14
UNIVERSITY COURIER.
The reason for commencing with the recent past is to impress the idea that history is not something way off, but the record of actual life, no farther back, perhaps, than the childhood days of their parents. Besides, recent history is more apt to interest those at home, and the reaction from this will greatly aid the pupils in mastering the subject. And let them once learn how to study history, to study it for an object, and half the battle is won. Four or five months of this kind of drill will give the pupils a more thorough general outline of history than they will acquire in three or four terms by following the old stereotyped methods. And a subject once clearly presented in its entirety can be mastered in detail in one-half the time. After this, when taking up the text-book in detail, the whole should be divided into periods. Let the lessons be short and the reviews frequent. Tabulated reviews with the events and dates marked opposite and made a blackboard exercise will greatly aid in associating facts and figures. Emphasize the idea that every event in history is the result of a cause, or a combination of causes, and should be studied with that thought in mind.
Take the settlement period of this country, and after dividing the country settled into the New England, the Southern, and the Middle, question the kind of people who settled each. Their religious views, their different institutions, forms of government, attention to education, their nationality. Contrasting the Puritans of the North with their more liberal neighbors of the South, or the mixed colonies of the Middle States. Inquire what effect the difference in the early settlers of America has had upon the past history of our nation. It is the old problem of cause and effect over and over again. But understand the conditions of the first and you can safely predict for the future.
Let our teachers grow enthusiastic; give their pupils first the skeleton of history; breath life into its body, and the rapidity with which the children will add flesh and fiber will give to history the name of anything but a dry study.
USES OF A MARKING SYSTEM IN SCHOOL.
The first object is to stimulate the pupils to greater effort; the second, to aid in keeping order. Probably all the benefits will, either directly or indirectly, come under these heads. Even the keeping of good order is partly a result of real earnest work.
Schools of the highest grade dispense entirely with marking, while in all our lower grades the system is markedly beneficial. In some of our eastern cities where the classes are composed of men and women grown, those who recognize the full value of the knowledge sought, there is no need to stimulate them to farther effort, and a system of marking would be an insult to their integrity of purpose. But in our common and graded schools the pupils do not recognize the full value of an education. They need to be continually under the whip and spur to even approximate their best effort. And while some schools need but little spurring, others need a great deal. Yet no school is so dull and bad but what can be made active and orderly by a judicious use of the grading system, provided a competent teacher is at the head.
Many a school has received the reputation of being "hard to manage," simply because the teachers who
have had charge have been too lazy to do more for the school than the letter of the law stipulates.
Where a school is dull or disorderly great prominence should be given to marking. Every recitation, every act should receive its mark of merit or demerit. Schedules of standing should be made out often, perhaps every week, and posted where the pupils can compare grades. The teacher's grade-book, though, should be exclusively his own. Great judgment needs to be exercised by the teacher in making out the grade sheet. Leniency on his part may often be the means of changing a mischievous to a studious pupil. Frequently will a pupil, who has been regarded a dunce, double his efforts if he believes his teacher has confidence in him. And no pupil is so lazy or obdurate but what a frequent comparison of his standing with those of his fellows, will spur him to at least some degree of effort. Don't be afraid to mark well. Pupils are not graded on what they do know, but what, under the circumstances, the teacher expects them to know.
This marking can be carried farther by filling out grade reports and sending them regularly to the parents. This last, used in connection with monthly written examinations, is often extremely beneficial.
The teachers may complain that they earn now more than they receive, without this extra work, to say nothing about furnishing examination paper to the school. As for the first, a person who is lazy or wants an easy time of it, should never be a teacher. And as for the extra expense, there need be but little. Paper which can be made to do can be bought for a trifle, while in some of the more enlightened districts the Board will furnish the paper.
PERSONALS.
Mr. Andrew Atchison, of 77,paid his Alma Mater a visit on the 20th.
Kate Ridenour went down to Kansas City last Saturday to spend the Sabbath with her parents in that city.
Miss Clara Poehler, 85, is the last accession to the I. C. Sorosis.
Miss Alla Barnes has returned and resumed work with'83.
May Webster, who has been quite sick with malarial fever, is slowly recovering.
Miss Lettie Collins and sister visited their home in Olathe, a short time ago.
Franc Johnson attended a party given by the X. O. Q. N. Club, in Topeka, on the 20th ult. She reports a "lovely time."
Arthur Chaliss, of Atchison, is the new Phi Psi.
Ralph Stout, '85, spent last Saturday and Sunday at his home in Wyandotte.
S. W. Brewster is back and hard at work with the Seniors.
Julia Watson, '81, accompanied by Miss Mary Stewart, of Bethany College, spent last Saturday at her home here.
Al. Lewis, not a student but always interested in the students, was up to the reception Friday evening.