The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1858-06-24
SUBJECT
Intellectual qualifications Nee
esSary for the Successful
Teacher.

Teacher.
The Law of our State has prescribed a
list of studies with which it says those
persons aiming to become teachers, shall
make themselves thoroughly acquainted.
But it has fixed no limit to the progress
the teacher may make in his advance
ment it has but laid foundation on
which to build as lofty and noble struc-
ture as the workman chooses to erect
In the public sentiment Of our county,
the building has advanced somewha
above the foundation, and to rear the
structure little higher, is the object
of our coming together
The Law says that the teacher shall
have a competent knowledge of Reading,
Writing, Arithmetic. Grammar and Geo
graphy. And when it says that, it means
more than many of our teachers mean by
the same thing. Yet suppose these are
learned as they should be, and that it is
about all that teacher will be called up
on to teach in a district school, it is well
to enquire how large the house shall be
built before he can live in it with COM
fort and profit, or, how far shall the teach
er rise in intellectual qualifications above
those he is to instruct.
Among the first requisites after what
the Law demands, | shall be inclined to
place a considerable knowledge of the
Natural Sciences. Children learn of what
they see around them; sensible objects
possess the principal interest, and iftheir
curiosity is gratiied, they will learn from
these with but little urging. Deficient
as we know SO many parents are IN ablli-
ty to give the desired information, if
teachers have really the interest they pro-
fess to have in the rising generation, they
should qualify themselves to administer
to the children's wants IN this particular.
The young lady who teaches the summer
school, will excite no little interest, and
coufer no small benefit on her young pu-
| pills, if she can explain to them the struc-
ture and uses of the flowers they bring
her, and find names for the wild plants
they have called indiscriminately Y weeds.
Though she may not teach Botany as "a
study in school, there will be many a
spare moment improved, and many a
thought-sced planted that will spring up
and bear abundant fruit. The child will
respect the teacher who can answer his
iuquiries-What makes it ram? what
makes hail? what makes lightning and
thunder? These can and should be ex-
planned to the child who has curiosity
enough to ask concerning them, and some
what Of shame will attend the teacher
who has no explanation to give. l well
remember my childish admiration of the
teacher who first pointed oUt Orion and
the Pleiades. My interest in the stars
was much increased when | knew that
they had names. On this subject we
would farther say, that teacher is not
well prepared to teach Geography, till heis
quite familiar with the leading principles
OF Astronomy Though he may hardly
have occasion to mention that other plan
cts revoIve around our sun having days
and years of different lengths from ours,
his explanations Of day and night and the
cause of the seasons will hardly fail to be
more clear and ineligible, if he has in
his own mind a full understanding OF
these Astronomical truths.
Physiology seems to be gaining ground
in our schools, among teachers, and to
some extent in the common school. This
is as it thould be. | think it would be
we'll introduced more extensively into the
district school, but for their own health,
as well as the physical well-being OF their
pupils, teachers, before commencing their
first school, should acquaint themselves
with the principles of physiology and hy-
giene.
Why History has been so universally
neglected in our schools, | do not know.
| believe that in some Of the Eastern
States it is as regularly taught in common
schools as any other branch. But in this
State, and New York so far as | know, it
is not in the schools, nor would [ willing
ly undertake the task of naming all the
teachers who know about as little on the
subject as their pupils. Without under
taking to decide at what age children
should take up the study as a regular
pursuit, we must say that the individual
who considers himself or herself fitted for
a school teacher, without a good knowl-
edge of the history of our own country,
has fixed the standard too low. Young
men learn the political history of the ma
ton from news-papers,-know when par
ticular laws were passed, what distin-
guished statesmen voted for or against
them, and what the effect has been or is
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