Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-01-24
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Edited hy 4. SMITH, County superintendent,
For the Educational {
The Teacher of To-day.

The Teacher of To-day.
The teacher as he stands at the present
day in all the dignity of his moral and in
tcllectual nature, is too often regarded by
the great majority Of the people as a we'll
meaning sort person, very meek and hum
bic, and hy some more interested ones as a
sort of convenience or machine for the
purpose Of beating knowledge into the
brains of their hopeful sons and daughters;
the machine is rcckoned good if it succeeds
in occasionally beating out wild oats of too
early growth that may have found their
way into these same brains
How do these opinions affect the teach
er Of to-day? Is he sensible of their imper-
fectness, or is he daily plodding on his way
with sluggish Indifference as to what may
be affirmed of him, when the very name
of teacher has q power to incite the high
est hopes and aspirations, the most faith
full and earnest performance of duty
These opinions are but proof of our lia-
bility to content ourselves with merely
skimming over the surface without exciting
a ripple on the sea Of life, forgetting that
those who dive the deepest bring up the
richest gems from OCEANS unfathomable
caves. -.s
The true teacher looking far beyond the
mere work of instilling into the minds Of
his pupils the rules of Grammar, and Mathel
matics, sees in each ones nature a depth
Of grandeur, Of intellectual power, a spirit
God-like in its workings, that nerves his
very soul with the hope of elevating that
spirit to great deeds of generous, untiring
effort. Inspired with this hope, his labors,
crowd they ever so closely around him, are
lightened, and with cheerful enthusiasm
he rises above the adverse circumstances
that provoke and tempt to careless indit-
ference, only to fresher vigor and more IN.
remitting toll
The teacher of to-day has much wider
range Of thought and action than the ped
agogue of thirty years ago. What changes
have been wrought-what advances made
in the whole system of education, and with
what sneering emphasis the term old fash
Toned is applied to everything remaining of
those past days. 1t is a sad reality that
there are still those who are content to re.
main old fashioned teachers some. who if
the world were to be revolutionized, were
to have the enlightenment of the Millen-
mum resting upon it would, for want of en-
ergy and a laudable ambition, lose sight of
the pillar of fire that lights the way OF
earnest, holy endeavor in the onward, up
ward path Of progress.
1t Is not our purpose to enumerate what
literary qualifications teacher should pos
sess, for he Bho at this late day knows not
the things necessary to his calling, before
he attempts to weave the destiny of an
immortal SOUL as
Had better he a Shepherds boy
Possessing rustic health and 10Y
Unmindfu of the world that lies
Beyond his native heath and skies.
But it is to him who realizes his posi-
tion in all It's fullness who, with unfincL.-
ing heart performs each days allotted task,
who, feeling deeply his own weakness, asks
daily audience Of God for counsel and wis
dom from this higher source It is to him
we look with confidence that by his 'enno-
bling influence the minds of the young
fmmortals committed to his trust areeleva.
ted to high standard of excellence in ali
that is good, and beautiful in life, and guild
ed by this same influence into the safe paths
of truth and virtue. Much weary work
lies before him ere he accomplishes what
his heart desires; yet an all sustaining hope
cheers him: he sees the sunlight skinner
ing through every lowering cloud, beauti-
ful shining ones smile upon him from their
home above, and part of the world is bet
ter and wiser for his having lived init. May
we not hope that we have many among US,
who, with earnestness of purpose, and un-
tiring devotion in noble cause, are labor
ing for others good, whb are not physically
prevented from enjoying even here part
of that higher, more spiritual life, that
awaits US in the future.
Having then our aim perfection and the
road leading thereto selfculture, let us ev-
er press onward and while the world hon
ors those who nobly defend the cause Of
liberty, Of rights and humanity, will they
not also honor the moral heroism, the self
sacrificing spirit of those nov telling and
Of those over whose inanimate dust has
been written this simple epitaph,
A Teacher of the Young.
4 TEACHER