A history of public education in Rhode Island, from 1636 to 1876 ... Comp. by authority of the Board of education, and ed. by Thomas B. Stockwell ...

FOURTH EPOCH. 173
himself in terror, and the whole business of teaching, and governing must be a
system of coercion. Our opinion is, that where this system is pursued, there is
great danger of creating in the pupils a morbid sensibility, a stubborness of
temper, a hatred of the school and whatever is connected with it. It operates
as a check upon all the better feelings of the scholar, and it will be a fortunate
circumstance if it does not create a hardened indifference to improvement of
every kind. On the subject of corporal punishment we fear to express all we
feel. As a system of government it is decidedly objectionable, and we think if
it must lse used, it should be used only as a last resort.
"It belongs not to us to point out all that we consider faults, either in teaching or discipline, but we will briefly express our views respecting some of those
faults which have a tendency to defeat the ends for which public schools have
been established. We have no hesitation in stating what we consider one of
the greatest faults in teaching, and the one from which almost all others spring:
it is a departure from nature. Children may be compared to young and tender
plants. When we wish to rear these in the utmost perfection what course do
we pursue? We surely would not heap upon them piles of rubbish, for this we
know would crush them at once. Neither would we pour upon them a constant
deluge of water, which would soon destroy their vitality. Even' the sturdy
oak which defies the tempest,' springs from a tender and pliant twig, which may
be easily destroyed or fashioned to an unshapely shrub. While the vital sap of
the young tree is passing from its root to its branches, do we surround it with
snow and ice to promote its growth? Should we not rather cherish every
spontaneous effort and gently clip those excrescences which would render the
tree unsightly or unfruitful? Let it not be said the two cases are not analogous.
If the principle be applied to the physical powers of children we know it is
correct. And why not as applicable to their mental powers?
"If parents and teachers, in their attempts to communicate knowledge to
the youthful mind, and to train up children to usefulness and respectability in
life, would closely adhere to the principles followed by the experienced farmer and
the skilful horticulturist in rearing their grain, their plants and their trees, they
could scarcely fail of success. An obvious departure from these principles is
the practice too common both with parents and teachers of crowding the memory
of children with a mass of unintelligible matter, answering no other purpose
than to display the wonderful memory of the wonderful child, while every other
faculty of the mind is left-uncultivated and unfostered. We view it as a matter
of the first consequence in teaching, that nothing be presented to the mind of
the scholar which he cannot understand. Whatever is unintelligible is not only
useless, but its effect upon his mind is decidedly bad.
" It is an axiom that those means are best which are best fitted to accomplish the
end proposed. The design of education undoubtedly is, to develop, strengthen and
bring to maturity the mental powers, to give them a right direction, and thus to
prepare youth for the scenes and duties of active life. What then are the
means best adapted to the accomplishment of this great end? Surely not those
which call into exercise one single faculty of the mind only, while all the rest
are left to spring up spontaneously, or to rest in total inaction. Viewing it, therefore, as absolutely essential that in teaching, all these powers should be brought
into exercise, your committee would recommend oral instruction as best fitted