The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1854-03-16
NUMBER 81.
COMMUNICATION.
FOR THE JACKSON STANDARD.
AMERICAN EDUCATION,

A most essential feature in system Of
national education, is the provision ofsem-
inaries for the professional education Of q
sufficient number of Teachers. This, next
to the school fund, if not paramount in
importance with it, is the most important
of all the arrangements requisite to put
in operation a proper system of general
education. Seminaries of learning then
must be established for the professional
education of teachers. They must be ed
ucated professionally with direct reference
to the business of teaching, and it is be-
keved that every thing touching the inn
provement and spread Of general educa-
ton, depends essentially on the elevation.
Of the business to the rank of apofession.
The only way to elevate the calling and
make it such, is, to fit men for the busi
ness-to hold out sufficient inducements
| for persons Of superior qualifications, to
engage in it and to employ or encourages
no others. ~" .,s A-
The vocation o.. &'feacher in its inhu-5
ence on the dsstinies Of. the rising. and of
all future generations, has sItbeFnot been
/ fully understood, or not 6dSy estimated
/ II ought to be ranked among the learned
| professions InTthe first place, the Office,
Of an instructor of youthis not respected
asit should be. Now there is no disgrace
/ in being a school teaeher-the ancients
very wisely deemed it the most honorable
ofall callings, and it is SO ifitbe estimated
as it should be, by its importance to the
well being Of society. Let it be consider
ed as one Of the learned pro- ofessiOns; let
competent men be encouraged to give to
| it the labor of life; remove the temp
tations to undertake it as mere Temporal
ry expedient and abandon it at the earliest
opportunity, and the best abilities wills soon
be engaged in the work of teaching.
But unfortunately, to the teacher Of
! youth, no such inducements are presented.
1t would seem as if the employment of
teaching was purposely loaded and en-
numbered with every thing calculated to
deter men of talents and attainments from
embarking in it. In public estimation it
| is scarcely reputable business. "SchoOl-
MASTER" and "pedagOgue," being of ten
used as terms Of reproach. 1t is habitu-
, ally spoken of as an humble calling. The
| Statesman, the lawyer, the preacher or
, the physician, is lauded to the skies for
having raised himself to dignifed sta
ton in society, from the humble position
Of a "Schooimaster."
The young instructor is stimulated by
no hope of promotion. To expect ad-
vancement in society, he must first rid
himself of the badges of bis office; and
consequently at the earliest possible peri
cd, the unwilling teacher gladly delivers
himself from what is often deemed the dis
grace of being pedagogue and feels that
he has taken step upward in society
Under such circumstances, what else
could reasonably be expected, than that
the business of education should in the
main, be conducted by the refuse talents
ef the country? What man of sensibili-
ty or even of self-respect, would ever en-
bark in the employment if he could avoid
it, or if driven to it from necessity for the
time being, would continue in itany longer
than it could be helped? ?
Such being the facts, it follows as le-
climate consequence, that the art Of
teaching is yet in its infancy. The pro-
cess of education as generally managed at
present, is little better than mere rou-
tine-a blind, implicit and irrational fol-
lowing of custom. We teach our chill
dren as we were taught, and for no better
reason than that such was the practice OF
our predecessors. The proceedings of the
school room are conducted pretty much
E by the same criteria as those of the kitch-
en- that is, by the help Of recipes. The
aid of science is in both cases equally re-
, pudiated, and hence 1t follows, that we are
in the habit of making scholars as cook
makes pies-that is, "accOrdiHg 10 the di-
rectioas !" scarcely finding teacher, who
in fixing upon his methods of instruction.
takes counsel of the science of mental
2 philosophy. or who studies at all, the op-
f erations of the mind.
y In most other departments of human
+ labor, art and science, theory and prac.
tice, have been brought into CO operation;
but in that of education, (of all the most
!. important and difficult, they have uni
n formly been kept asunder. The reasons
a that education is in so low and degraded
r condition, have already been given
e No wonder that teaching is in disrePute,
}, when it suggests to the aspiring youth, no
ideas, save those of drudgery. disgrace
and starvation. That such is the case, is
a the fault Of society. Society may blame
Of itself, its own false notions Of political
If economy, for the defective education un-
Of der which it groans. Only let education
r. be encouraged, and put upon proper
al footing, and the process Of teaching would
be one Of the most inviting employmenti
in the world. Let it but be appreciated
N and rewarded as il should be, and VIC
10 should soon see crowds of talented COM
!, !, pelitors pressing forward to an employ
:, ment, which, repeat with equal empna'
:, sis and sincerity, is one of the most dig
=. ~ nifed, useful and delightful upon earth
al Az EYANTgFR