Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1860-10-11
For the Gazette,
Common Sense.

Mr. Editor.-That merit should not 90
unrewarded, is a truism universally ac-
knowledged, but that it is not always fully
requitcd is fact equally well substantial
ted To the truthfulness Of this last as
sertion the late action of the school board
of LewIstown, is no exception. Not that
they made poor selections On the contrary,
we believe in this particular they acted
wisely; nor that th2 aggregate amount to
be paid per month is too small; S308 is
good compensation for all the talent and
musc5c they employ; 5ut that each, ire
specticc Of experience or oph.ess to teach,
should receive the same compensation, is
not only unreasonable, but anjHst.
Were the examining OF the mental man
the sole aim, were the memorizing d .
specific number Of words or facts TIE whole
Of educating, then, indeed, might there be
some apology for such a course. And with
certainty might we predict that in few
years there would be i schoolteaching ma
chine. But 10 one believes in this mechan-
ical teaching; none are SO blind as not to
see there is "a knack in the thing "a
'knack,' too, that experience only perfects.
And yet we are told that each has his six
hours to teach, and that each is equally en-
ployed' Indeed. So does the hod carrier
work as many hours as the master mason,
but does reason or justice say, pay him the
same? 1t is the business of each, too, to
lit brick and mortar and lay it down again,
and, mayhap, the hod carrier lifts the more
and the harder Of the two. Shall we pay
him more? Why not? Simply because
any one with strong calves ard steady
head can carry the hod but practice, and
intelligence, and they alone make the mas
ter mason, and he it's that receives the
more. not the carridr or the botch. The
boteh nyoY take the brick and build wall,
but is is tho master mason that erects the
substantial and symmetrical edifce.
= And thus with teachers. All may hear
recitations, all may 'hecp' school, but on
" the experienced can e1'tcote-can build
substantially, symmetrically. Does any
ona doubt Is It not common sense, that
experience Is as necessary to teaching we'll
as to doing anything else well? True, all
experienced teachers are not good ones, but
It is as true, that none are as skillful with
out as with practice. Nor do detract
ought from the young teacher. Without
doubt, his endeavors to excel will equal, if
not exceed those of more experience, but
if he can teach as well as they nor, one
wear from now he can teach better, and
and should receive more. Is not this COM
mon sense?
Besides, it is unjust to those whose aim
it is to teach. Already is the idea too
prevalent that anybody can teach school
Poor encouragement is it (to selfshnaor-
tals) to make the most of ones experience,
when the only reward comes in'that other
world and the only inspiration is derived
from knowing that it is the immortal
mind that you are training. l do not pro-
pose now to 60 croaking over the 'profes-
sional teacher or give vent to any surplus
rhetoric in eulogizing his calHng-for with
out doubt school teachers are great in
! stitution' on'-but as an act of simple j0stice
towards those that ,cW or must teach, say
| t IS but right that experience should not
be overlooked, for that person who is 2
teacher year after year, and becomes no