Lower coast gazette., 1909-02-27

ia whether or not q school is gulQeQ by q leacneI O1 SIedlel VI ie"o
intelligence, provided that the teacher has more knowleqge tnan
the pupils, Pedagogical studies have revealed the fact, however ~
that the imparing of knowledge eM?. to 90 others aheer is, S a l profession nessn1e, 'nas re. e
tism that are rarely found combined IN any one 1nd1Woual. o9me r
persons seem to be born teachers and others not: IT'S somewhat I
difficult to explain the matter, but it would seem that they have
conprehensive views of every subject that comes before them and
are able first to comprehend the peculiarites of the pupils they are
teaching and then are able to interest these pupils in the work IN
which they are engaged. The latter day method of thought IN
volving as they do the underlying reasons for whatever phe-
knowledge to a pupil in a way thatis likely to reach its mark. The
old fashioned way of requiring a child to remember mass OF m
formation verbatim, without any conscious knowledge of the sub
iect and without any interest in il, is happily passing away and the
reasoning powers of the pupil are now brought: into action: ms I
secured with probably less effort than ever before. We recall in
our school boy days our early studies in English granrner. The
adjectiyes and articles seemed to our youthful intellect compare
lively comprehensive, and satisfactory responses were given to
the teacher to any inquiries made CONCERNING these several parts
of speech. A stumbling block was just ahead, however, and the
day we reached verbs was a BLACK Letter day in those early
studies of English ,grammer. Kirkham says that a verb is a word
which signifies to be, to do, or to suffer- A onegal!used, bare
footed, ten year old boy was nonplussed by this terrific array of
learning which he was expected to assimilate with as great ease as
but he could not do it. The direct statement was made to the
school teacher that the pupil could not comprehend the statement
reported the mental condition of this culprit pupil to the head
teacher and the response came back to the effect; that the cuprit
Esh gra,nmer taught sixty years ago, and yet English grammer
was learned under just such conditions by thousands OF the elderly
These difficulties are herein referred to only to bring out more
strongly the fact that the old fashioned, blunt way Of requiring a
pupil to know by sheer Force, force OF linen mem or the nsP proper e,;r response 2nMd to any ny
now given way to the newer methods in which the teachers en-
deavor to so condgct their pupils along educational lines that they
shall comprehend every move they make and be able to generalize
for themselves and not to remenber any set thing as such, but
rather reasons that led up to classification and nomenclature:
Charles Dickens in recounting the experiences of Nicholas Nickelby
and especially his school teaching at Dotheboy Hall, refers to- the
his feeding the boys on sulphur and molasses to keep them in good
trim, had a very realistic way of conveying information to them.
Dickens cites his inquiry of the boys as to their knowledge OF
horses. Proper evidence of the knowledge of horses being given,
in order that a greater degree might be acquired, the boys were
don't Want to try to prove by this that Charles Dickens evolved
the Darwinian hypothesis a quarter OF a century or more in ad,
an G Ct Charles 81 93 1gva i himself, but 1T & 5a% vt that dt that fS;as wo9 fsf al
once made him the greatest novelist then known.
ed,c M9 aeq, ma M5ns to to % oar e%n aw psiish n0V W. ha7 reG Ser cur no Su05 a body Sy
of school teachers that are earnestly engaged in the effort
to teach the young people of this parish. # every parent and nd
that they can in order to facilitate the work OF the school teachers;
, if they would use every effort to promote the constant attendance
( they would encourage the pupils to learn all they can and endeavor
;, to impress upon them the necessity for prompt obedience with
f mensely in the great good that is being accomplished by all Of
: these teachers. We have never before had a body of teachers Sc
0 should ehorIdg fel proud Of them he s' and pu@ Should d do all that we can IN
r order to aid them in the laudable work in which they are en-
e . if ell this be done, i will! he but q very few years before We
e shall have very marked Evidences of our heightened educationa
: standards. The yonng boys of to-day will be the young men of to
s morrow and the young men of tomorrow will be our leading cti
$ zens a few years hence. Time flies rapidly and not a moment is tx
: be lost if we wish to secure for ourselves and for our families the
r educational advantages that are presenting themselves to us. /
x this be done in this parish earnestly and generally, we perhaps
may soon want higher schools, or graded schools, and all of thes
will quickly come, as soon as the public is convinced as to tei
necessity. Some twenty years ago we were earnestly advocating
the erection Of High Schools at Pointe a la Hache and Buras AM
ID and the levying Of a special tax to pay the cost Of the construction
II Of the school houses and the maintenance Of the schools. Tn
Police Jury of the parish seemed favorably disposed toward tn
lie matter at that time, but it was finally thought to be a little in ad
vance of public opinion and the proposition was lost by a vote o
six against four for the tax and the schools. We are inclined t
e think that the time is approaching when it would be wise to max
such effort again. 1t lis frequently stated that those who desir
of any higher education can readily get it by going. to the city Q
II New Orleans. There are, however, hundreds Of families in gu
g parish who would gladly have their children acquire some or muc
advanced education, who cannot afford to send their children
the city for that purpose. In other states and, in fact, in many (
the parishes of this state, provision is made for them by local hg
schools. Such schools in country communities can be general
maintained at a moderate cost and resident pupils can general
be boarded at moderate cost, the total expenses not reachin
err over one-half Of what would be necessary in a great city like Ne
Orleans.
Incident to this matter Of leaving our parish to secure an ed
in cation comes one fact that our people should give more attention
he and that is that the young people going to the great city to be e.
ne ucated there, at the increased expense necessary, quickly come
ch move in circles very different from those Of their own home SUI
roundings and they thus become weaned away from the count,
We life and discontented with what they term its discomforts ar
ii launch out into life in the great city with all its perls, whe
to- many of them are finally wrecked. It would be far better for tt
er country if we could keep our intelligent young men and your
We women in the country and not have them migrate to the city,