The Grand Haven news., 1864-11-16
Teachers in Country Schools.

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II is the universal practice in this
country, ID the rural districts, and in
mnny of the smaller villages, to have
school taught three or four months in the
winter by man teacher, and four or five
months in the summer by a woman
teacher, and rarely are the same man
and woman secured for succession of
winters and summers; hence, in most Of
our district schools, except in cities and
the larger villages, there is a change OF
teachers twice year. These frequent
changes lead to serious evils. All teachers
aim to impart useful instruction, but all
teachers do not pursue the same methods
in imparting that instruction--in fact, it
is not easy TO find two teachers who pur-
sue the same plan. Every teacher moulds
and shapes the minds placed in his charge,
to greater or less extent, depending on
bis aptitude and ability. A teacher who
has a school for three or four months has
given somewhat of form to his pupils
minds after his plan of working, then if
another teacher takes his place for like
period, he will form their minds some
what in bis way, and when change of
teachers has thus taken place twice year
for ten or twelve years, the scholars, in
stead of having fair, systematical de-
velopment of mind, resemble some patch
work or make-shift affair. Their minds
are little of this, little of that; here
isa bic or good tiiscipiihe, good III itseif,
perhaps, but like the first, unfinished, and
so put in that it does not join nicely and
evenly with the first.
At the close of common term of
school teacher has just begun to under
stand the peculiarities of his pupils, their
different abilities, their moral bent; he
sees where each one needs urging, where
restraining; he learns which ones must
be pushed forward, which may be led,
and which ones, the roads being pointed
out, will go ON rapidly and well alone.--
He has become SO acquainted with both
pupils and people that he can adapt his
teachings to circumstances, and so mould
circumstances that they will further his
teaching. Now his engagement expires,
school closes, and when it again opens
there is new teacher, who is entirely
unacluainted with those local pecuhari-
ties which his predecessor had learned by
the close of the previous term, and BY
the time he has learned them, his engage
ment will also be ended.
1t is certainly better that schools
should be conducted in this way, than
that there should be no schools at ALL
Notwithstanding the disadvantages un-
der which they labor, our country district
schools do great work every year. But
no one who has studied them will believe
that they have reached the highest point
of usefulness. We think that the most
important step which can be taken to in
crease their usefulness, is to engage thor
oughly qualified teachers by the year, and
keep the same teacher as many years as
possible. The education of our children
is the most important work for us to do,
and yet there is no other work in which
we pursue such patchwork process. If
we wish to have coat we'll made, we do
not have the body cut by one tailor, the
sleeves by another, the collar by third,
and as many more employed in putting
the parts together. If we were i'll we do
not take the prescriptions of one physi-
clan until we are partially recovered, then
dismiss him and call in another. Surely
it is as important that our children sho'd
have symmetrical mental culture as that
our coats should fit elegantly; it is as
necessary that the mental and moral per-
versities of youth should have steady,
systematic treatment, and bodily ills
should receive proper attention.
No work requires more digested plan,
or greater persistence in pursuing that
plant than the work of educating youth.
Terms Of three or five months under one
plan, followed by similar terms under diff.