The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-21

these subjects and is not too young
to be taught the first principles, just
as we'll as read lessons of subjects so
soon forgotten. One lesson thor
oughly studied and worked out in
various ways instead of rushing a
class of thirty or forty through in
order to grab up another book and
push through pages of paragraphs on
everything on the topside of the earth
when only a phenomenal child can
remember more than the most start
ling thing in the book. And so on
with language and grammar, apply its
most important parts to the reading
and leave the intricate parts to be
studied by those having a taste for
1t and the preparation of teachers.
Our Hazen spoilers carry out this
idea in giving the class (grammar)
words belong in. definitions, forms,
etc., in one lesson.
The writing can just as clearly teach
"a sentence is composed of two or
more words" or other things peril
nent to the daily lessons as the f1owery
f1ourishes we see.
Now what business man in our
| town or state follows printed form
and analysis, or does mental arith-
metical tricks in his every day bust
| ness problems?
Very we'll, make UP an arithmetic
of our mems problems, and we have
those here in every subject between
| the covers of the primary and gram
mar grade books, and they will be
the ones our children will have to do
and not those of some mathematical
experts whose well rounded phrases
in analysis sound as sonorous as any
orators, and mean as little to the
child's brain in most cases. Let the
teachers follow the child's reasoning
| instead Of the infant straining for
| adult reasoning. I am sorry to say I
know instances where our teachers
/ have given zero and remarks because
pupil could not repeat word for
word analysis applied to problems that
were different in phrasing from the
one illustrated. Teachers forget that
| the pupils are going by while they
keep the same subject for years.
| Drawing is an essential. 1t trains
hand and eye. Who is not required
/ to judge distance and dimensions
many times day. 1t is also a re-
Taxation from the concentration neces-
sary for the studies.
| Music Is an essential to my mind.
| Under trained vocal or voice Gull
! ture teacher the children will be
taught proper breathing and tone pro-
| duction not only for singing but for
| speaking and reading. Our school
| children all have voices, and the one
| who cannot carry an air will be the
| exception in a room but the ear is also
trained and where one though very
| fond of music and cannot carry an
air the trained ear Will overcome the
| defect in time, and such a scholar
may have the pleasure of singing as
correctly as any one. This I know
personally. Now while all are not
musically inclined, is 1t not worth
the few minutes times to listen to
it, and at least know something of II
when being discussed. the period fur
nishing relaxation from study. The
most beautiful singing imaginable is
by boy choirs. The boys voice be-
tween twelve and fifteen should be
especially watched that 1t may come
true for after years.
Singing is now taught in schools as
easily as reading by chart. l do not
think 1t should come in for examina-
ton other than class work, a dem
onstration of what the teacher can
1 produce.
1t will be the means of developins
musical sentiment In our midst
when we may enjoy choral work as
other cities do.
Medical examinations we certainly
should have, children having benefit
of trained eye and ear for defects
that are not noticed or ignored, and
then maybe the doctors can convince
the powers that be that examinations
are nervous strains productive of very
little good.
MRS. HARRY W. GIBBS.