The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-09-25

proach 10 the profile All
Other DnUilDn-spea11ng nations
follow this Uenefal pattern. and
do nj seean b nave such I vast
reading and spelling problem Is
tint u the United States which
esnplAsises the sieAt reading
method. Tests In this country
seem 10 Indicate that where the
phonetic system Is used, the ma
jority Of students do read better,
sooner. and proceed In all read
ing areas faster. tOhe should
add THAT phonics IA not just for
the mentally gifted or the rich.
while sight-reading is for the
masses. In poor. culturally de-
pfived areas Of Chicago and
Washington. D. c., for instance,
where phonetic methods have
been tried. the overall results
have been SUPERIOR.
1t would appear to be merely
an application Of common sense
to teach a child to read when
he shows an interest In words
and in learning how to read.
One wonders how many pre-
school children have had the
sharp and useful edge Of first
enthusiasm unreasonably dulled
when they have been told by
well-meaning parents, "Wait I'M
til you get to the first garde,
when you are six. and then
you'll be taught how to read"
This whole business that chill
dren simply can't learn to read
before they reach a mental age
of 6N2 is being disproved yearly
in other English-speaking coun-
tries. 1t is not being seriously
questioned" in this country says
John W. Gardner. president of
the Carnegie Corp. of New York,
which finances much educational
research. And if parents will
think of an age when their chill
dren seemed the most alert
mentally. the most eager to ex-
plOre and learn about their en-
vironment, the most overlooking
with questions. the most ready
to accept intellectual guidance
and e a CHI ing by adults, that
time more often than not will be
remembered as four and five.
The result is produced by
schools like the international
Montessori schools and by indi-
viduals, who "pick up" children
when they show this initial Gag
erness to learn and conquer
their environment, indicate that
when this desire is satisfied, al
though on a childish level, it in
itiates and enforces a working
of the mind and attitude toward
life that is extremely hard to
change.
On the other hand, (and here
the writer goes somewhat out on
a limb. let children, especially
boys, do nothing much but play
until they are six. or beyond,
when athletic coordination and
the supreme Importance of play
with groups of friends begin,
and one finds this perhaps is
where the schools lose a large
number Of potential scholars
who would still be coordianted
and friendly anyway.
It is unfortunate that no real
conclusions can be made at, this
time. 1t can be said, however,
that things seem to be looking
up, educationally aking.
Something is stirring around the
country. Considerable numbers
of people are taking fresh. in
telligent, common sense look at
the schools, and a few people
are doing something about the
situation. The results of the pres
ent concern should be of great
interest to a nation reared in
the concept of high belief in the
ability and character of the in
dividual.
Author Mayer points out in his
book that the higher the view
one has of the human poten-
tial." the more one will dislike
the schools as they are.
But the schools. along with the
aims of the country in general,
will have to be of more genuine
concern to a greater number of
people before sweeping changes
can be expected.