Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-12-10


But with the majority it is not So Talent usurps
perks himself 10 the royal robes of profund;ty. We
eat, and sleep, and make haste to gather riches,
leaving in a Thousand instances to mere tyros the
task OF developing the untutered intellectual facn-
ties, and stamping an eternal impress upon the mo-
raj natures OF those profess to hold dearer than
life ITSELF Any young inexperienced 'collegian, !"
or graduate" of some Female Seminary" know
ing no more than the children they teach, of the
art Of i'npdrtimy kRoscgedge. is admitted 20 the
sponsible duty of developing and directing the mo
rai mental and to certain extent the physical des
tiny OF our rising generations It is now a recog-
nzed fact that teaching is profession and that
one to become successful Instructor needs as
much course Of preparation for that profession
as do the candidates for the honors and emolu-
ments belonging to Medicine. Theology, or Law.
The very nature Of Teachers duties indicates the
necessity Of such preparation, while the facilities
for obtaining it are wholly wanting among of the
South. If in any case the teachings of wisdom
and experience, needed, certainly they are re-,
CURED in that great work where the Substitutes of
mind and soul to be explored, and so understood
directed, aud controlled, as to deveope to the
highest perfection the moral and intellectual pow
ers. But then the revelations of the inner affairs
OF chilchoods SOUL the ministries of the spirit, the
emotions Of the heart are things rarely dreamed of
in the modern Teachers philosophy. Parents ask
yourselves the question, shall commit my child to
the care of Teacher, or a tyrol If you would
erect noble ediice, fine in its appearance, Just in
its proportions and secure in its foundations would
you commit the work to the scientific and skiful
architect, or some carpenters apprentice! Beware
then, that in rearing the nobler edfce of Mind you
choose not the apprentice instead of the masterbu
der. Ifyou wished to produce beautiful volume e,
would you place your MSS in the hands of some
well-known publisher, or of the "deviI" of a vii.
lage printing Tremble then, lest when the stair
white page" of youthful nature is to be Impress
ed with characters which shall last forever, Won
commit it not to the foul hands of darker spirit
than ever labored at printing-press. If you were
about to 60 forth against vast army, would YOU
choose for your followers the serried ranks of dis.
ciplined sodery, the loose array ofraw recruits?
Have care then that in going forth to battle with
the dark phalanx of Ignorance you do not choose
the latter and neglect the former. Wo to the land
which seeks its lawgivers and its prophets among
those fitted and intended by Nature only to be its
hewers of wood and drawers of water I Wo to
the drudge who shall have the temerity to exat
himself into the ruler. Soon may all false Teach
ers pass away with the system which they have
nrCinatad The apd ;,co,,nator.
Pb@ton who aspres to guide even for day the
chariot of the sun, is worthy only to perish in the
ruin of which he is the guilty cause
1t is great mistake to regard the Teacher in
reference to the intellect alone Is mere erudition
as valuable to the young immortal to be taught, az
a spontaneous sympathy, and intuitIve knowledge
of all the diverse influences which are to be
brought to bear upon the pupil, in a world where
we are called upon not only to hear, and see, and
know, but to act, to suffer, and to enjoy. Talent
is not character,-the gifts of mind are not graces
of the heart. We read of the daughter of cele.
brated European professor who it is said gave lee
lures during the absence of her father, but go
fearful WAS he of distracting the attention of his
students by her great personal---very., that he had
a vail placed before her that she might be carefully
kept out of sight while she impaired her instruc-
tons. Obi most mistaken ideal And yet how
blindy do the Teachers of every day follow his ex-
ample. How rare to meet an Instructor who con.
siders the heart, as well as the mind his care, who
does not strive to crush out all the poeticaI who
does not daily vail the beautiful, who does not
compel his pupils hourly to bow before the shrine
of utility and commonplace Like the students
before the beautiful but vailed lecturer, they hear
the syren voice of knowledge, but they sit in dark
ness for no beam from her eye of light, fushes
them into that enthusiasm by which they can grasp
her precious teachings, and keep them immortal
in their memories.
But the Teacher has not only to care for the
mind, the soul, and the heart of bis pupil,-the
body also claims his strict attention. We must
have principals" of schools who understand the
physical organization of man, and who will apply
their knowledge to everyday experience The
daily regimen of our "model schools" is all wrong.
They overwork the mental organs, and seem en-
tirely oblivious Of the physical. That the mind /
may be clear, the spirits elastic and the temper
cuar systems of the respiratory and digestive orr
gans The diastole of every delicate young heart |
should be known, its systole should be carefully |
pondered. How many teachers think of this! |
The weak pupil and the robust if they happen to
stand in the same class, have the same amount of |
labor. What matters 1t to the Instructor,-the
lessons recited, the hours past. the text books
,losed and his task thank fortunel is over. Ia
Young people at school, girls more especially,
nothing must now be considered but mind, they
must forget "the flesh" entirely. They are not
expected to have any desire for play or rompiug,
must be spiritsIelie, -"lady Hke,"-as If it we're
Tot lady-lke TO eat and drink, to battle and exer.
se The "Female Seminary" as managed at
resent is oue-sided affair, -depIorablg So. The
experience OF one whose whole childhood and ear.
y youth was spent in them, ought to 60 for somes
hing. In them l learned to deplore that had
,een born a woman, tho have since been tau pht
hat lie is an earnest duty, and woman's position
in il one Of deep and sonl-searching responsible
~. Our "Seminaries" cultivate the intenect.
hat Is all The heart is neglected, suffered to
run to waste and water but the desert" Phys
cal education there is less than name. would
SIX the builders Of our "model schools" If II be
'lady-like" to live without a bath for a regular
ession OF twenty two weeksg When he paraded
eiore me bis library aud parlors, his music, and
ecitation rooms, would simply ask if the dress
ng.rooms were private, the chambers well venti-
lted, the dining'ball large and airy, and then /
Tould request TO be shown the cisterns, the bath.
ouse, the gymnasium aud the out of-doors rom.
The gentle aud graceful Calsthen-
s Is very well IN It's place but from being allowed