Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-07-10
For the Herald.
For the Herald
PROPOSED TEACHERS CONVENTION.

Mr.. EDITOR Il am pleased to find il
your last issue,a call for convention of TIE
teachers of Grant county. Such conven
ton can but result in good to the interests
of Education. The Importance of those
interests, require that every means avalla-
BILE for their promotion, should be lmproy-
ed; and among such means perhaps there
are none more practical, In the present
state of the cause OF education, and the
present condition of Schools, in Grant CO.,
than such proposed convention. Certain
ly, if such convention would have ten
dency to awaken the zeal, or tighten the
labors of teachers, or to awaken an inter
est in behalf of our Public Schools, in the
minds Of the community, there is most am
pie scope and useful purpose for the same.
That the Common Schools, at least in ma
ny parts of our county, are far from that
degree of proficiency which they ought to
attain, and that our teachers are, in many
Instances, deficient in many of the impor-
tant qualifications of their profession, am
but TOO far walra tied in stating as mat
ters Of fact
A proper Moral Discipline, and Syste-
matlzed Order, may, [ think, be stated as
great deslderato, in very many Of our
Schools. That teachers, hose own edu-
cation has been perchance acquired in
schools of the class indicated, and who are
without experience, should sometimes fail
to institute a practical system Of govern
ment, especially in some of our schools, is
not surprising. The art Of governing
Young Anaeraca, does indeed require de
gree OF discretion, firmness and Christian
forbearance, which every teacher may not
lntultively possess, or readily acquire
The interchange Of views and experiences,
on this important and most practical point,
would be beneficial; and TRUST will receive
due degree of attention in the proposed
convention.
A question of great practical bearing,
which must suggest itself to every one ac-
qualnted with our schools, is,-Why, in SO
many instances, do they accomplish so lit
tie? Why do SO many youths attend
school for terms, and even years, without
more than acquiring a crude knowledge Of
but part Of the primary branches of
common school education? Why is it that
SO many young men and women who have,
from infancy, enjoyed the advantages Of
our common schools, are absolutely inca
pable Of inditing grammatical compost
ton, or of comPrehending an essay which
should assume as known, the general facts
Of Geography, or current History? Is ii
from actual want of mental ability, or from
moral per7erseness in the rising genera.
ton: from want Of proper efforts on the
nat Of teachers or is it from a genera
apathy, existing in the community al
large, toward the great interests Of Popa-
lar Education?
Although teachers may not be respon-
sible for the satisfactory answer to these
queries, yet they furnish an important
problem which teachers may be deemed
peculiarly fitted to solve; and Teachers
association Or Convention will present a
proper opportunity for such solution.
The public mind needs to be aroused TO
the interests of Education. Theoretical
~, we may admit, but practically we too
far ignore, the importance of those interests.
1t is comparatively seldom that we hear
the subject entertained in social converse.
Politics, Theology, Agriculture, Trade
and Gossip are famillarly moo led and dis
cussed in communities, where one might
dwell in ordinary intercourse for months,
without discovering, from conversation,
that the common school is an institution
of our State.
Papers and periodicals devoted to the
interests Of schools, are rarely found among
us; far too rarely, even among Teachers
These things ought to, and must be rene
died; and they may be remedied by :he
creation of a correct public sentiment; and
such public sentiment may be greatly pro
NOTED, by the formation of the convention
proposed. Then let every teacher of the
county attend; let the convention become
a permanent institution; let it meet al
least semi annually, at different points in
the county; let there be proper normal in
structols and lecturers secured; let every
teacher be required to produce, at each
session, an essay on some practical theme !;
let the ditferen: villages in our county ex-
tend an inviting and generous reception to
the convention, from session to session ;
and let an effort be made to do something
for the great course of Education among
us.
If a proper attendance can be secured,
and due degree of enthusiasm enkindled
at the proposed convention, there is much
to be hoped for its success.
WIN. II. PALMER
Lancaster, July 9Th.
BURNING OF THE STEAMER GALENh Al