Evening star., 1936-09-19
Acc ur aCy
Good Trait
To Cultivate
Thoroughness in En-
deavOr Promotes
Success.
Star Stan Photo.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

+ were asked what quality would
best advance student, would say
thoroughness. One idea thoroughly
mastered will generate more power
in the mind and more character in
the soul that host of ideas that
have been scantily served to the mind.
Thoroughly mastered work gives stu
dent clear and sure ideas upon which
he can depend. The partially mas
tered ones have the effect of confus-
ing, troubling, hindering him. Better
never to have touched them than
to have missed them by the way. Bet
ter no trace of them than the dim
one that cannot be seen clearly.
Little children should learn what
they learn once and for all. When
they learn the sounds Of their let
ters. the sight words Of the reading
vocabulary. their tables, let them learn
them thoroughly, so that forever after
they have them at call, certain and
sure. Many of the failures in the
upper grades are caused by lack of
thoroughness in learning the funda-
mentals Of the first subjects-reading
and number.
Accuracy is more important than
speed. One of the causes of q lack
of thoroughness is the desire for speed
in learning and reciting. The little
ones are speeded SO that they have
not time enough to get the clear, sure
pictures, to master the combinations
of numbers. They are asked to give
accurate results before they have ac-
quired accurate impressions, and that
spells failure. Time is an important
element in learning. Children. have
long period Of infancy, so they may
learn thoroughly. but for some reason
or other some school people can't bear
to have them use their time for learn
ing. They insist that they use it for
expressing what is not yet formed for
expression.
The older students have the same
need. They need time to be thorough.
The time needed varies with the indi-
vidual, so there should be variety in
the programs Of the children. We do
not find that often. We find whole
class forced to do that same amount
of work in the same time, We find
examinations close on the heels of les
sons, 50 that students are required to
express knowledge that Is not suffi-
GENTLY seasoned for expression. A Pc
riod of time should elapse between
the learning and reciting Of facts be-
fore tests are given. The facts ought
to be turned over again and again and
allowed to seep into the minds Of the
students before they are called upon
to express them.
To all this the teachers will say
that they have no time, and they for
the greater part speak accurately.
Why Is there not time? Because we
want the students to do too much in
the time they have. We will have to
cut down the amount of subject mat
ter to. suit the type Of student. We
will have to allow them all, from the
infant class to the college seniors,
time to master the courses they take,
time to season their knowledge to
make 1t into power.
Teachers agree on this. What they
cannot agree on is the material to be
dropped. My idea would be that the
students needs settle what and how
much he can do In Q given time. A
skilled teacher very soon judges the
capacity Of . student, and If given
the opportunity to adjust his program
to his needs and abilities he can do
so. Then thoroughness could find its
right place in the scheme Of educa-
ton.