The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-11-26
An ESSAY

Read AT the Teachers Institute Of Bingham
township by Miss JANE A. Howe, and publish
cd bv request Of the Institute:
Teachers We are assembled here fJr
the benefit Of our vaIICus schools and on
this occasion We have reason TO meet each
other with voices IF congratulation and
hearts IF gladness. When requested TO
address you on this occasion. although
occupied with the duties Of teaching and
having but little leisure to prepare al
essay, | did NOT feel At liberty TO decline.
We are assembled here a. teachers, pur,
suing one If the most honorable, most
useful. aud yet most difficult professions,
a-d are associated together for the pur-
pose Of mutual IN provement IN the duties
lef our vocation. TO continue with each
|uller and la hear the counsel of friends,
lon the be>t met hod of reaching the rslBg
generation to become useful and happy
citizens Of our favored country, II in tlris
arduous work could contribute auy aid
the question of duty wa> decidtd ieli
! the more willing To conFly with YOUR re-
quest IS tile Va ue of our services aud the
|Inpurlance of our Office are So often ub
dcrratcd by The public aud even [, parents
themselves. forgetiuu ths, we are then
most effective auAi.larie> ia training their
ehiidreH to become obedient, af7rci iuuate
aud happy meaibers Of tie family, aud
aeraf;er ornaueni> 10 society and BE :,
Inu> TO their country. All. if parents
more frequently reflected h,w much the
/ future prospenn oftheit clli,dreu depend,
on proper early training. b.th in schoo
aud al the duuus,lc Lre,ide. t4ey would
uutHbpr the school teachers among their
best friends aud strive earnestly 10 c,0p
crate with them ia their duties They
would sustain the just e1etci>e Of their
-utAoriiy, aud frcqnenilF extort then
children 10 industry in study. aud to re-
electtul, affectIoHaie aud obedient deport-
Deut towards their ieacAers Cultivate
a cheerful, afIect9nate and digulhed nan
ner In your intercourse with Your pupils
Man ssid Aristotle, is an Initiative
animal and If you cultivate cheerful
disposition yourselves aud speak kindly
to your pupils you will BY yiur example
difiuse the sstnc spirit among them aud
make both yourselves and your pupils
happy. The feelings Of human hearts in
general, aud Uf all the little hearts within
the walls Of your school house, are linked
together by strong aud uuuistakable
bou1s Vi otsympathy aud cheeriupess 10
the teacher will spread ike an electric
current over your whole school and be
felt by every heart within your little king
dom. If y0u are cheerful and kind YOU
will always be welcome to your pupils
They viii rejoice to see you approach The
school house even if the hour for study
has not arrived. beeause they know YOU
rejoice 10 seciug them happy We.hould
seek to make the studies Of oar schools
easF and pleasant, 50 that our pupils nay
delight in them II is, indeed. neither
desirable nor pusSible for us 10 remove
every obstacle aud relieve our pupil. flom
the necessity of study, or 10 convert our
school literally iuto a house Of spor, and
amusement. This would be to encourage
ldleness snd mental dissipation, sod pre-
vent that intellectual etfort which is es-
~seniial to derelopemeut of tbe mind Ain,
at thorough Instruction For this purpose
labor 10 make your pupil understand each
lesson before you assig9 q bew one. aud
teach them how to help themselves. OF
course you will occasionally 6od a pupil
whuse feeble intellect, Under the hes.
tuitivn. will fail 60 COMPASS the portIva
assigned Make all pecessarv explaDs
items and Illustrations. and AID parliea
larly those pupils whose intellect uai ne
eessities requlfe it. SIire by shorDegh
drilling, FepltItlos, and yoar n1ei Eed Uf
questioning 10 impress on the pspils
uIDds clear aud distinct in pressioss of tie
subject under consideration. If yo0 fail
10 ttis and their views reaisin 0bseare
and confessed they vii soon BE- forguten.
as they are neither deeply impressed on