Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1855-10-19
Oririnal.

u ne eACueE-~AnAS heSDOnSibfsffY.
Il is my present purpOsel 10 consider, NOT
the teachers absolute, but imply bis rela-
tive responsibility.
That every rational being is in q higher
or lower degree responsible. will readily be
conceded by all consideraGe minds. The
degree of the personal responsibility is usu-
ally estimated according to the nature and
importance Of the various Avocations in
which mankind are respectively employed
The higher the vocation. then, in which
an individual is called 70 engage, and the
greater the Importance that the things per-
taining to it should be executed with the
utmost precision, and delicacy Of arrange
ment, so much the more weighty must be
the responsibility which he thus VolunIari.
ly assumes.
The question then very naturally arises,
where in this scale shall the profession of
teaching be ranked? And the answer
just Whers teachers choose to AGvs i-no
less naturally follows. So evident is II that
teachers must elevate and honor their pro-
fession, il they would be blessed and hon.
ored in pursuing it; and that jus. 10 pro-
portion as they do this, the sams result will
follow in the same increasing ratio. For
certain it is that "the man makes the pro-
tession," and not the reverse.
But. when teachers come to view their
profession in its true light-the light of its
relation to the Creator and his intelligent
creatures-will they not certainly discover
that it is a calling second to none as regards
its nature and the importance of its results!
Undoubtedly SO.
Now, then, we have arrived at point
where We can begin TO form an estimate of
the comparative degree Of responsibility at
taching itself to this most worthy occupa-
ton. In view of the above considerations,
it is plain to be seen that their is involved
in this calling a resPonsibilisy-yes, re-
spOnsility, than which, as the Hon. J. n.
RoOr expressed it in bis excellent address
before the "Association" at Cleveland
than rOhieh there is mons greater.
Why, only think once the substance in
and upon which The teacher employs him
SELF is no less than the priceless, everything.
ever developing mind Of maE-tbe spiritual
and real man himself; whereas all else be-
sides has its brief cycle and then passes
away. or changes to other forms.
Such, say. is the vast difference in the
value of the materials on which the educa-
tor is employed, compared with that on
which others work. that his responsibility
sPpro1imales towards in6ni;y in the CON-
parisOn.
In order that this point may be clearly
seen, and its full force felt, We need but
consider how infinitely greater are the con-
sequences Of a mistake on the part of the
teacher than that Of any lradesman. Any
5uRglsr may try his hand at shoe-making
or millinery, or in fact any other msnufac-
ture, or in trade if you please, and so on
to the end of the chapter; and though be
may fail, or in SO far as he fails, the uorsl
consequsnsequencs is only sbe spelling Of
a small quantity Of msteria, which as to iis
own intrinsic value is worthless, and which
may easily be replaced. But not SO with
Lin who tries bis skill and ingenuity in tbs
department of education. The real extent
Of the sad consequences of mistake here,
time cannot tell; eternity alone can meas
ure il! What else is it but misconstTuc-
ton Of that organic and spiritual mechan-
ism which was designed as the grand mas
ter piece Of the Divine hande' And where,
when and how it is possible for such piece
Of work as that to be HHdohe! answer not
But the poet says,
'' 'Tis fond yet fearful thing to ruIs
Ger the opening mind in the Public School.
Like wax ye can mould in what form We will;
What ye write on the tablet remains there still,
And an Angels work isnOt more high
Than aiding to form ones destiny"
W.M.R.