The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-10-24
Vermont Education.
GE I \ GOOD TEACHER

GET A GOOD TEACHER.
"o"s"e" chder the sanction of the State Teachers
Committee.
In public address, some years ago. th,
Rev. Charles Brooks remarked that 9TH,
dearest thing on Gods Garth is cheap school
MASTER This fact needs to be remembered
and repeated. 1t needs to be remembered
this year, at the school meeting. then the cr,
OF ''hard times" will be heard. and men vii
DC tempted to otter less wages and to put ul
with poorer school than usual There is nc
mistake about it. a good article commands
money, be ii a good cheese or a GOOD OK. l.,
1t power of hand in the mechanics shon. o,
power Of brain in the counting room, at the
par or IN the schoolhou>c. If YOU want a
good teacher You must down with the dust. e
DO not tell me that good teachers are NOT 10
be had; they are to be had if YOU will pav for
them, at least one for yoay district. The de-
mand will soon create supply. Good teach
crS who have given up the business can be
drawn INTO it again. SO too. can others Of
FIRST rate ability and education for compcu-
sation that will make the business respccta-
bic not less in their eyes than in the ewes Of
the parents and scholars.
Do not put up with somebody that will do
tocrably well, seeing that your school is small
and there are not many large scholars. Do
not take Dea. Browns son. or daughter. or
wlfcS cousin because they will work chca ,y
and can board at ZONE, or take a woman
teacher when YOU ought to have a man. un-
less YOU want to keep your school small. and
to keep out the large scholars. Dca. Brown,
relatives may do well somewhere else. they
may teach geography and arithmetic we'll
enough in your district. but their influence
on the ctr0"tu' of the scholars and Of III,
district. will not compare with that ;hcv NAV
exert elsewhere. or another of no better abi]i
ty may exert in your district 1t is not enough
that your scholars learn something. read bet
ter and go through the arithmetic. The
more important part of the teachers influence
Is upon their habits and character. in refining
their tastes inducing respect and regard for
education itself. and for all that is good and
worthy in a word. in the impulses for rood
that silently go ont III all directions from the
really good teacher. who at once commands
thc respect and love of his pupils. How ma
ny Of our best and greatest men and women,
refer the frs. qnchcning impulse toward all
the! afterward became, to the word or smile
or example of such a teacher As general
rule. comparative stranger will have The
advantage over person well known and
male teacher over female. .And this last !,
sad with all due regard to the many. very
many. most e>timable female teachers in our
state. Other things being equal, the male
teacher can maintain in himself calm dirni-
ty OF manner. and secure reverence for lust
authority i'll the minds of the scholars. better
than the female. because known to be able
n
dercd.
Again Your cheap teacher can not teach
your little children, and in the common
branches as we'll as good teacher. lie can
90 through with certain number of cxcrci
scs in dull mechanical way. but without in !
fusns that life and spirit into the scholars so
ncedful that they may learn even their \. b. |
C> or to spell "Bakcr' ,cccntlv. You have
hired your teacher because he was cheap YOU
neither respect him yourselves. nor do you
expect Your children to respect him: You do
not even expect your children to learn much
and You will not be disappointed, and vet
this very winter is the time when the
right or the wrong impulse given to the open
inS mind Of your child is to determine its
character fer life and to fill your heart in
coming years with JOY or regrets for an error
no money or tears can ever retrieve. And all
the difference now is one. it may he be from
three to five or possibly ten dollars a month |
for your winters school; trifiing item when /
compared with the entire outlay for wages
board, books, school buildings. and the
precious time and opportunities of your chill
drcn.
In days past. when YOU came home from
your days toll, and that boy came bounding |
along to meet you and when your eve and !
heart followed him. your check still warm
with his Goodnight" YOU secretly promised
that you would spare no pains to make him
man do not forget it now. n. &C.