The Holt County sentinel., 1913-10-17
Educational News.
(By EARL A. ROCK, co. SUIT. SCHOOLS. }
THE COURSE OF STUDY.


In order that the aims of the school
may be attained the everyday work or
the pupil must be widely planned and
carefully directed. The aim of the
school cannot be secured unless the
material used In the instruction is
wisely selected, carefully arranged
and graded, and properly correlated
and alternated. Thus the course of
study Is the most natural expression
Of the aims OF the school.
Until recently there has been no
general recognition by the American
people Of the vast importance Of the
elementary course Of study. But Of
late years educators have given much
study to the course Of study for the
elementary schools. Courses have
been modified by the wedding out OF
the purely formal exercises, like pars-
ing, the spelling Of long lists Of unre.
lated words, arithmetical oddities,
and mechanical map questions In ge.
ography, and by the introduction IN
their place OF interesting and useful
knowledge Of all kinds. Art In the
form Of music, drawing, and painting:
literature and history In the form OF
stories. myths. legends, and biogra.
PIXIES: science under the name OF VA.
ture study, agriculture, elementary
botany, zoology, and physiology, and
on the side Of expression We have
hand work, physical and manual
raining, and domestic science.
Asa result Of the demands made
upon the school. and IN order 10 az.
complish the aims of tie school " Is
clear that TO construct an ideal course
Of study IL a very difficult, piece Of
work. In making course Of study
there are three great problems
involved. Namely: the selection Of
studies, the order Of topics and studies.
aud correlation oi subjects.
In selection OF subjects there are
various theories ~ to how the >clcc.
ton should he made and different
standards have been sci upon which
to determine the relative Nalu. "
studies. But after much prolonged
aud bitter discussions among ,duca.
tors no general plan Of selection has
been definitely settled upon. liui
educators agree that the three Rs do
not make an ideal course Of siudy
Many agree that Their, are six groups
of studies that should he represented
IN every year Of the elementary
course: language. and literature. sci.
cncc mathematics. history, art and
motor lriiVity
Language /, studied IN the clc.
nrn' a. course ~ thu form ~ read.
Ing. spelling. writing, composition.
literature, and grammar. II has A. a
study an three uf the EDUCATIONAL
yalu",, I'ilir,. discipline. aud cul.
turr. irr II l., lir,'. The mran~ ui rum.
muui'.'ius and 4 !, ihr culri mvan,
10y wiirl pUpil, acquire kuuwlrdg".
bnfu Boo -rIrp. aud after lite: second,
'hrIuGU every sag" Ui ~" learner =
progress 10" Mus. exercise the closest
power ~ observation. sure memory,
NiNii iulgiuar ION, krrn comparison
and iUlsurn': ,hiri, from the lir>'
lesson be- Nurk IN language should hc
expended irun mairrial both inter.
cSting AMI valuable IN Itself \ love.
for good literature and reading must
he lus'rrcd Df course this result
cannot he attained II children are
confined I % one ~, uf readers for seven
or eight years of school life.
Science should he represented lay
nature study, agriculture, geography,
and physiology u j. tHc purpose ui
these studies ~ bring the pupil into
intelligent and sympathetic relation
with hl> environments, Ia cultivate
his ppNcrs Of perception, 10 open his
eyes o. see aud his heart 10 feel the
beauty IT the world about him and 10
lay Il foundation for the apprcciatiye
study OF ugrurii sciences later In his
COURSE,
\ knowledge Of arithmetic j. the
first step In lac conquest Of nature,
Aritlnetir enters into all other sub,
jectS, ~ that there are countless op.
portunities To teach and apply mum.
bers outside ~ the recitation for that
subject, Children have natural love
for comparing, measuring and esti.
mating. These all require judgment.
History in the form Of folklore,
legends, traditions, stories, and bi.
ographies should find a place In all
elementary courses during the first
four years. History deals with &C.
tions and human motives, It presents
virtues and vices in concrete form,
and thus presents the child ideals of