The Primary Teacher’s Plea: Why Seattle’s Schools Are Failing Our Children

There is hardly to be found in the whole English Language, a word so fraught with Significance as the simple word “Primary.” The Astronomer bases many of his revelations from the relation which the Primary planets bear to their common centre, the Sun. The Geologist in his researches deduces many of his theorems from the Primary rocks. The Artist reproduces Nature in all her infinite coloring and shades from the blending of the Primary colors.

Analogous to this preamble, it seems apropos that this Institute should be prefaced by a disquisition on Primary Schools: their past, present and future.

Women are principally reticent in regard to their age; and, of course, my history of the past will be limited. I have little, except reminiscences recounted by the older ones, to tell us of the past; counting the old-fashioned school as contemporary with the pillory and whipping post; and like them have passed away and things are becoming new; still there is much room for improvement.

The primary teaching of to-day, however, perhaps, in keeping with the progress of the age, is sadly deficient in many respects. Great mistakes are often made by those who have it in charge in the selection of suitable teachers. Not every one can adapt himself to the capacities of children.

When a teacher is required for a higher grade of school, and demerits of the applicant are descanted upon—the subject is given, thought— and after mature deliberation, the decision is made; but the great impropriety is that any one can teach a primary school. A young, inexperienced, thoughtless person, one little accustomed to the study of human nature, is not the one to be entrusted with the minds of children at this tender age.

Teachers are too often at fault in this respect. They think that because they teach the simplest lessons, that no study is required, when instead, they should make their school a constant study. A celebrated teacher was once asked why he daily reviewed the studies with which he was so familiar. His reply was, that he had much rather feed his scholars from a living stream, than from a stagnant pool.

There is much of truth in the reply and there is no teacher that should study more than the Primary. Children are close and busy observers of things around them, and have many questions to ask; but their inquisitiveness is often repelled, instead of being encouraged and guided, simply because the teachers themselves are not in possession of the information needed, to teach a child in regard to the simplest natural phenomena.

Were children taught might at the commencement, we should have among us to day more thinking men and women. The chief object of primary education is the development of the faculties; and that period of development is emphatically the first ten years of the child's life. If this part of Primary teaching is neglected, or checked in childhood, it becomes greatly diminished in activity, even so far, as almost to cease to take notice of the beauty and wonders of the world.

To study and cultivate these habits of observation, is one of the most important duties of the Primary teacher.

In regard to the Schools themselves, what they are today, we will pass over everything that is commonplace; counting only the sick as needing a physician; hence, we will look only at faults, hoping for the sense of this Convention, to prescribe the proper remedies.

But in a general sense, I would describe the Primary school of to-day, as being a conglomerate of school, nursery and hospital, and do not consider it in my province to say how well we succeed in the multifarious duties imposed upon us.

Nor would I complain, were I furnished with the necessary expectorants and stomach correctives for aching heads and distressing coughs so often brought under my observation. I often ask myself, is there no balm in Seattle, is there no Physician there?

A new milk cow or rocking chair or two, a lot of Crandall's building blocks, would be valuable desideratums for those who are sent to school two or three days in the week, say washing and ironing days.

The German has his Kindergarten, the Frenchman his Creche, but it is reserved for the Yankee to merge them all in one.

I would that parents would visit the school-room and see their children in their best estate, and right cordially would I welcome them; but decidedly protest against their sending children solely to get them out of the way, for a few hours, or when they should be under the care of a physician.

Here let us speak of a few prevailing but erroneous impressions, that parents are apt to foster. One is that if the child does not learn, the fault is attributed to the teacher, forgetting all the while that it is not the province of the teacher to learn, only to teach, and that in order to gain the best result of such teaching, it needs their hearty cooperation at home.

The Joneses find fault because Harry also is rather 'slow,' does not advance faster. To them, I would say, if I had an opportunity (which I never have), that he needs encouragement and patience, and at a more mature age will make a fine scholar.

Mrs. Smith complains, because I don’t cram her precocious camel John through the eye of a needle every day. To her, I would say, let us keep him in obedience, for his precocious scintillations will soon die out, and at sixteen he will be a better candidate for the dance-block than for Valedictory honors.

To express an individual opinion as to what a Primary School should be, I apprehend that the first stumbling-block we should encounter, would be dollars and cents. These must, to be successful, be made secondary considerations; and the next lack of interest. These being removed, our task is quite easy.

In locating a school for the little ones, I would not build like the foolish man upon the sand, nor yet like Nasby’s Post Office at the Confederate Cross-Roads; but on the most eligible spot possible. The surroundings such that while pleasing to the pupils, would be at the same time a source of satisfaction and pride to the patrons.

The prevailing idea among tax-payers seems to be, that children like sardines, can be packed in any kind of a box when at school, while, at the same time, they seek to make their homes attractive and pleasant. Trees and shrubbery are planted and tenderly cared for; proper Ventilation is provided, every appliance is brought to bear that tends to refine and elevate.

Yet these pains taking fathers will vote at a school meeting, to furnish their children by six hours in vacation per diem, in a room utterly devoid of anything to palliate the gloom within, and forbidding surroundings.

To have good schools, let us have buildings appropriate to the purposes for which they were designed, With some pretence to architectural taste and beauty. Let us have the walls both within and without of some neutral tint, in lieu of the stereotyped white. Let the appliance and furnishing be of the most approved kind: combining utility and convenience.

In fact I would have my texts there, and Belshazzar-like, make my pupils read from the walls; and do with books as Falstaff did with physic, throw them to the dogs.

I would have for teachers—well, I would have the best I could find. In fact I would have the future schools, such that its recollections would be cherished in after life, as among the brightest memories.

For the valuable auxiliaries—school officers, I would have live, energetic and interested men—not fossils. Lack of interest, I would have sufficient cause for impeachment, and removal from office.

Finally to the parents with whom the whole matter lies, I would remind them of their accountability and the duty they owe all children as well as their God, referring them to the words of our Great Primary Teacher, where he says: 'Suffer little children to come unto me; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven.'