Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-11-23
Mr.. SHIRLEY,

Mr.. SHIRLEY,
THE season hiss arrived hat calls the at
tention Of parents and guardians Of children,
10 provide for their instructed. The WIN
ter is airnosI the onfy line Of leisure, and
except some Of our villages, the only OF
portuni,y sH ded cur youth TO acquire an
education. II a country like lhis, meme but
the grossly ignorant will deny hat " lnfor
mstiOn is the life Of our berties'" per-
son who becomes panent, takes upon him.
self much responsibility Is in great de-
gree accountable for the c0nduc. OF his
child, aud lie IS likewise, accountable 70 his
c, uutry. l, Is not only duty, sacredly bin
ding on parents TO provide INSTRUCTORS for
tpeir families, hut Il is as much their duty 10
enquire into heir morals aud qualifications
There must be some inheritance attached
10 the character Of an inst ucIor, he must
support some dignity. or his efforts 10 com
maud respect will be IN vain, consequent,
ms preoepts will sc neglected and despised
Those only should be employed as teach.
ers, whose manners and habits are worthy
OF imitation and whose scquiremens sse
calculated 20 excite emulation IN tueIT pupils.
The vocation Of scho Dim IS er, was once,
AMI Justly too, reSpeCtable-G ScIan and
Roman precvptOrs were held N lie highest
estimation and the time has been IN tue te
membrsnce Ut many now living, when no
man commanded more respect, more etten
ton md was more implicitly adhered 10,
than the " school master" But within a
ia W years the name has almost become a
word Of contempt and some Of The more
respectable Of Tie profession are nearly a.
shamed Of bearing the tiIe-In searching
for The Cause Of this (" filling of" find II
originates more in the degeneracy Of school
masters and the careiessness Of thei. EN-.
pioyers than in any thing besides.-Usu Usually
at TINS season of the year, as tar as my m
formation extends the country is over run
with bars who have no other prospect Of
promising employment thro The winle. , Of
:ering their services az eight 81 zen Gol.ais per
month, a. instructors d he rising genera
tIou.
Some, who have been stroIling over the
country with peaIa,s car, during the most
pleasant parts Of ,he year, ST. the approach Of
cold weather, have 5U:SeLy concluded u i'm
mure themselves within the walls 81
schOol.house and dispense their 0aluab!e
stock Of information for he benefit OF the
public Many, who labor on the farm, al
that part Of the year when they can 10 az
vantage, without having more leisure than
every farmer ought 10 have, and vi bout
deyOt,ng scarcely moment TO review those
studies, that should be taught in schools, do
nOl hesitate "a offer themselves qualified to
axe charge Of the education OF children-
Thus ] account for tie stigma that Is attach.
Cd 10 the name pedagogue things
ought not 10 be-NOr am /, by any means IN
favor ct committing the concern OF educa-
ton to old renegade foreigners, whose char
acters are often the disgrace of humanity,
and whose principles are diane rically op-
posite 70 our system Of government.
Let parents remember a good education
is tie best pAIrimcny they can bestow ~
"a their children. Let them employ such
instructors as will command respect, and
who will, BY their good department, raise
the sinking name of master, and max The
different branches of science in which they
instruct, appear If sufficient importance to
secure the attention Of their pupils.
PHiLOSOPHAS.