
go through the solution of a problem
on the board before the teacher and
class have worked out together the
principle involved. After this has
been done 1t is time for the applica-
ton in individual tests. In reading and
literature the test is the ability to in
terpret the meaning Of the language
Each pupil ought to have an opinion
anyd ought to be free to express It.
The teacher can not help the pupil I'M
less he knows what the pupil is think,
ing, and he will never find out what
the pupil is thinking till he gets the
pupils confidence. The lesson period
then, should be a time of the freest
exchange of thought between teacher
and pupil Every child should leave
the class with new light on the sub.
ject in hand and with new zeal for at.
lacking it's problem. That is what a
class is for. 1t is not to discourage, 1t
is to encourage"