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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Brussels Post, 1889-6-14, Page 7t JUNE 14, 1889. fingers, ant patches in the tore taut, iucliates the others, and is a raekiug the c.11il:l 1t Mere receptive gowns, and put all disorderly lioulte menus of sneering the °there, For ouaehiu' . He °parole not bo allowed and onion into beautiful order. thia reason I will not notice them to auswcr ill the words of the teacher and thou I would drill myself into separately. any MOM than in the htuguaga of keeping thane so. to all l teeing oar atm sietald ba rile 10/1.4.1X1)k. Ifo a 11/111,1 bo 41111/10i If, on looking at tuyaolf caolty to footer a love for reading, arid to to oxprctl iii: thoughts or the and ethically au if I were somebody cultivate a testa for the right kiwi thoughts of the author' iu his own from the tropic° or the paha just of literature, so that when at papil presented, 1 (locoweed toet there 1 leaven oci,00l be will centime° Ins was really not ono art, tioeotnplisfu. education iudopeudeutly of any mant or trade that t knew, I would other teacher than the author of the set about learning suluuthiug at bolt ho may be reading. ono°. A sweet, browu•eyod girl in Ilistory presents a vast field of my parlor one oveoiug told mo she reading, into whieti the atudout is was studying stenography. ushered Ly the teacher, and over "With a view of supporting your• which lie may roan!, born pausing self ?" I said. to pluck a fragrant !lower, there to "Certainly. Papa has enongb to gaze upon sumo fascinating ',ano- de to take care of the others, I rams, auou he feels hie wbolo soul want to help educate the little vibrate with emotion over some stir ones," ring 160110 in the great drama which "But do you find it easy r has beau coated in the centuries "Not very easy yet," Phe replied ; gone by. What child is not aroused "brit I em learning i4 thoroughly. to Melo after higher clime by the If I become a stenographer, I in- narration of the struggles for free tend to bo the boat stenographer dont of each men as Allred, Lang - that my teaoher can possibly make ford, Montfort, Wallace, Tell, of ins." Luther and many others, who op - Whether or not my readers shall posed tyranny, error and supereti- ever epee to ware money for them tion in their varied forma ? What .elves, if they are poioess0c1 of Common aena0 they w111 appreonite the convenience of having a tool in their hands which they will know how to neo if ever the time of Want shall come. This is the ago of the epeoialist. General information is apt to be vague and inexact. Gen- eral information is apt to be vague and inexact. (those for yourself a epe0lal line, and resolve that on that line yon will rise to a high rank. Tho finest fruit grows ou the Highest boughs. There ie always room at the top. History in Public Schools. THE BRUSSELS POST cblibtetz's g.ziter. T11011OUGIINEleS. A few menthe ago, in it 6or11110 inland city, a woman found herself thrown upon her owe re8nuree+l. Icor husband, gulag out in the morning in health, strength and fn1no88 of aotivity, was .caught be. two= two Oars throb came crash• ing together, and, maimed for life, was brought home to the brave little woman, who must henceforth be the bread -winner, and care fur him who had generously cared for her. But whet was she to do te ,Like ,many another home keep- ing woman, she had boon trained in no bread -winning art. To the slightly held a000mpliabments of girl -hood, what used to be styled the 'ornamental braaobee,' in in n000nt oblivion of the mockery thus described, atnee nothing is omit mental whish la notparfeotiy rauder- ed or daintily executed, she had added nothing. Bather bad she lost during the busy years of wife hood and motherhood the little ekiri once attained. Of course elle a old MAY ; but sowing menet slavery, and tho gaining of a more pittance at the best. Her courage would have failed had not love uervo.l her to do what she feared wee at best a forlorn hope. "I can make cookies," obo sold, "Aunt Debby taught me to du that. Perhaps I may succeed in keeping a roof over our heads by my °kill in baking cookies." It came to pass that her first tray of cookies toothsome, melting is the mouth, delicately baked to a pale golden brown, was placed by a sympathizing friend on a conntar in his shop. A Lady, one of those seueible mothers who do not feed their children on Indiscriminate compounds perilously rich, obeery ed these home -looking cakes, and was reminded of bar ohildish fea,ate in the old farmstead in New Eng land. "Precisely," she exclaimed, what I want for Ethel's luncheon party to -morrow. I will take the trayful, and I will leave an order for cookies to bo sent me every Saturday. Ono told another of the wonder- ful good cakes, and before long the orders came in so fast that our friend found herself in business. The one homely thing which she had learned to do thoroughly was the dependence of the entire house hold. A boy on a Now England farm was impatient that day after day, when other boys were playing, lie was obliged to go off on the hills with the sheep. "Never mind Jonathan," said a wise old uncle, consolingly ; "if you tend the sheep you will have the sheep." Mach the lad puzzled over this utterance, which seemed to him like an enig- ma ; but in duo time, when be was Jonathan Sburgee. a great merchant with ships going to and fro on the high sear, he found out what the good old man meant, viz„ that dili- gence and fidelity always briug their own reward to the industrious. "I had excellent opportunities," remarked a lady one day, "but when I went to sahool 1 did not im prove my time. To get through a loasou in any way, so as to escape being marked down, was the extent of my ambition and only when le was too late to repair the mischief did I awake to a 80nae of my folly." "1Vly dear," said the Bev. Samuel Wesley to his wife Susanna, as she patiently taught one of the children to read—"My dear, you have told that child the same thing twenty tiros over," "Yes, my love," rile answo}'ed :- "I found that nineteen times would not do." O1 a pertain ma0 it was said not long ago en my preeenoe, "He 18 not brilliant nor clever, but when he knows a thing he knows it root and.leranoh, and nobody needs to go over his work for it i8 sure to be right." I toy be writing to somebody who acknowledges in her own seoret heart that she is nob thorough. She knowe that she uses pins instead of strings, loaves buttons hanging by 18 thread and drops them in oon8e- quence, forgets that a stitch in time saves nine, audio generally incense- quent and cnreloas. Shall I tell her what sort of a housekeeper she will make if she ever has a house ? Probably snob a ono as Mrs. Jelly - by made, the lady with a mission, whose porbraib is drawn in Bleak House. Go to your bookshelf, take down the book, and read the wonderful eataloguo of the midoel- lany which came out of the closets on the occasion of Oaddy'0 marriage. Yeti think there is no danger of your ever roeon:Ming bhis &teens incompetent 2 I hopo not, but it is very easy to slip downhill when once you have started, and climb- ing up is hard work. In your place I would begin tide very day to Inonc'l ovoy root, darn all the holes in the stockings, repair the glover ity 6Y. U. tough, Principal or the 1116 1186 Model School. Presidelit and fellow teachers : History is a subject that has been very little diaouseed at our meetings, and I believe thie is a mistake. We have to devote a oonsidorable por- tion of our time to the teaching of the subject, and have not paused to consider whether wo could not more profitably expend the limo on some other subject. This paper has been undertaken with the hopo that a lively discussion will be evoked. It will do us all good to get some of our rough corners ground off, and perhaps after hearing of the difficul- ties of others we will bo encouraged in our own work. "What is the use of studying bis tory ?" is a question that has fre- quently been asked me by pupils. They can see the value of reading, arithmetic, writing, composition, tee , but history requires so motile time, and there is so much that requires explanation that they conclude it could bo better to put the time on the other aubjecte. "Wo can read history for ourselves after leaving school," they say. Can wo censure pupils for not wishing to study a subject which affords no practical benefits ? But, someone may say, you do not make it interesting enough, or they would love the sub- ject. Of suoh I ask in passing, Oen you make history interesting and prepare a class for entrance in from six to eighteen months, with- out eaorificing time that should be devoted to other branches ? But my pupils are nob the only persona who regard history in this light. H. Spencer says, "That •bis- tory as now written is useless. 11 does not illustrate the right principle of political action. Tho groat mass of historical facts are facts from which no oonclusions can be drawn —unorganizable feats, and, there. fore, recta of no service in eetabliah- ing principles of conduct, wbicli ua the chief use of facts." Bain says, "The full bearing of history oannot be understood without much previous knowledge and some experience of the world, and where these reguisitea are found thorn is little need of a teaoher. The historical works, an- cient and modern, are the self - chosen private reading of our mature years." 13y way of parenthesis I would say, 1 have found my exper- ience coincide with the above, I have Annul my beat students of his- tory to he those who are great readers. Mr. Payne says, "That history, as taught in all our better schools, has an almost in- comparable culture value, amend, I think, only to literature." Ho grades history as follows : Practical value, direct -low, indirect-inedium ; diseip. unary value, specific -low, Tnnio, High. I believe Mr. Payne is right, but in this utilitarian age culture is given a subordinate rank, In my opinion, the alma of teach- ing the subject are 08 foliowe 1-- Ist, To oreato in pupils a twat() for reading. 2nd, To train pupils to form opinions for thomselvoa, 8rd, To At pupils for the duties of Citi. xenohip, 4th, A8 a moans of aut. Wm. 'Phone alms aro inseparably, eon - noted and the furet, to a sonnei tot. T1111 TEXT -01(1K. 13014wiu 801y8 "As fur 88 mere. ly lntelleotual educ;:thin is 0eucera• ed the moae important lesson that on be learut by the Immix fa liow !0 use the toxbbool: to the beet 1 tldyan1ag0. Tito treueUre(1 limit. words, Thee WO 41101111 not write ledge and wieder!' of the c 1 r:i is • full 018111316113 all 1110 btaol:boerd, as stored in boto,n, ami tb,- a rule, bat o(Ily saggoative words to gaining this knowledge from their assist the memory of the child. Oar0 pages sb°uld be communicated by 011141 ate) he taloa that pr2v1,4,11 is every teacher to every pupil. Can made for independent thought and we make the Public School text - reading ou the part of the pupil. book "understandable," or "learn - "Never do for a WAR what he can able ?" Without fear of contradie- do for himself," 1a a good rule. "I)o tion 2 I answer, no. not epoonfeed children," is another. Again, Baldwin saya :—"The Thou the query arises, Should the language of the text.boolt should be chalk bo used after or before the correct and choice, and the style elites have studied the 10880n for olear, vigorous, and vivaefoua. A themselves ? I think, with rt suit- textbook written in a style beyond able textbook, ntoattoP the lonsone the capacity of the pupil is nee only should be studied by the elms before useless, but positively injurious, the topic is taken up by the teacher. 8in00 either the pupil become+ die (It being understood that the lesson gusted with the study and no•_lects l has been properly assigned.)Th .) Th 't altogether, or he cotntnits to wptn- challt should bo used for the purpose ory the language of tho book under of summarizing the chief points in the °mini ua impres lett that he is the lawn. acquiring knowledge, lend time his mental habits ere csrioristy, pmrm(inarltly, vitiated " Does our text -book meet the re - Baia 2 .Cho belt tt1�tt can b+: said about tiro au'hrito f8 ilial 01,4 resemble Cromwell in that they live a century or two 11(160x( their time. When the "c(icuiug t,aob're" will have prepared the great -grand -par- ents, grand -parents, and li;pent, of the future generiteotis to speak and understand a style a step in elvauee of Johnsonian English the book may be of use, Until then I move that it be relegated to the shelvee of some mu80um of curiosities there to remain till resurrected by some searcher after the "Curiosities of Literature," and I hopo that the authors and tho authorizers of the book will long ere that have receiv- ed (in this life) their reward for the wrinkles and grey hairs they have produced on the heads of teachers and children by their lack of know lodge of child capacity. Here are a few specimens of bin guago from page 110: "Bute t,e- came the beat abutted mita in the country," "inveighed." "inadequ atoly compensated," "legil tr.va mala," "profligate," "scurrility," "declared the eommeu'e of Wilkee seditious," "maladtniufstra.hie ." Here is a sentence from page 111: "Meanwhile, the Grenville ministry had passed away with ire suttee°ors under the leadership of Leek Rock- ingham and the Duke of Grafton, and was followed by the adminlstra (CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ) The °inject i:r lea remembered child doe not ruCeft cvitll horror through the details, and the skeleton from tales of oppression, 0on84 of should be picked after the meet 1118 cruelty and brutality perpetrated by those who fancied they had tae 'divine right' to lord it over (lad's halftime on this fair earth ? Those emotions shuald be utilized in developing lofty sentiments and encouraging nobility and iadepeud 0030 of oharaoter. We ehuted train our children to love right because it is right, to sympathize with the op - profiled, and to assiet those In troablo, or the unfortunate. I believe there to no subject which can be made more interesting than history, and none which will give broader views, and remove the oou (cite, prejudices and bigotry of the narrow minded. True, • if a man read but one author, he will imbibe his views, and may think that what ho does not know about the subject is not worth knowing. But, if he read end' extremes ae Macaulay and Lingard, and see the character of some of the prominent persons who have figured in the past por- trayed in each opposite colors be will bo led to think that the most important thing in the work of edu- cation is to encourage thought. We have too few thinkers in the world. The groat mass of people is led by a few. There is always hope for a man when he begins to think. Turning from the arbors mention- ed, Ino is compelled to road some moderato viewed historian, such ae Hallam or Green. After reading suoh a variety of ways of looking at the history of the same events, he would bo led to determine that it is best not to pin hie faith in history, politics or religion, to any individ- uals omit sleeve. As we read the characters of men and women, as depicted iu history, we are led to ooneider how far our characters correspond with theirs. We are induced to show the faults and to aim to cultivate the good qualities of others. Wo see that few come near the attainment of a full-orbed manhood, and we aro en- couraged to greater aotiviby by see- ing the lofty position that frail humanity has sometimes reaehed, and as wo read of the work of such mon as Wilberforce, Howard, leo., we resolve to take our stand in the ranks of those who are engaged on the side of light against the forces of darkness, and to endeavor to do and dare and, departing, leave the world the bettor of our having lived. Again, let us consider the division of the subject into the customs of the people, religious advancement, progress of literature and education, biography, explorations, commercial and manufacturing enterprises, i0• venbione and discoveries, struggles for freedom and political reform, and other topios. How well calculated they are to draw out and cultivate the nobler motives. How well adopted some of them are to interest the student and to aid in the acquisi- tion of knowledge of the world which will fit him to perform the duties of citizenship. How much better fitted to en- noble the oharaoter and prepare a youth for the stern realities of life than our yellow -covered literature, or snob sentimental nonsense a0 is written by the popular novelist of to- day, who is flooding the county with 0130 work after another, as if he had a feverish anxiety lest he should die before his work is done. Our children will read something, and what is the great queation that concerns parents and more espeoial• ly teachers, and those who £rem° the program of studies for our scholars. Aro we, as teachers, to be placed in a position 10 interest. pupils so that we can guide this love for reading in the right dim - time or not ? 110w TO TLA011 11±5±011±, 1 110110V history should be taught by means of the chalk and 11a0k- board. Thou the queation arises, holy -mach should w0 put ou the blotokboahl 11 Wo ni.ust guard against been takeu elf, not before, We should take advantage of the "taw of a400Oittti011 mid euggeation " We malts au cat1it10 for the 1urpo33 of assis1iug the memory. I think the boot method is to got the pupils to tali whist they can of the topics muter cousidsration, and thou reward their exartioua by add ing, to the Imo .lodge obtaiued by independent effort, some iuterestiag facts. Then place a eynepsts of the Mason on the board, drawing as much as possible from the pupils, :;till there are many lessons which must be carefully taught before the pupils eau grasp the meaning. The teaoher must be prepared to give different opinions on many topics and assist pupils to form conclusions from them. rake for instance the Execution of Charles I. Here pupils must bo led to see that by the pro- visions of the Great Charter the king dud not receive a fair trial and that therefore hie sentence and exeoation were not justifiable. This topic affords the teacher an opportunity to impress a great moral principle, that of patio to all. ±011± 00Un8P IN 1115T01±. Can history be taught profitably and properly with our present course and textbook 2 From my exper. fence, after trying many methods, I do not hesitate to avower 111 the negative. The field is too large to work profitably in the time at our die poral. To prepare au average class for entrance examination in one year, at least one llottr a clay must t be devoted to history, in order to make a fair tvork on the 'loading features,' but when we see the papers set and find that the meaning given to 'leading features' by the man who sets the paper is not in accordance with our ideas, and that some of the questions aro of suoh ct nature as to require a mature mind to auewer them, we are iuoliued to think that to teach the subject as it should be taught, in order to cultivate a taste for reading and to train to indepen- dent thought, we would require about six hours a day. The prosect 'course, enstead of advancing the cause of education, hinders it. Ask the librarians of our Mechanics' Institutes how many of our young people read historical works. Ie it any wonder that pupils are disgusted with the subject ? Instead of giving them an appetite for such food we make the subject 11611809118. We give them the bonds of the fowl and ask them to digest these Aral, then wo turn them adrift to complete the structure out of those dry bones. I believe Quick is right when he says, "I neither despise a knowledge of history and geography, nor do I think that these studies should be neglected fox foroigu languages or science ; and et le because I should wish a pupil of wine to become in the end thoroughly conversant in history and geography, that I should, if possible, conceal from him the exietenoe of the numerous school manuals on these subjects. Wo will suppose," he continuos, "that a par - ant meets with a book which ho thinks will bo both instructive and entertaining to his children. But the book is a large one and would take a long time to get through ; so, stead of reading any part of it to them or lotting them road it for themselves, ho makes them learn the index by heart, The children do not find it entertaining; they get a hor- ror of the boob, which prevents their over looking at it afterwards, and they forgot the iudex as some as they possibly cat. Just such is tho sagacious plat adopted in teaching history la schools, and such are the natural ooneequeuoes. Wo give the epitome first, stud allow it to pro - cede, ar miller to supplant, the knowledge epitomized. Tlio child - von are disgusted, and no Wender," 7 TH , XK' F T FRIEND Private Funds to Loan. IIave been placed in may hands for Investment ou real estate. LOWEST HATE OF INTEREST. \'o Commission. I3ou'rower's can have 101111800111- pleted in Three Days if title satisfactory. 11x, M. SINCL AII., ,$oliiiiter. lirussets, Brilliant ! Durable Economical ! 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