Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-07-13

never Nse itness
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things they were used to represent So when
we find that word once common has been$discon-
tnued we conclude that its counterpart sthe real
tiles has disappeared long before In this way
words often as fossils to indicate the previous
existence Of things which have now ceased to be- or
are essentially lost out of use and every day remem
brance. Now we can well remember, as we have
intimated, when the schoolmaster, both the word,
and the thing, was most serious and important re-
atty. The very name master-had a sound of au-
thority, and was heard sometimes with dread, al
ways with respect. Butin these days, when we look
over the columns of advertisements IN the newspa-
pcrs We very seldom meet that venerable name
The institutions Of learning which have reached
such importance or make such claims to regard as
to be announced to the public in the newspapers,
are hardly ever called schools nor even if they are
so styled, is the teacher in them called master
We see every day announcements OF institutes ana
academies. Colleges, one might imagine, are sown
broadcast in our country. The young ladies espe-
cially have colleges, of every fantastic name for
them. Those who have the charge of these institu-
tutes are Presidents and Professors and Principals,
and Preceptors Of schools and schoolmasters we
hear never and nowhere
We attended the recent Educational Convention at
Newbern. The wise representatives of the Educa-
tional system of State were there. The lectures
they listened TO- the reports that were made to them
the debates they engaged in all showed that the As
ISOLATION has definite purpose, clearly seen firmly
held, and to be rcsolutely carried out 1t was
meeting of clear-headed, earnest men, who under
stand their own position, and well aware of the
power they WELD in the world Yet in one respect,
here also were we sadly disappointed We had
trusted that they who had grieved US by their dill
tGnti assumption in the public prints of high-sound-
ing Names were only feeble minority whom hum
ger and false ambition had so far misled from the
true modesty of their profession. But how were We
dsmayed to learn that the disease seems to have in
fected the whole body All have yielded to the in
exorable fashion. We lent patient ear to all the
dscourses and debates from the opening to the close
of the Convention, and one only man. and on one
only occasion, had the grace to employ the word
schoolmaster. Many spoke Of teachers; but the
most seemed to rejoice in the uncouth title OF EDu-
GATORS Does this denote change in the thing,
asoy Has the object of school training and dscip-
line been altered to correspond to this newangled
word? Have they who teach our children, indeed,
ceased to he masters? Or is the change the result
of an illregulated ambition? Do the teachers think
to elevate themselves or add rank and importance to
their business by leaving off this homely, familiar,
oldfashioned, genuine Saxon, and most impressive
name and by using instead the vague, etfeminate,
and barbarous Latinism of Educators? Whatever
may be the source Of the change, it cannot but
''make the judicious grieve"
We had the honor to be introduced to many men,
bers of that honorable Association. Not one was
presented as schoolmastcr. There were Presidents
enough among them, and every sccond-rate assis-
tant in sccondrate academy entitled Profess
or; but not one seemed to recognize the worth, or
to aspire to the dignity Of being schoolmaster.
1t may be We over-estimate the influence of this
change: we trust it may be so. Yet to us it wears
a most omnous aspect-of evil only. At any rate,
We have done our duty in calling attention to this
mischief Let those who have the power, do what
they can to arrest it.