Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-04-14

and beast Full 10 overilDwiag II
wears the smiles of heaven within is
CLASSY depths, and rejoiccs rs with is
crystal sheen. But if the supply were
cut Off the clouds should 40 longer
feed the thousand streams that paw it
their tribute, how soon its waters
would staenatc, reflect but dimly the
bending sky above it. become loath-
some to the thirsty soul. and at last
disappear altogether? Bat so it would
be. 1t must be fed itself, and, that
too, continually to retain its pcarly
transparency, and prove perpetual
blessing to the needy.
Not very unlike this, we think, is it
with the teacher. He, If we may be
allowed the metaphor, is the spring OF
some winding valley, extended plain,
or rugged hillside. to which young
immortals flock TO satisfy their thirst
for knowledge. From their slow plod-
ding through dry textbooks. where
they but dimly perceive and fully
comprehend, truth, on account of the
thorns and briars, the rugged rocks
and yawning chasms, which seemingly
hedge up, or make difficult their may
pathway, weary and disp irited, they
turn away, and look to him as the only
one who can satisfy their need. He
becomes to them, for the time, the
living cxponcnt-the unfailing source.
of truth, whence calm. still waters
ever flow forth to refresh ana gladden.
their young lives, ami speed them JOY
fully on their way
But dropping the figure we would
ask, how he can be an efficient, grow
ing teacher, who never makes any cf-
fort for self-improver,cnt? Can he
continue to feed others intellectually,
year after year, and in the meantime
never feed himself? Can he take a
young mind from the earliest develop
ment of its powers, and carry it on,
through his whole school life, and do
ii In such a manner "a to unfold to the
utmost its resources and capabilities,
and secure for it the most and best,
possible good, and never, all that time,
study to add to his own mental stoiee
1t is mistaken idea of many teach
ers. that if they can pass satisfactory
examination on the studies required to
be taught in our public schools, it is
all that is necessary. They consider
themselves ampl. qualified for THEN
profession, and expect to prove them
selves competent and successful in
structors whether or not, they add
to their intellectual store single new
idea.
There might, perhaps, be some ex-
cusc for this, if it were not for two
very stubborn facts.
One is, that scholars, taking them
as whole as we generally find them
in our public schools, win not become
and cannot be kept, interested and
jealous in their work unless some
special effort is made by the teacher
to relieve the tedium Of study and en-
courage and stimulate them 10 affair
the true end of all school discipline
To do this, the teacher must draw from
other sources than the text books
Various expcdients must be resorteC
to by way of Illustration and incident
in order to awaken and keep up al
interest, and make study pleasant
Only an active, wcll-disciplincl. wei
stored mind can do this at the mo
mcnt of need, and often the best edu
l Gated and most successful teachers ar
sadly at loss, and sometimes utterl'
. fail, to Arouse the dormant energies 0
some listless spirit.
The other fact is, that the humal
mind can enlarge its capacity and grow
: stronger, only by continuing health
i exercise-that there is no neutra
I ground it can occupy. and unless it
{ increasing in strength, il must neccssa
{ rily be growing weaker Thousand
y have proved this true in their own ex
Z" perience. They arc living wi.nessc
} of the difficulty Of concentrating th
mind and fixing the thoughts intent
! on any given subject, after even
! short respite from mental toll. =
y From disuse it has lost something {
= its power. and time is necessary I
- recover II.
II The mind, then. must be judicionsl
Ie exercised-must be hasituated to p.
'e tient, continuous thought in order
enlarge its grasp and increase j
. strength. 1t must be constantly fe
d with wholesale alimcn: In order to r,
vive its tagging energies and maiI
tain It's wonted vigor
The teacher needs this mental di
cipline, this strength Of mind. n
'e merely to enable him to grapple su
y cessfully with unexpected difiiculti