The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-01-03

Address Of IL. IL. Shove, DeEiy-
cred before fiae E'OGseT County
Teachers Institute, Thursday
Evening, Nov. 22, 1850.
PRINTED BY REQUEST OF THE INSTITUTE.
Since you have conferred on me the
honor Of an invitation to address your In
stitutE am here on this occasion to COM
ply with your request and give my mite
for the advancement of the cause in which
we are all so deeply interested. In this
lecture | shall treat Of department. in
the Teachers vocation, which some of
you may consider, if not entirely irrele-
want, at least somewhat remote, for while
we have been piled with distractions as
to his duties, res possibilities and relations,
we have heard little or nothing concern
/ ing correct or incorrect personal habits,
which go far to make up the character Of
the man, and which, oftener than mere
want of qualifications. bring opprobrium
on the profession, and shorten the days
of him who adopts it,-when the latter
prevail. Permit me 10 call your attention
to this most neglected part of the ques-
ton. In the whole list of professions
there is no one which calls for more full
and perfect consecration of all the pow
ers of body and mind on the part of its
chosen representatives. than does the pro-
fession of the teacher He not only
teaches principles and imparts instruc-
tion, but he impresses his every peculiar
| ity of thought, mind and action and for
this reason, if not for his own sake, he
should be careful to preserve the original
type of character in all its freshness aud
purity; aud if while himself child, be-
fore he ever thought of becoming a teach
er, he acquired any habits which are obi
Gus in themselves, or pernicious in final
effect, he is bound by every sentiment of
honor, and principle Of integrity, as well
as by his love for human welfare, to offer
it willing sacrifice to the cause in which
ne is engaged. Therefore | am particu-
larly anxious that the teacher should be
not only temperate, but thoroughly cor
rect in all his habits; and there is ore
which for its horrible 6lthiness, and de-
basing influences, stands preGmiuent
among the scourges of society. To this
hablt-to their everlasting shame and
disgrace be it said-not few school
teachers are addicted 4; to wit: feeding on
tobacco.
1t is of this that propose to speak,
in hopes that there may be at least one
of my fellow students within the sound
of my voice, who will take firmer stand
and a boldcr opposition to an evil which
every one of them must deplorc. 10 a
man of acute sensibilities and refined hab
its, there is nothing more intensely dis
gusting than the practice Of chewing to-
bacco. 1t strongly offensive to his spec
ial senses, and equally abhorrent to his
moral sense of dccency and right. When
a man through an error in his education,
or by some strange hocus pocus OF the
imagination, comes to so menstrousIy IN
vert the natural relations existing between
himself society and his Creator, as to look
to such foul and ungodly practice to bill
the source of his inspiration, he is no long
er fit to hold any position of trust or hon
or; much less to teach school; and he
should never attempt to sway the scepter
Of his influence over a school room until
he has learned to grasp it steadily with
the hand of a man, and point to purer
sources of enjoyment, a. 4 healthier means
of keeping soul and body supplied with
the necessary amount Of stimulation. |
am not one of those ultraists, who when