Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-06-30

may also come in for good share in illustra-
trion. Hence the teacher should be familiar
with history, biography, and especially human
nature in its various phases.
One science, also, illustrates another, as well
as one part of science another part. Hence
the necessity, on the part of the teacher, of
| general fund of knowledge, and not only so !;
but mind, also, of his own-a thinking, rea-
soning, and reasonable mind. she must, in
! the language of celebrated educator, s'be
| sort of locomotive patcnt-oftice." L would
add, that he must be also a sort of walking en-
| cyclopedia-a living, moving being, full of OBJ
servation, of reflection, and of originality-an-
| aytic and synthetic, deductiye and inductive,
and productive.
| 6. But the True Teacher is farther and espe-
| caly characterized by frmness or, in other
words, decision Of character. With him eyes
| always means yes, and ssno" always means no.
| He always means just what he says-no more,
no less. Hispupils soon become aware OF this
/ fact and hence they learn that, though, as
| have said under another head, he commands
| by requesting, his requests must be complied
,cifh. The True Teacher is not weak and
! vascilating man. He is careful that he never
! makes request of his pupils, nor forbids
/ them any anticipation, except for their own
| good, or at least without very good reason
/ but he will allow not even the slightest resist
! ance to his authority. Hence his pupils learn
! to respect him, and, respecting him, they Will
respect his authority, too. His mere ipsedirn
| is enough for them. ssHe says so,'' is enough
| to settle any question or dispute among them.
| On the other hand, the teacher who is not
characterized by firmness, is not, can not be
respected by his pupils. The soldier could
not respect and confde in the general who
| was continually changing his orders, and re-
| organizing his files, in the same battle. Be-
! sides, only confusion and disorder would arise
| from such course. The Teacher is a general,
/ at the head of an army-an army OF regulars
only CT mt
! supervision and discipline, but his firm, IN
! waverng, absolute commands also, and these
! given, though in kindness, yet in such man
ner as to leave no room for doubt or disobe
! dieEce.
4. The True Teacher is also good tcctician,
! or disciplinai ian. Now, to discipline, the
world about us differ. So do teachers. BY a
/ faciician or disciaHnarian, do not mean a
great FOUNDER of little backs and heads, nor
! yet great er-pounder of knowledge; but a
| great general, a skillful captain. Some peo-
| pie have an idea that the only way to be sue
| cessful in the school-room is to let the pupils
| know from the start that they have master.
My experience has taught me otherwise. Chill
| dren must be taught to love, not to fear; to
obey.from love, and not from ccmpulson.
The True Teacher knows very we'll the turn
| of every mind with which he has to deal; and
while some must be gently led, others must be
| urged up the Hill of Science. And with him
| life is reality. There is no monotony in his
| school-room. Others may talk of monotony-
| of the dullness of the schoo-room. HIS
| school-room is not dull it is a hive of ssbusy
! bees improving each shining hour" he is
/ earnest, active, energetic, alive to his duties,
/ and life and energy pervade his school. The
| hours glide like moments away, and f'dis
missed" generally falls upon the ears of the
| busy group before it was expected, and they
wonder where the time has gone which used to
/ move SO slowly when John Smith kept school.
/ s. Another very important-nay, absolutely
! indispensable characteristic of the True Teacher
! is Strict Morality. He is one who feels the
| greatness of his mission, who feels the respon-
/ sibilities of his station, and boldly dares to
meet them. He uses no impropriety of IAN
guage, does not stake his reputation with his
/ money in games of chance, does not use in
| toxicating drinks, nor spend his evenings at
| gros shops and groceries, and-I was going to
! say, would blush as much to be caught defiing
| himself with that filthy weed, Familiarity called
! tobacco, in any of its shapes. How any man.
1 can lay claim to the title of a moral man, who
! gets drunk, or uses tobacco, can not perceive.
| And no man who is not strictly moral man,
if not decidedly religious, is fit to instruct the
Young. The Teacher ought to be at least
man who fears God, and keeps his command
| ments, if he does not lore Him, and serve Him
with all his heart; though better. far better
were it for all concerned, could this be predi-
Gated of him also.
!
| Teacher has the care of the intellectual facul-
| ties only, and that he is not responsible for
| the morality of his pupils. This is a serious,
| often 4 fatal mistake. The Teacher, though
| not entirely. is to degree responsible for the
! moral as well as the intellectual growth OF his
pupils.
Some teachers endeavor to shuttle off the
responsibility of moral even, to say nothing of
! religious instruction, by ssleaving that to the
/ preacher was not long ago not less aston
| ished than grieved TO hear one whom l had
| been accustomed to rank among the true teach
! ers, say, with seriousness that left no room
! for doubt, that he felt himself irresponsible
only for the mental improvement" of his pu-
| pills, while he left ssthe doctor to look after
! their health" and ssthe preacher to instruct
/ them in morals and religion.'' Truly here was
| defining of the duties of each profession,
| and if correct would not allow the physician
to instruct any in anatomy or physiology even,
| nor the teacher to try to reform an evil habit,
! nor the minister to stanch the bleeding of a
! death-wonnd. Believe me, left that man
with much lower estimate of him than that
| which had previously entertained. All let
! such remember that, in regard to the children
of their charge, there may come time when
/ society may have questions to ask OF thein
which may not be so easily answered, ana that
there is one who may one day require SONIC
! souls at their hands.
4 Other traits or characteristics of the True
1 Teacher might mention, but the time would
Il fail me to more than mention energy, actiFi-
i ty integrity diligence, perseverance, love ior
his nrofession devotedneSs 20 his calling. /
i have also omitted literary qualifications; first,
because 10 speak of them fully would require
4 at least the time that ought to be devoted to a
i single address, and secondly, because the cha
| racteristics which / have pointed out as be-
longing to the True Teacher, when viewed to-
gether, imply, to some extent at least, culti-