Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-10-01
From the Ohio Journal of Education.
Teaching

reaching.
Teaching is as you choose to make it. the most iIk
some or the most delightful task in existence: toa
mind sufficng to itself in njoyment, conemplatve
and fond of its own thoughts, Which, ever fresh
and new and vigorous, make q life of calm, happy
emotion; to such mind coming out of itself is at
any time painful, and nothing calls for such entire
self abandonment, such full outward life as teach
ing. Probably the mediocre mind is the one natu-
rally best adapted to teaching or at least is i'll the
best state of preparation at the outset, falls more
readily and pleasantly into the daily routine of la.
Dor and duty, and constitutes frequently and
with less self sacrafce, the "excellent teacher.-
But you of higher order, who strive to escape as
much os possible from the pedenfry OF the profess
sion; which more tenacously than that of any 9TH
cr, clngs to the manners, language and whole out
ward bearing-while you would throw off the ped
agoguc; and be human being among human be-
inps with 10 notion of superiority borrowed from
the school room, and high sounding phrases from
the text books-while you seek to cultivate your
orn faculties, do not lose sightof such tendencies
i'll the profession asiare excellent and elevating.
While forms of bstract beauty throng you round,
thrilling you with more intense delights than could
tan ,ibie realities while, under the influence of
great thoughts, your whole soul is fired, and you
long to communicate that which has inspired you,
that it may inspire some others while, at the same
time, you fear to intrude it upon any some might
not comprehend you-many wouldn't many
would not tell it to the right one take it to your
| school room ask your puplsif they ever thought
of such thing; c!othe 1t in the planest language
you can make attractive; show them that it Is not
| a mere maxim intended for them that it is some
thing that has thrilled and delighted you that you
| are asking them 10 share the pleasure with you.-
II you read fine poem, if you hear of an exalted
act, if you get new idea, under the feelings thus
excited, go to your pupils and talk about 1t with
them into their minds, SO fresh and bright and i'm
preSble, will the kindlier glow of your own spirit
pass and the original impression be communicated
| TO many an impulse and motive. Ir-Trr
| have fine class of girls, ranging in age from
ten to fifteen years-glorious creatures they arc
often havel seen the eye light up, and the whole
| face glow with emotion, some fine thought was
apprehended for the first time and those fresh, in
genous minds were laid open before me, and re-
sponses were given back, which showed me that
| here was the very field for influence lcoveted,
unworldly natures. Young persons dislike hearth
y any thing got up Tor their especial benefit; and i'll
which one is expected to be interested but them
selves, and this the reason why much good in-
struction fails OF its intended end and such in
struction must be dry and wooden, and make its
subjects the same, If it influences them at all.
have said nothing of details; and have not room to
enlarge, but my idea is this, that teachers must
rOrk hard in the vulgar sense of working-must ex-
act rgidly in the performance of tasks and strict
discipline and at the same time keep up the pupil S
enthusiasm let intelligence, and thought, and orig
inality pervadc, much as possible, every exer
else dull, dry method of hearing recitatons is
killing get as much soul into every thing posi-
BILE; if you can rouse your pupils TO the delights of
intellectual culture, your WORK is already more than
half accomplished; this greatly aids the formation
of character, by making the brightest and best also
the lovelieSt and most attractive. 1t is better al
ways, where you can, to lead them to coerce the
inclinntions which would thus be enlisted against
you bring out the best traits and keep them act
i've. until they become habitual; indulge, when
] YOU without detriment to them; TO thwart and
cross unnecessarily Injuries the temper and hinders
| the work of instruction much.
| And have butone thing more to say,-which
is, however, repetition, but see it SO plainly
! that teacher you must not spare yourself
Teachings aborious, selfsacrilicng life, but 1t
is not, has been too often said, hankless one
you go into it rightly lit will not do to be half
hearted in teaching) if you make it your passion, if
you bind your mind from day TO day to what may be
called the drt,dgcry of the profession, your bust
ness suffering not your energies to flag; shrinking
not from toll, you will most assuredy find your task
becoming delight you will reap your reward, not
the least of which will be, that you willkecp your
own feelings ever fresl ever young and happy
Surrounded thus by young loving, happy hearts.
with their beautiful, undeveoped graces of charac-
ter-of which 10 obtain glimpse is JOY, and an
nspiration-I say to myself, say to all others en-
gagged in teaching, EARNEST. r..#
| KATE MONTG OMERlE.
| Wheeling Va, 1852.