Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1908-12-09
The Requirements of Model
School


paper read before the recent Teach
ers' Institute In Lexington, and publish
ed under the auspices of the Rock
bridge Teachers Associatlon.)
According to my mind a model
school is one in which the patrons, pu-
pills, and teachers work together for
the highest advancement Of the pupil,
or as might be said, one in which pu'
oil receives his education. What is
meant by education2 1t Is a prepara-
ton for complete living and therefore
must affect the individual morally,
mentally and physically.
A model school Is progressive or
ganization; it is really mind trying to
unfold mind. The student is the real
school, for the student creates the
school. 1t exists solely for his devel-
opment. OF what is school composed
A school is composed of teacher, pu'
pills, parents, tax payers, officers, funds
and apparatus; and to have a perfect
school these must be unified and uni
fed by the teacher. To do this, very
often the teacher has TO educate the
community in which she teaches, SO
that they may be help instead of q
hiIdrance.
The two chief working forces in a
school are teacher and pupils. They
must he In close contact with each other
and everything in the school must tend
to unity the minds of pupil ard teach
er. Personal contact requires
list A school building, The building
and surroundings should be made as
attractive as possible and should at
least be we'll kept.
2nd The school room. 1t should be
home, a place adapted to each and
every child from all classes. 1t must
be made to have an influence upon the
character of the child. Must be neat,
we'll furnished, comfortable and quiet.
No child can do his best work in an uii-
comfortable position and for that rea-
son desks should be fitted to the
child. The room should have suitable
pictures, flowers when possible, but
above all good light and should be we'll
ventilated.
Unity Is the essential thing in model
school, and to have it one must have
good behavior, regular attendance and
promptness.
In order to have good behavior the
pupil must be made to feel that misbe-
havior, on his part, is his own injury,
and that the laws of the school are fol
his own good.
Regular attendance-To have regu-
lar attendance the child must have
a desire to come to school. The
work must be so interesting that he will
not want to stay away.
Promptness. At the beginning oil
each days work there should be short
religious exercises iu which the chil
dren take part. 1t should be made the
brightest part of the day. The chill
dren will enjoy it and will make spec
ial effort to be there en- time and thus
avoid the confusion caused by tardy
pupils.
The next step toward unity in ouI
model school is the teacher. What
Is good teacher? Ones who forgets
himself for the good of the pu
pills, who always has the subject mat
ter we'll In hand and who exercises
tact in teaching and controlling un
der ali circumstances. The teacher
should always set high ideals and as
sist the pupils In gaining those ends.
The question might arise: What
should De taught in model school anc
how?
| shall say those thin g, which will
be most useful to the students in prac
tical life, and they should be taught ii
such manner that each lesson will
make an impression upon the characte
of the child.
ANY new information should b.
tased upon facts known by the child
The subject OF Geography for example
To very young child, portion, direo
ton ard distance should be taught
From this they learn to locate build
ings and places near their ho'nes Thel
as an introductio TO Physical Geo IRA
ply they may be taught the terms, rock
pebble sand, soil etc. They ma.
notice the different vegetation grow
on different soil, which leafs to man
his food. clothing, homes, industries
etc., and then they mag be led 10 TIT
more difficult problems.
In every subject each step epend
upon facts learned previously. Ever
subject taught has a method within 1t
self.
consider a public school, model
The chiId's ambition Is so much great
er. Though a child should never be
taught the selfish motive Of trying t.
excel others but always to excel him
self-that is, do his very best.
Every model school should have
good library, with good books botf
for reference work aud pastime read
ing, and good papers with high mora
tone such as the Youths Companion.
Real Estate and Property Trans
fers Recorded
The following deeds Of bargain ant
sale were entered of record in thu
Clerks Office Of Rockbridge cosnty TO
L. %