Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-29

When the superintendent or visitors
come in, the backward pupil is never
called on. He is continually warned
| that he must get a certain per cent,
or cover so much work in order to
| pass. If he is of timid nature, he is
in constant fear of failure. He may
| work hard and go to the class well pre-
| pared, but he has lost confidence in
| himself, so does not dare to express
what he really knows.
| In mass teaching, the interests and
| needs of the Individual child are neg
| lected. We reach only the mediocre
class of pupils. The abnormal, or
quick pupil is compelled to mark time
because of the inability of his fellows
to keep pace with him, and the sub
normal, or slow, pupil is urged, coaNed,
threatened. pushed, and pulled forward
by his teacher to keep him up to grade.
She works with him, or rather for him,
loading his mind with what he does
not understand and cannot use. in the
hopes Of fitting him for promotion. The
| atmosphere of failure is ever with him
and his teacher. The number of pupils
who are forced to leave school in this
way is shamefully large.
The only way of escape from this
deplorable state is to abandon mass
work and adjust means and methods
to the capacity and ability of each pu-
pill; to reach the individual pupil
through individual work Divide the
pupils of each room into sections ac-
cording to ability and attainment. Leg
each one strike his own pace and ad-
vance as rapidly as he can, promoting
him from group to group as individual
circumstances may require. Each pu-
pill will be enabled to complete the
work of the course in d time proper
tionate to his ability and effort. Com
bine this plan with individual instruc
ton according to the Batavia system,
and many will be saved from becoming
discouraged and leaving school. Edu-
cation will not mean survival of the
fittest.' but suitable instruction will be
given to each pupil. The slow pupil
will not be eliminated; for the minis
tration of the teacher will be as much
to him as to any other pupil. He will
receive the sympathy, encouragement,
and help he so much needs. He will
find that he can advance as fast again
as he could in the old way. He will be
strength, and chance to do what he
is capable of doing. The bright pupil
will be given chance to do extensive
and intensive work to keep him ever
busy and his education will be the
product of industry, intelligence, and
integrity. Under this plan, bad habits
Of study will be corrected, self-reliance
will be taught, and the pupil will learn
that no one can do as much for him as
he can do for himself.
The second reason why pupils, do not
finish their education is because the
schools are not adapted to actual needs
of the child. We have tried to fit the
child to the school, instead of making
the school meet the needs of the child, |
so that he ma ybe worthy of the voca
ton wherein he is called" We must
cease catering to the demands of the
colleges and give him such training as
will best fit him for service in life.
Because we have not kept ever be-
fore us that the school exists for the
child and not for the teachers, princi-
pal. and superintendent, we find little
organic connection between elementary
and secondary education; and, between
and commercial pursuits of today,
there is a great gulf. The problems
that confront us are these: How shall
we make the whole school work one
harmonious process, each part direct
outcome of what precedes, and vitality
and organcally connected with that
which follows? How shall we make
the life and experience of the school
lead just as vitality and organically tol
the life in which the pupil is soon tol
enter? These conditions exist not only
in the schools in Augusta, but every
where.
The reason for the break between
the grammar school and the high
school may be seen if we recall thei
historic origin of the two schools. Thel
people who Influenced most the char-l
acter OF the school system in the Unit
ed States were the English and the
Dutch The English established col |
lege preparatory schools, where the
young men of noble birth might pre-
pare, not for life, but for college. Their
aim was to educate their children for
places under the government and in
the government church. These schools
were as they are today, dominated
more or less by the colleges. College
graduates were employed as instruc-
tors and the pupils were to meet the
requirements for college entrance
On the other hand, the elementary
schools were the outcome Of the pri-