The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-12-15
HOW TO VITALIZE OUR |
COURSE OF STUDY

The following paper was read by
Supt. n. l.. Humphrics Of the Ker-
shaw graded school. a, the Teach
ers' Institute, held hera during lair
week:
| To vitalize our course of study
| first, we must not cater to the
selected FEW. who are to enter cot
, lege. but 10 all the children of our
community: we must prepare the
I ninety-seven for actual participa-
tton in eipEfell as the three FOR
college SSSbpf, we must arrange
our studies %S85'fhat promotions shall
be made aH52apid as possible. to
%void the continuous dropping out
/ Of pupils, even up to the tenth
year, especially in the eighth and
lhnth grades.J 1t has been found
ttat the majority of these were due
t4 non-promotions, thus becoming
i,2er-aged for his class. and the
studies not being fitted to the needs
of the child. Yes, they get a Job
when they leave; driving cart.
running srrands, and the like, but
what chance of promotion or ad-
vancement do these offer? Have we,
as teachers, done our duty? No,
and why not? Because we have
not offered him work suitable to his
needs and tastes. thus not fulfilling
our purpose of feeding the masses,
instead of the selected few, who
yielded to our ide2 that what's good
for one is good for all. All children
can be interested and held in the
school. by some force, and next 10
the force of the teacher should be
ranked the course of study This
must meet the needs of the different
children. Not their tastes clone,
NUT their needs differ. and must be
satisfied by the work offered
Let us recall the fact that there
must be and is n purpose" for
teaching every subject in our pres
ent curriculum, This purposes is!
in every case, real one although
we pursue the different courses with
different purposes. First, the real
purpose of studying, reading (study
phase,) spelling. geography (politi-
caD and history is the learning OF
facts. Second, the real purpose Of
studying. arithemetic, algebra, geo
metry, grammar, sciences, geography
is for the understanding of truths;
and the deveIopment of tnougnt.
nese Two purposes are wen IuI-
filled and amplifed in our present
course of studies, as suggested by
list above. Naturally the studies
and purposes grade into, or over
lap each other to o greater or less
extent however, the last and the
purpose that should be emphasized
most, because 1t is supplied poorer
than either OF the others: and yet
ranked on an equal basis with the
purpose of learning facts and UNI
derstanding of truths, is the acquisa-;
tion Of Skill" The studies that tend
most to develop this purpose, are
, oral reading; spoken language;
writing, drawing, music, manual
training, domestic science, and ag-
ricuiture. We quote the saying,
Reading maketh a full man." but
do we require enough reading to
make him a full man, OF do we have
enough oral reading to have him d
skilled reader? Next, Conference
maketh ready, man" and do we
have enough correctly spoken recita-
tions ito makefiiim skilled in con-,
versation? "Writing maketh an ex-s
act man" Dc we give to the world,
skilled writers. eDo we dSrsttS
enough attention to either OF the
tTaio,ns' to1ioTiss' aon, arsx,ss sss.ss, sseas5
culture? Yet..the prime purp0se OF
tSsse is t4& !Si55g.g 90 I. .. T. wMsys'
what women does the home or office
demand? Those skilled and trained