North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1852, 1851-10-29
TFrom the Wilmington Journal.]
EDUCATION-No. S.

| subject
ion everywhere prevailing that it matters but little
what may be the qualifications of teachers employed
in our Common Schools; so as they can read write,
and cypher to the rule of three, Is considered all
sufficient for teaching small children. This opinion
is erroneous in point of fact and injurious to the
cause of education itself. If there should be any
discrimination in the qualification of teachers, the
| best in nv opinion, should come first All nave
said in former article upon the qualification OF moth
ers, and the lasting impressions made oy Ihe"l uP"
the minds and character of children, Apply equdy "
the duties and responsibilities of teachers wnen s
child shall be loosened from maternal Instruction anu
placed under their care and attention. no cnIu
here enters broader career. He IS mere placed 70
acquire the rst principles of science as ms motner
gave him the first lessons in morality and ethics. H.
then the teacher should be himself deficient In the
ru6iments of those studies. knowledge OF which
he is attempting mpart, what lncalcuaole injury
is wrought upon:the mind of the pupil, when so sus
centibIe of receiving wrong impressions. Often at
such an age mere injury is done to the young mlno
than years of good discipline can remove. 1t the
rudiments of the science should not be properly
| taught-the young mind watched and nurtured, and
its several powers expanded and directed Alright, 1t
matters not what subsequent course OF instruction
may be pursued, the mind will feel the perni-
cious effects of such training. Carelessness to-day
becomes habit tomorrow, and who has not striven
almost in vain rid hi msef of such habits acquired
in early schooling4 Who has not heard, with NOR
LITIGATION, on visiting our Common School Houses,
the montonous, singing, droning tone OF voice In
which the younger scholars allowed to read! No
taken to learn them simple rules OF emPha-
sis infection or punctuation. If you desire strength,
proportion, and beauty in architecture is not the skill
of The mechanic necessary in the foundation as
the upper structure! Is it not preferable that this
should be first laid by the hand of skillful work.
man, that it may be built upon, than to compel the
after mechanic to build to its icontrived parts, or
tear it down and commence anew Just so in lay
ing the foundation of education, with this differ
ence-in mechanism new materials can be obtained,
but with the mind the same material has to be dis
iointed and remodeled, which is by far difficult
than to it from the beginning. What teacher
has not found it difficult to free child from
such habits acquired in early schooling than to have
impaired in the beginning proper Hedge of his
studiesl Just also in seculiure, what is termed
selfmade men. Fortuitous circumstances lay the
foundation, and solitary and unalded efforts complete
the work.
To teach is the highest duty that one intelligent
creature perform to another upon the grounds
of sympathy, humanity, and common interest II is
alone necessary that teacher should De mental
ly competent; other qualifications are as necessary
full discharge of his duties. Cold, isolated, |
scientific rraihs are of little value unless under the
guidance of warm sYnPathies and generous impul- |
To be good teacher, says an able writer, re-
9uireS whole uaR-elear visions, Wszm sympaihies,
RooSe passions. and lofty purposes the whole mind
and heart and soul and hody-1, II short, that goes
make up The toealIry and integrity Of man and
gentleman shoal3 Be present and active In each and
Ed1 Of the work and the less he smells of the
closet. the ofcs- the pulpit the school room
of anything, Enfssf, bot heaVsa- and nature, and hu
nanlEy-shs Ezzc-rtEze will be his instruction.
A esseher shauId sand before his pupils once
The subject and the object at all the feelings and fac
zEtIes that tie Iea Of manhood He should
be them breathing revelation of humanity, in the
recognition Of which they themselves grow up
into men He should possess such elements of char
a-teE as will enable him to run upon the mind and
heart of his PuPiIs-and strive rather his learn
ing as means Of imparting himself, than himself as
means of inParting his knowledge. Then he will |
not only be able to act lritiH the mind of the scho
and develope it, but at the time secure his
respect, love, and admiration Unless this point be
gained, but tle benefit will result from his labors
In the next place teacher should be clothed with /
authority to enforce his commands.
Many parents exercise mistaken affection for
their offspring by complaining against the exercise
of authority by teachers In this democratic age it
is thought wise MAXIM 90 that the best government
that which governs least This will do for politi-
cal communities but will not answer for the govern
ment of children. We should trust to the prudence
and discretion of the teacher not to abuse this
thoriiy, and none ought to be employed unless you
can have This confidence in them. Much injury Of
ten results from it In my opinion child should
never be striped unless for manifest derection of
duty. Mild persuasion, that appeals to the heart,
the pride, and self-ove of children should first be
exhausted The habit of whipping children for not
knowing their lesson think very Injurious. have
myself been often frightened out of well-known
lesson through fear Of fogging. But when stub
borness unwillingness to obey orders is exhibited
by the child, then ounce of hickory is worth a
pound of logic.
1t is remarked by DR.. CHASE, distinguished lin
GUST III one OF our NortneTn universities, that al
though he can read with ease every other book in
The latin language, he cannot read Virgil, because
when he studied that book he was placed under a
cross, morose teacher, who whipped him clear thro'
IT, - In Short, to close this branch of the sub
ect I" we can never Truly learn from a teacher till
We obey him /; we can never truly obey him till we
revere him never truly him till we
recognize his superiority; and if that recognition 2
;annot be awakened in minds it must be AVA ,
iened in bodies. If we both obey and revere, we
ire his freemen if we obey without revering, we
ire slaves to him: if we neither obey revere, we
re slaves to the devil.'' The Legislature Of our
State, impressed with the importance of procuring
he services of good teachers in Common Schools
PASSED law requiring the Superintendants to APP
'olnt Committee of Examination, whose duty is to
Examine into the "quafcalions, both moral and
nenta Of applicants for school teaching in the
ral counties, providing that shall be en-
'oyed unless he produce I" certificate of his
;ations as such teacher.'' The humble writer of
his article claims TO be the author of that amend
school Law S. the 314th page of the Jour-
als of the Legislature, at the session of 1861, will
how.
l am glad TO find that this law, in some counties,
las been carried out in the spirit in which il in
ended and has done much good in raising the STAN
lard of education. In this county, without intend
ng TO dsparage tie services of our committee, /
must be allowed to say that sufficiently rigid ex-
animation has not in all cases been instituted Men,
10Th morally and mentally incompetent produce their
certificate of proper qualification. But Of this shall
lot complain. But there is another thing of which
, as father, citizen, and Southerner, have right
o complain. With US this is peculiarly an age of
Southern rights, Southern feeling, and, may say,
Nn1IberS oH.S h. ri