The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-11-13
FARM MACHINERY NOTES
ENTIRE NOUS
BY Marco Polo

y
next chair neighbor and /, anent classes,
pupils and methods. The subject then
became general; others joining in and re-
lating their experiences and observations.
On one or two points the general trend
of remarks appeared to agree. One, the
problem of getting the pupils to study and
prepare their lessons the night previous;
the other, the inclination of sighting the
elementary periods and plunge into the
advanced part of the studies.
1t is healthy sign of the interest that
the teaching staff under Prof. Holland
take in their work when even at time
when one would assume their thoughts
and remarks would be addressed to SUBJ
jects more personal in nature, they employ
some Of that time in exchanging views up
on the subject via which they are enabled
to get together and talk. The writer is
under the conviction that free exchange
of views upon the question would prove of
great value to every one of us in our work,
and, by way of breaking ice, venture to
submit the following; trusting that others
of my confreres will follow with their re-
spectve point of view:
The points of similarity between the
child beginning school days and the
adults which compose our are, of course,
apparent. To the child, the first tottering
steps OF the primer days become monot-
onous and irksome; he is ever anxious to
turn over the leaf; there are strange entic-
ing pictures further on in the book and,
before the impression of the ga and the
open-jawed alligator lying at its foot as
sumes a tangible meaning to him, he is
taking sly peeks at the F'Z'' with its ac-
comparing capering zebra. But as proves
to be the case with us, we are up against
more-shall | say, serious and excusabIe
curiosity; we are dealing with grown ups to
whom hitherto the experience has been de-
MED and who, realizing their backward
ness in the rudiments, are anxious to get
on and slight what appears to them as
AS to the difficulties of getting them to
prepare their lessons on the night previous
to the class session, the writer is of the
opinion that it would be hard matter to
accomplish, in fact, it would be out of
reason to ask and expect them to apply
themselves exclusively to the preparation of
their next nights lesson when close at hand
they have their weeklies and magazines.
This and other matters of like nature are
clear to my brother teachers, so, the thing
is to make the best of the time allotted for
classes in the three days of the week
The writer's experience last term when
he first entered the teaching corps induced
him to apply to Prof. Holland for permits
sion to put into operation at the beginning
of this term system which so far. has Civ
en- fairly good results, and to illustrate it,
he will present the routine of the class over
which he presides
The number of pupils is twelve The
studies comprise geography, grammar,
spelling and arithmetic; the grade being
that which would correspond with the
studies of grammar schools of medium
grade; the manner of conducting the sever
al studies is, as follows
Geography at every session: The les
son is read; each scholar a paragraph; the
rest following the lector and ready and to
pick up the following paragraph when called
upon. Clear enunciation and the proper
pauses in the punctuation insisted upon-in
a word, it is a reading lesson, using that
text book in lieu of the reader This les
son, as well as Others that have preceded it.
is reviewed by memory the following class
night.
Grammar: The lesson is read, rules
memorized and pupils required to parse
given sentence, which includes such words
that are governed by the rules already
learned. They are, as well, asked to form
sentences correctly using the parts of
speech subject of the7lesson.
Spelling: Four pages of the standard