The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-10-10
Ftom Wrighrs Caskei.
THE TEACHER A STUDENT.
DYSI. L. CAMPBELL

- 4 q. i.
i am becoming very much interes.
ted in my business, said q teacher
friend of miro n few days ago, in the
presence of several others of the same
profession; it delights me to see the
srarkcing eYe-thc index Of mind
graspins atnew ideas. Aud then, as
week after week, and month aftermonth
pass away, J. find that many, whose at
tention could, with all my efforts, scarce
ly be arrested at first, begin now to
drink in knowledge with pleasure--yes,
even with engerness. Their minds
seem alrcadYto have undergone an i'm.
portant change--they seem to grow
stronger and stronger at every step rs
they progress
If I could enjoy the same pleasure
in my school, said another Of less zeal
i'll the cause Of Education, teaching
would no longer be an uphill business
with me. Bnt even when my scholars
have the questions printed at the bot
tom of the page, andhave opportunity
to prepare answers beforehand, there is
dullness about their recitations, which
makes it antrksome task to listen to
them ,a
This is cnengl of tho conversation
that passed sbass those gentlemen,
to show that. they must have been
teachers of very different character;
else that their schools must have differ.
cd widely i'll caracity. l have some
acquaintance, both with these teachers
and their schools. The schools arc
about eqnal, as regards number and age
Of pupils, and in every other respect,
except the progress they are making
in mental Improvement. The differ
cncc is found elsewhere. One of the
teachers is in every sense a student,
the other is not.
If called upon to give a reason why
teaching is a business in which SO few
take an interest, would reply--bccausc
there are, comparatively, few teachers
who are studcnts--I mean students of
what relates most 10 their business.
Can any one he expected to control
and manage that about which he knows
little or nothing? How is one who has
never yet asccrlaincd the moral and in.
! tcllcctual pccu!iaritics Of any mind, to
he able to govern that mind in all its
operations? As well might you expect
rich, sweet music from an instrument.
while the performer is ignorant of every
note and chord. as to look for full de.
:clopmcnt Of all the rich and varied fa.
cul,ics Of The youthful mind, while that,
mind is in the hands Of one who knows
nothing OF is peculiar impulse and
| powers. Ignorance of human nature
| ignorance Of :hc lcculiari.ics Of ':isposi-
ton among child,cr and .iouth, is doubt
less the real cause offs many failures
! in discipline. But it is not so much
moral as mental discipline, l wish now
to speak about TO be able to control
the minds Of the young, so as to lead
them along the paths Of knowledge and
science, and make them gather up with
pleasure, yea, with caYerncss, that
which will increase their strength. and
be Of use to them all the way along the
great journey Of lie, we must know the
present capacity of cach--we must
know what each is able to bear--wc
must know in what form each can most
easily take hold of what is presented.
There is no textbook in any science
that gives full and clear explanations
of every point, in such q form as will
suit minds Of every capacity There
are parts in every system Of Grammar,
Arithmetic. Algebra, the natural scien-
ccs, andindcca, in the whole circle of
human learning, which should be pre-.
scntcd to different minds in varied
forms, and With varied illustrations.
How will the teacher be able TO Do this,
unless he is, III the first place, well
verscd in tho mental pecuIiarities oI