The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1859-01-08
Communications.
&c correspondence of he Cecil Wing.

&c correspondence of 7 he Cecil Wing.
RISING Sun, Jan. 4th, 80.
Mr. EDIToR:--1 have concluded to write
you few lines on the all important subject
of Public Schools, in which every individual
is more or less interested. Every American
should welcome with pleasure ny,hing which
has for its object the diIl'aaion Of useful
knowledge among the people, and in my esti-
nation there is nothing better calculated to
do this than properly conducted schools. All
seem willing to admit that the education Of
the youth Of our country is too much neglect
ed yet he who advocates reform in our school
system is opposed with that invincible argu-
mcnt Of dollars and cents. If people would
only reflect on how much money they annu-
ally expend fool>hy, for things that neither
benefit themselves nor society, but, on the
contrary have a bancful influence. they would
easily see that if they would but turn their
means to better account they might support a
system Of free schools Of which every citizen
might feel proud. The first thing towards
the attainment of good schools consists in
the employment Of persons as teachers who
are well qualified to properly perform their
duties in the school room. The fact Of per-
sons being well vcrsed in the different
branches to be taught does not imly that
they are good teachers; they must possess the
ability to lrnpa,t freely their knowledge to
children before they can be considered as
adopts i'll the profession.
Our best teachers are not always those
who arc the II ost advanced in l,arning, vet
this Is no argument to prove that it is not
necessary to be good scholar in order to
teach well, for it is evident that no one can
be successful in teaching branches that he
does not understand himself The reason
mostly given why our schools arc not better.
is that the sa larry is not sufficient to induce
persons to make the necessary preparation in
order to become good Teachers. People feel
10th to give freely TO support poor schools,
and 1t canno, be expected that any man is
willing to give high price for that which he
has always found to be an Inferior article
ihcn, how is the evil to be rcmeded ! Pa.
rents are unwilling to pay large sums of
money for the maintenance of schools till they
are first 50 tisticd that they are deserving Of a
liberal patronage, and good teachers cannot
be obtained without being we'll rewarded for
their services. Let teachers 90 to work with
zeal and energy, store their minds with useful
knowledge, study we'll the art of teaching and
of school government and every step made in
the better advancement of their pupils will be
followed by corresponding additional reward.
In many places teachers, sensible of this. have
formed themselves into Teachers Institutes,
which hold stated meetings, when they discuss
the diiltrcnt methods of teaching the several
branches and any other subjects which tend to
contribute towards accomplishing the end for
which they labor. Why cannot the teachers of
Cecil county do the same! The School Com.
missioners only require them to teach five
days in each week and certainly they could
not spend the Saturdays in any way with
more profit to themselves or to the commune.
ty. 1t only needs some persons to give the
thing start and carry it on in the right
spirit till others can see its beneficial results.
then all will join in to assist in carrying on
the good work and to share in its advantages.