Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-08-03
DAILY EVENING STAR.
LOCAL IaFsLLigENCE,
STATE OF TIE THERxohR1ER.-ThSt Tier
nometer, In our counting room, at II o'clock
WNay, STOOD at IS degrees above zero.

ADDRESS TO TIE Pupils, TEACHERS Avn
FRIENDS OF TIE PUBLIC SCHooLs.-Tba nre.
ssnta'ion OF premiums to the pupils of the
fuolio ocho0!s closed yesterday, with an in
teresting exhibition Of the schools of the "a
District, which took place at Odd Fellows,
nan, near the Navy Yard. As appropriate to
the close OF these important proceedin "a to the
rising generation We give below an ad
mlraoie address, Of practical character on
the subject, as delivered by z Richards. ESQ
himself an eminent teacher of youth in Union
college, Of this city. The remarks were ad
dressed particularly to parents and teachers,
WITH the intention to show the relation of
parents and teachers to each other and to the
children in our schools. 1t is to be feared this
relation is little understood, when We consider
Its importance:
The first principle we recognize, said the
speaker, is that the parent il the rightful and
heaven-intended teacher Of the child for the
most part In the second place, when the
parent Is lneapacitated from any cause to do
all this work, he is to select his own teacher
OF big children; and when this is done. the
teacher is 50 far filling the place of the parent:
and mas all necessary power, and is under the
same RESPONSE bility as the parcel The parent
however, cannot, if he would, throw of his
8srsonai responsibility entirely, only while
ne child Is directly committed to the teacher.
Eut now many parents a-e unqualified to dis
cnsrge tne nigh and holy duties required of
tneIn 20 their children? The causes are many.
aud are to be deeply deplored. N,ne-teutis
oil the dlfieulties in or schools find their
origin In the family; 70 that our schools gen.
orally would be nine times as efficient as thew
are, II the family duties were all properly per.
formed; Parents must, in the first place, teach
ana enforce obedience, uniformly and uncon-
dlhonaiiy. Vaciilstion is fatal What is not
tn-da L
foS-not hing can be more fatal to true obedi-
ence This 1t Is which makes it difficult for
the teaoner to secure proper obedience. Again.
Parenu must teach and practice ssIEdeut1k
the most ain, yet the most important lesson
OF ltfs Again, they must teach and practice
Punotuality at home in all their ARRANGEMENTS,
and see that their children are uniformly
lunctual and constant at school; children will
De negligent OF this duty If their parents are
The evils Of faii ure in punctuality NAV be
seen, and are seen and felt grieYougly In every
condition of life
again: parents ought to show more interest
aEd anxiety in the education and training of
their children than in any other business of
life They ought to encourage their teacher,
cooperate and sympathiss with him, visit their
.ehoois often enough to understand all about
them visit them, not to complain and End
fault with their teacher, but to aid and com
Tort him In his many dark trials Visits, from
Kind and sympathising patrons, are, to the
perple4ed, jaded, wearisd, and almost discour.
aged teacher like cold water to thirsty soul;
10 the children they are like genial showers
and the Hfegiving beams of the sun. But
how strangely and inconsistently parents act
10 relation to this matter? From one end Of
the ear to ano her they never visit the school,
to learn its condition. or see if the chosen
guardian Of their children is doing good or
evil. Not so do th"y ac' with reference 10 the
most unimpur ant matters # business The
mere servant If the kitchen. tae bed chan her,
the garden. or the stable, is lot Flowed to
pass day without Careful ex mination but
these teaches of the inm"Tt / minds Of their
children are lef, 70 do ID. y pl-sss. May
this be a word in SEASON o come xLo hear ne.
But now wou'd say u few wor Is to sachers
wish had tine 10 d re II Ms thoughts
now rush upon my M nd. wiIic souli gladly
address to my fellow teachers The Difficult
hes in our schools are nni al, wi he parents
but 1t is difficult to say shat We would to either
parents or teachers, FIR We r.r.I. meet but
few in the proper pla.s Ire longer 1 live
the more feel the respon ibi lily and power
OF the teachers Office; Tic b power for good
or evil; II Is second to nc other; in the Ian
guage of the honorable member from Massa-
chusetis. this morning, I" the teacher occupies
one Of the most important, most useful, and
most honorable stations in life" Undervslued
az 1t ia, it is nevertheless influential though In
great measure his influence is unobserved.
Long ago have adopted the motto, '.As the
teacher is 90 is the scholar" Every teacher
il making his mark every day. How can it
De avoided? His faults, his peculiarities are
quite as likely TO be initiated az his virtues
and excellencies. This will appear evident to
any one who will observe the different schools
among rs. The spirit and character of the
teacher will be reflected from his pupils Do
~ or D
This beirg truo, as all will admit on reflection,
how important that the teacher be thoroughly
qualified for his work First, as to accuracy of
scholarship. Second, a to punctuality. Third,
N to honesty of purpose and conduct Fellow
teachers, our pupils know whether We are
honest or Motive cannot easily deceive them,
and we ought never to try. Those bright eyes
and erect ears and ready minds were not made
10 yaln No, they read our hearts more readily
than We imagine. Fourth, as to self control,
or self government. If We would be able to
govern others, We must govern ourselves
run, as to energy of character and dispatch.
the teacher would wake up mind as he
should, be must have an drtire mind himself.
Sixth, as to his moral character Nothing
moro important. For neglect here, our schools
have been sometimes called {" goddess schools
mere may have been SOHO reason for it !; but
here, az IN other matters pertaining to educa-
non: the evils begin before the teacher-in the
family. Nevertheless, no person is qualified
iOr this responsible work who is net prepared
70 direct the thoughts of mis- pupils to the obi
cations he 10 under to his Heavenly Father
70 the God who made hin. This can be done
daily. and in a thousand ways Let Us not
forget these solemn obligations
Now, beloved children, Thank YOU for your
nnd attention. You have listened very alton
nFeiy. If have said anything worth remem-
eenng, go home and preach it over. Go, and
be heralds Of truth at homo, and may va sea
mat Gu: labor has not been in vain to. day.
FESTIVAL OF TEE TURNER SocIErY.-Yes-
terdsy the " Turner Society," of this city,
with number Of ladies, families DC, had Q
grand festival at Arlington Spring, enjoying
The day in taeir own peculiarly Interesting
manner. In the morning they began with
gJmnaslc exercises, such Is fencirg making
pyramids &c, pleasing to the beholders ard
migrating TO themselves and what our neat.
pent-up citizens did not have, they thus oa
tanned q good appetite for their dinners This
was erj cd highly by all, and was furnished
IN abundance and Of good quality by Mr.
Schsfer, Of 9Th street, who also supplied the
refreshments Songs were sung, and speeches
we're made, 10, and in due time the dance
was introduced, including the waits and
eotiiion, the latter to accommodate the nany
Americans present Target practice followed
u which some excellent shooting was doue
The winner OF the prize, . splendid rife, being
Nj kamberhoOver, who put his ball in the
centre Of the bulls eye. Crowned with wreaths
90 yraA skA ehn of L~lc