250 WISCONSIN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. er. WORK INTELLIGENTLY. faithful citizens, and above all as respon sible beings.-L. L. Camp, in Conn. School In order to realize the nature of any Journal. work, we must understand two things, iz:-the object to be worked upon, and Try AGAIN; THERE IS NO REMAINDER.– che design to be accomplished by it, or When I was a lad, just after I had n other words, we must have a clear idea commenced the puzzling study of arithof the end to be attained. metic, I one day had occasion to seek the This is the case with all labor. The teacher's aid in solving a “question."sculptor first studies carefully the most It was in Division, and cipher as I would, graceful forms, the fairest and most sym- I could not get an “answer without a netrical models of beauty. Then when remainder.” After “trying” for two is ideal is fixed in his mind, he selects long hours, I took my slate, marched up he rough block of marble, measures its to the desk, and handed it to the teachdimensions, studies carefully the grain or He looked at the work, said not a trata, and endeavors to ascertain whether word, wrote something on the slate, and nis ideal does really exist in that rough handed it back. Vexed and out of papiece of rock. tience with his cool indifference, I returnThe engineer calculates the height of ed to my seat, and after indulging in he mountains to be leveled, estimates the some very rebellious thoughts against Hepth and breadth of the chasms to be him, I read the writing. It was, “ Try panned, or the distance in the solid again; there is no remainder.” The sisranite through which the iron horse lent but expressive sentence gave me nust force his way, uniting city with more assurance than if he had spoken it ity, and hamlet with hamlet. These a dozen times. It inspired me with conhings he must understand fully before fidence. I did try again, and again, and le is ready to make even a beginning. after repeated exertions I succeeded in Thus it is with every business of life. obtaining a correct result, without t must be understood to be accomplish-mainder." d. There must be close calculation, These six words were stamped indelareful study, and at all times a full un- ibly upon my memory, and ever aftererstanding of the great end and object wards, when apparent diffeulty stared me , be attained. in the face in an undertaking, they reHow important then that the teacher, curred to me. Right there before menore than all others, should understand with my mind's eye-I can see them on is work. The material upon which we the slate, every word, every letter diset is mind; the breath of God; that tinctly, and I take fresh courage and “try hich places man so far above all other again.” Those words were the talisman reatures. And shall we not study this to all I have ever accomplished. They ronderful thing? Aye, study earnestly, are not cherished because of their authorhoughtfully, then work faithfully, and ship. The crabbed little schoolmaster ndeavor so to educate our pupils as to that wrote them was the least beloved by it them to act well their part in the me of all my youthful instructors, and usy drama of life, as good and honest yet he wrote six words that are engraved Tembers of society; as intelligent and on my heart. a “re a Editorial Department. won. Make them feel that the noblest victories are those of the mind. Point out the relation of success in study to future prosperity and HOW SHALL I INTEREST MY PUPILS? happiness, and, in short, show them that the exercises of the shool-room are the necessary BE E sure that unless you do, you will fail as a preparation for the future. 2. Jake the school-roon attractive. teacher. Feel that you are responsible for the progress of every child committed to your Let there be no petulance or moroseness charge. Do not excuse yourself by charging there. Be in carnest, let the movements of indifference upon the parents or neglect of teacher and pupil be active and still. Be acduty upon the District Board. Understand commodating and kind. Let the tone of voice that you are to correct, as far as possible, all and the manner of expression be such as will that has been amiss in the conduct of former encourage the timid and restrain the wayward. teachers, as well as to advance the school. In Adorn the walls with works of taste and use, short, do not complain. Study to feel an in- pictures, busts, maps and charts. Let the terest yourself. Enthusiasm is contagious. A school-room be kept scrupulously neat and teacher, in earnest, can do all things. Nothing clean. Make it seem like home. Allow no will supply the want of a deep interest in the boisterous conversation, no rude playing in it. business of teaching. All cannot feel this, as Let it be sacred to what improves, refines and all cannot paint or use the sculptor's chisel, or cducates. write an epic-but let those, who cannot, seek 3. Manifest an interest in the recreations of some other calling. No man can teach except the pupils. he be called. He must be a man in the man- Go to the play-ground,-run, jump and play liest sense of the term, He must be educated, at ball, or engage in any sport you can comjust, generous, kind and firm. IIe must fur- mend. "Be familiar, but by no means vulgar." nish the clearest evidence that his motives are Give evidence that you feel an interest in the disinterested, his objects noble. lie must sym- cnjoyment of your pupils, and you will secure pathize with the unfortunate, defend the de- their friendship. Every teacher should study fenceless, and show in his daily conduct those to understand what sports and games are promanly virtues, that children and youth so much per for the play-ground, and thus be qualified admire. A child instinctively despises a mean to direct there as well as in the school-room. act in a teacher. As to some of the means 4. Cultivate the moral powers of your pupils. which the teacher may adopt we may mention Show them the importance of living for the following: some object truly good. You cannot interest 1. Show a rational interest in the studies of or benefit those who have no rational ideas of the school. the end of life. Show your pupils that God Do not attempt to make the lessons so simple has inseparably joined goodness and happiness, that recitation becomes a pastime. Show your and that to expect the one without the other is ! pupils that effort is the price that all must pay folly. A school is as dependent upon its moral for knowledge. Let them feel that, what is not tone for success, as a community. Reverence striven for is not worthy of them. Inspire the truth in all you say and do, and act and them with a conviction that the studies of feel. Let scholars feel how mean it is to utter school are important, and then all necessary or act a lie. In all your teaching, teach the labor is pleasant. Let them feel that there truth, --never make a rash promise, but fulfill must be hard study, close attention and self- to the letter every one you make. Cordially, denial in school in order to secure the objects of and without cant or hypocrisy recognize the the school. Explain to them daily the relation claims of the Creator upon the obedienco and between vigorous, persistent and intelligent love of all men. Cherish all those virtues that effort and ultimate success,—tell them of diffi- adorn and beautify & noble, generous, manly culties surmounted, of obstacles overcome, of life. Hold good men up as models for imita-, intellectual battles fought, of glories victorious tion and as objects for respect. Without a 252 WISCONSIN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. public opinion in school, which is in favor of voice proper, and, in short, let the pupil feel virtue and good order, the school is an unmiti- that he is engaged in an important exercise. grated curse. 7. Let the exercises of the book be occasion ally varied by examples proposed by the pupils INTELLECTUAL ARITHMETIC. or the teacher. Let there be a weekly exami nation; divide the class, and let one part ques tion the other under such restrictions as the a majority of our schools this branch of teacher may impose. =tuly is cither entirely neglected or incorrect 8. Avoid dullness; let there be life in all y taught. The cause of its neglect may be in that is done. If the interest flags, stop and difference on the part of parents and pupils, on rest a moment, and then go on with redoubled account of not urderstanding the benefit to be energy. Elerived from it, or the ignorance of the teacher. Each teacher will adapt his instruction to No study is more important, and none requires the peculiar wants of his class, of course, so greater eare on the part of the teacher. Intel. that no very definite directions can be given. Eectual Arithmctie calls into exercise more fa- Parents sometimes object to the introduction of --ulties than any other branch. It develops this branch into school. Under such circumKliscriminating power, which is of the utmost stances, let the teacher be forbearing and eximportance. It exercises the reasoning powers, plain the matter, and we are confident that keeping constantly in view the relation be any person qualified to teach it, can convince ween cause and effect. It imparts that :trength any parent of its importance in a short time. to the mind which enables its possessor to suc- Let those who have neglected this important cessfully pursue any other branch of study, and branch think of this subject, for upon scarcely Ef properly taught it becomes Rhetoric, Logic anything depends the prosperity of a school and Grammar as well as Arithmetic. more than upon this. Every scholar who is more than seven years of age ought to recite daily in this study until REV. M. P. KINNEY, for several years past he has mastered some good work, and has ac- connected with the schools of this city as Suquired the power of concentrating his faculties perintendent, has resigned. At the charter ipon any given subject, and of investigating election of 1853, he was elected to this office t. We propose a few suggestions, the result of against a strong opposition, since which time zome experience and observation: he has been unanimously chosen ; both politi1. Assign such a lesson from the book as the cal parties thus endorsing his official action.lass can become familiar with, before the time Much of the prosperity of the Racine schools of recitation. is due to the intelligent and efficient manner in 2. Allow the class to have no books during which he has performed his duties. At the ecitation, time he became Superintendent, the schools 3. Read the question once carefully, or if it were unorganized, and few places in the State s long, twice, and then call on some member were more poorly provided with good school f the class to enunciate it. Let this be done accommodations. Under a school law cona good taste both as regards Grammar and fessedly imperfect, the affairs have been so adChetoric. ministered as to develop in the minds of com14. Allow a minute for thought, and then let munity a lasting confidence in the Union hose who think they have a correct answer, School system. We presume few men, in the adicate it by rising, or by raising the hand. discharge of difficult duties, have made more 5. Call upon some scholar for his answer, friends and so few enemies. This has resulted nd the solution of the question. Let him from a firm, conscientious discharge of duty, ommence, and let others “take it up," so that without fear or favor. he attention of all may be secured, and the In his intercourse with teachers, Mr. Kinney xplanation understo has been fortunate, securing their respect in all 6. Let the reasoning be most rigid, the at- cases, and in most a warm regard. They will :ntion fixed, the language correct, the tone of regret the circumstances that required his re signation. Among them he will find his warm- land, moving forward in the line of duty, jus est friends. ly regarding the cause in which they are e We understand that duties towards the saged as second to none in importance. Me church of which he is pastor, as well as declin- political triumphs are of littlo account, if pro inc health, have made it necessary for him to perity attends our nation in the future as it h withdraw his official connection, though we in the past, it will be as a result not of par trust not his interest, from the Public Schools. success, but of education. As our limits o tend, as we develop our material forces, i VISIT THE PARENTS, must develop our intellectual and moral als or we perish. , TEACuers are not acquainted with the pe UNQUALIFIED TEACIIERS. rents of pupils, as a general thing, and thus labor often at great disadvantage. " When we went boarding round," we became acquainted, I will tell you what I think of the capabil and this was one of the redeeming features of ties of an ignorant or unqualified Teacher. the itinerating, lodging system. A teacher At the other end of a long street in ou should visit the homes of his pupils. Few town, there stunds a respectable looking buil parents will fail to welcome the teacher of their ing, as wide as long-and not very long cithe children. If he be a true gentleman, he will over the door of which a white wooden sig alway be welcome. Without an acquaintance tells you that within a grocery is kept by V with the parents, we almost inevitably fail to W. Brown. secure their co-operation, and we are more Now, Mr. W. Brown was born in a count liable to suffer from misrepresentation or mis- town, and bred a cooper; a very excellent bu take. Pupils will be less inclined to respect rel, too, he could make. But it occurred i those who are not well spoken of at home. Be- Mr. Brown, once of a day, that the cooperin sides we may by a little exertion make our in- trado was a hard profession to follow, an fluence felt for good in promoting all the im- straightway ho concluded to throw up the ol portant interests of community. By becoming business, and go into something at which h acquainted we become more influential in ad- might more easily earn the bread for Mrs vancing those educational objects that we may Brown and little katy, than at the oid tune have in view. rive and shave. The teacher can with propriety call upon the The result of this proceeding was the grocer parents of his pupils, and thus take the initia- aforesaid. Tho usual varieties of the trade ar tive in forming an acquaintanco—and custom to be found in Mr. Brown's establishment. Th makes it his duty to do so--most of the difïi- first impression that settles upon a customer o culties of school may be prevented by a general entering, is that of hot weather and codfish.acquaintance in the district. In ten years ex- To be sure the season of the year calls for th perience we find no instance of serious dificulty weather, and Mr. Brown's codfishes have found with a pupil, with whose parents we were ac- ered themselves into a pile on the floor at tb quainted. back end, between the molasses and lamp-oi His cheese, the forlorn little piece left by tb TEACHERS' INSTITUTES. flies, has tented itself down on the counter i the shadow of a log-pen made of tobacco.-, Sinco the publication of our last number, Several specimens of horring bave quiet] Teachers' Institutes have been held in various moored themselves on his shelves, to enjoy th parts of the State. We publish the proceed- mingled sweets of his raisins and his candy. ings so far as they have reached us. We will quantity of starch has hid itself in a box und thank our friends to send us an account of all the shelves, but is yet a prey to the rats an educational gatherings for publieation. mice. Sugars-white, brown and black hay It is cheering to see the friends of education, hived themselves in barrels under a board, fi amid the excitement that now surges over our better protection from a stack of bør soap whic 254 WISCONSIN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION. seems intent on not obeying the laws of gra- hearts and the brains of the children than Mrs. vitation. His butter has packed itself away in O'Driscoll's butter would be to their stomachs, a patent pail, on the other side, in company and their manners are as unseemly and as unwith some pumpkins and cabbages. Mrs. O'- cared for as those of the Grocer Brown's black Deiscoll couldn't sell her butter down town for dog Growler. Such persons, when they go into the highest price, so “to be sure she'd thrade the school-room, undertake to teach things they it wid Misther Brown; he's sich a nice mand, never knew themselves, and to train precious and don't find fault." little children in qualities of heart and soul Tea, coffee and crackers, with the usual va- which they never themselves practiced or aprieties of pepper, spice, salt and saleratus are preciated. A slovenly, incompetent teacher to be found in the several departments of Mr. should not be allowed the charge of a school Brown's grocery. On the front window several one day. He should be turned out to be a ancient lemons lay basking in the sun, while clerk, grocer, cooper, ditch digger, or to starjust behind the door a pile of feeble looking vation. WAYSIDE. onions and beets are dozing in the friendly shade of a potatoo barrel; a cow-bell dangles ITEMS. from a nail upon one side, the clock ticks from its shelf on the other, and Mr. Brown's black To An Educational Convention was called uog, Growler, stalks up and down between, to meet at Mineral Point, on the 14th inst.-scenting the heels of his customers' boots. Our friends in that place are making efforts to Now this is a genuine grocery. Mr. Brown elevate the Public Schools. We visited them is a well dressed man, and sells cheap. about a year ago, and were fully persuaded But would you send Fanny there to buy that something ought to be done." During butter for her biscuit, or cheese for your tea the past year much has been done to arouse table. Would you put William there an ap- public attention, and we hope soon to hear that prentice to learn the Grocer's business? Why Mineral Point is to realize the benefits that reDot? Oh! Mr. Brown's grocery is not neat sult from a good system of Public Schools.— and tidy, your stomach quakes at the thought we can assure the people there, that, as a peof eatables coming from his place; and he has cuniary enterprise, twenty thousand dollars neither system, energy or knowledge of busi could be well invested, while the direct beneness in him to impart to others. You want fits in intellectuality and morality, would be your boy to acquire correct business habits, incalculable. and you will have him under the example of a -correct and thorough business man. Precisely. De We understand that the Teachers of But suppose Mr. Brown were keeping school Jufferson county, at their late moeting at Wain your neighborhood, wouldn't you send Fanny tertown, had a very pleasant and profitable end William to him? Why! Couldn't he session. We regret that we have not received teach them reading, spelling and arithmetic, the proceedings. It would add much to the and train them into systematic modes of think-interest of our Journal, if the Secretaries of Eng, neatness of person, gentleness of disposi- the different County Associations, would send Eion, quickness of action, and clearness of per- us a cory of the proceedings at as early a day Leption, any better than ho could your son in as practicable. We cheerfully publish all that che modes of packing away articles, marking is sent of an Educational character. he parcels, keeping the accounts, and selling he wares of a grocery? llo can't indeed. - We notice that the people of WaushaMr. Brown's school will be just like Mr. ra county are awake. An Educational ConBrown's grocery. You can tell it by a glance vention was called, to meet on the 3d inst., hrough the door. The very air will bare a but we have not received the proceedings yet. odfish tuint. Everything is slipshod. The In all parts of our Stato the Teachers are Eiscipline is slipshod, the recitations are slip moving. The Northern part of the State hod, the books and the studies of the school is particularly active in holding Institutes, and -re rendered vastly more a disrelish to the in arousing public attention. |