The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-04-24

d them 10 act their several parts in the grea
e drama OF human life, with propriety ant
. fidelity; to render them credit 10 lhe
friends, to the town wherein they wer'
brought up, their country, and to the gIea
family Of man.
The expediency Of good moral schoo
instruction is universally admitted, anc
nothing can be palmer, than that the great
est care ought 10 be taken in choosing in
struc:ors of our youth and children, and
scarce any thing is more lamentable, than
the neglect which many towns and school
committees have been chargeable with on
this point. The consequence has been,
that children have been i'll taught, i'll bred,
aud i'll behaved partly because their teach
ers were, and partly because they were
negligent. Some perhaps are qualified
10 instruct the mind but pay little or no at.
tention 10 the morals of the youth commit
ted to their care. l! ought 10 be consid,
cred as much the duty of school teachers,
10 teach children to behave we'll, as 10 read
or write well. 1t is therefore their duty
to attend to their morals and manners, by
giving them good instruction, and setting
before them good examples. Many teach
ers are employed, who are SO young, so
awkward, so destitute Of a talent OF govern
ing, that they appear with no dignity, and
have no influence.
"Of ali the foles we can boast,
None surely is more strong,
Than pay fool TO rule the roost,
And guide our children wrong.
What man who plows the fertile soil,
viii summon on the crows,
To eat the fruit of all his toll,
And leave him naught but woes"
Every instructor Of school should be both
able and inclined, to inspect and regulate
the manners and morals of the youth, and
10 set them good examples in both. |
know ofno place so proper, 81 so well adapt
ed 10 form the disposition, and to plant the
seeds of virtue, as school under the d.
rection of a well bred and virtuous instruc.
tor, except the house and family of the
child ; next 10 the parent, no person has it
so much in his power, or has so good an
opportunity to form the character of a
child, as school instructor.
"Chidren like tender Oslers take the bow,
fad as they first are fashioned always groV;
For what we learn in youth, 10 that alone,
We are in life, by second nature prone"
A school teacher ought to feel the im>
por,aace of the business he undertakes,
and should feel ii his duty to train up those
committed 10 his charge, in The way they
should GO; point out The beauty and hon
or of good conduct, and the shame and
degradation attending that which will fol-
low bad behavior. He should constantly
intersperse moral instruction and advice,
with other lessons. They who usually at
tend school, are OF the age and season OF
life, which demands, and most sensibly
feels the moulding hand Of discretion !;
their minds are tender, traclable and pill
ant.
cts education forms the infant mind,
Just as the lwig is bent the tree incnes."
A teacher of the above description plac-
ed at the head of school, will be respect
ed, and will soon gain the hearts, the con-
fidence, and the esteem of his pupils, which
will give him the advantage OF winning
them to virtue and make them ambitious in
obtaining the praise of doing well.
If we examine many OF our towns. we
shall find tina, they are maintained Il will
not say insIructed,) by those, if possible
who are more Ignorant than their employ.
ers, and the only qualification of'he school
master seems 10 be, they are too feeble, or
too lazy 10 labor, and will keep for very
small compensation ;-somelimes The SIM
gle consideration that the man can write q
good hand, or is expert in casting up fig
ures, without The least regard to his moral
qualifications. Children and youth, by
the experienced hand of education, like
clay in the hand Of the skilfuI potter, may
be formed into beautiful and useful uten-
sils. Families and schools are the nurses
ries to prepare the rising generation 10 act
their part when they come upon the stage.