Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-10-27
Thoughts upon Education.

Education,. education, education rings
In our ears, till we are almost deafencd-
q" would do any thing in the world for the
advancement of education" says one
" What are you doing, my friend 2" "Why, |
| am a teacher and | attend all the teach |
ers' institutes and educational associations
near. talk of my interest in education
to parents, and do all | can to please the
children, and they like me first rate"
This man is almost as bad as the little
man of the readers, who was all the time
crying, Il see, | seer p and yet never saw
any thing clearly.
We know there are two ways, at least,
of pleasing children, as well as grown-up
people. One is kind and gentle treat
ment, dealing Justly by them, and showing
a ready sympathy in their plans, their feel
ings, and in their real advancement An
other is to flatter their faults and foibles,
making then. appear as evidence of spirit
and TALENT and SO putting up their vanity
as to make them feel nothing but their own
greatness and brightness. They will pay
little complimentary Difference to their
teacher, as their bright, adorning satellite !;
but parents, guardians and friends are trea-
ted with contempt, unless they choose to
pay court to the rising luminaries. 1t is
no wonder that those who choose this lat
tel mode come in few years to consider
teaching a slavish business. And when
we see such teachers striving to pass for
persons of much better cultivation than
they really are. and thus living in contin-
ual fear of having their weak points dis
covered, the wonder is still less that they
should finally leave the occupation in dis
gust.
al think the standard of education
needs raising little" said young lady,
with queenly dignity and energy. Rails
ing the standard of education" may be a
very fine poetic expression, but in plain,
common-sense prose, how would her mean
ing have been expressed? Really l have
been at a loss to determine. Was more
and higher culture to be required of the
teacher, or was the subject to be so placed
before the eyes of the public as to render
the calling more honored, (more honorable
it can not be) or was attention to be SO
called to it as to render it more remuner-
ative2
1t might have been all three, it might
have been either, or it might have been
neither. From her character, which was
most intensely practical and ambitious, it
might be judged the two former were sub
servient to the latter All its honors she
readily assumed being of an industrious
turn, she was willing to stock her mind
well with knowledge Of the text books
more especially, as that would be likely tc
bring the greater amount of money. care
you going to teach this winter q. said {
friend to her. ''Not if | can make more
money at something else" was the reply
Unless a person feels real, decided in
terest IN the welfare and continued i'm
provement Of children and youth, and
might add, Of the whole human race, b,
had better seek other calling than that o
a teacher.
The school teacher should reverence hi
calling as much as the teacher In what
called, "the sacred desk" should rever
ence his. He should keep alive his vener
alton for the God-given mind, whose capac
ity for good or evil is beyond measure
ment. The matted hair, the dirty face
AID childish, unthinking rowdyism, shoulc
never be allowed to divert the attention
from the great end in view, the thorough
improvement of all the faculties of eacl
; individual. The process is sometimes slow
oh so slow; but so is the growth Of tn
e oak, yet, nevertheless it grows. Day b,
dav the teacher must work, and he nee'
not fear that earnest, kind endeavor iseve
lost. even if some cases he sees no return
. Does he not know that in the naturs
world many seeds lie in the ground 70
I years before they germinate? and that j
IS after life, the example set the principle
n taught, the encouragement given, the fir