American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-07-19
Educational department
Teachers Associations a Public
Benefit.
ADDRESS BY A. N. RAUB.

mate connection existing between the
| general education of the masses and the
sefety and the perpetuity of the State
In monarchieal governments, where fa-
vored few only receive the benefits of
education, crowned heads rely mainly on
the force of large standing armies and
navies for the retention of the supreme
civil power in the hand Cf the proper
authorities and even these powerful en-
gines are not potent enough to restrain
the overhowing of popular passion. Ma
poleou III. with all his grand military
power and regal dignity, cannot subdue
the bitter animosity which exists against
him throughout his entire empire. Rev
oluton is ripe throughout his whole do
mains, and once deprived of his military
protection, his destruction would follow
as an immediate consequence. The same
is true, to limited extent, in all mon
archical governments, in which the edu-
cation of the whole people is not consid-
cred of paramount importance, in the
maintenance of proper authority, Re
publics are in measure subject to the
same rule Particularly is this true in
those which have not established q sys-
tenn of education. 1t is well known that
throughout the Mexican and South Amer
lean republics, in which education has
not received its due share of attention,
intestine civil wars are of frequent occur
renee. All this but tend to demonstrate
the truth of the theory, that the safety
and perpetuity of the State depend on the
education of the people. Deprive the
people of the power of educating them
selves and you rob the State of the sup
port which it needs and requires. You
deprive them of that which builds up
and sustaius the State. He who wanders
through the world physically blind is not
the one who will prove an efficient guide.
So it is also with him whose mental Wis
ion is obscured. He becomes mere para
site to the nation, sucking away its life
blood and sustenance
The relation which the teacher sus-
tains to the safety Of the State, in an in
dividual as well as an associated capacity,
is more powerful than that of any other
class or profession of men. Every child
is born with a free mind, open to the in
struction and subject to the training of
future life. lie Is born with the right to
an education, and for the benefit of him
self and of the State he should receive
it. Under existing circumstances, that
education can be best secured and at less
expense, when number are associated
and placed under charge of one whose
efforts ere directed wholly to the end of
goving them the broadest and more sub
stantial culture and instruction He
who mnst perform this task, and answer
to the Supreme Judge for the weighty
responsibility that rests upon him in the
proper culture, development, and instruc-
ton of the mental aud physical nature of
the child d,-the future citizen and sup
porter and protector of the State,-is
none other than the humble teacher, the
daily target at which are aimed the fierce
invectives and denuncations of rich and
poor. In his hand is placed the future
direction rf the government, by ertrust-
ing to his care the mental and physical
culture of the future Ran and governor.
1t may be true that few, comparatively,
feel this to be the case, yet the truth Of
the proposition cannot certainly be deni-
ed.
In order to.accemplish the full end of
proper education, it is necessary that
the teacher secure the cooperation Of
the parents, or at lest succeed in awaken
ing an interest in the community in which
he labors. Every effort should be made
to have the people feel that on the sue
cess of the schools depends in great meas
ure the success Of their children in future
life as citizens.
OF the agenci through which the
teacher is to reach the heart of the COM
munity, but few, if any, are more pow
erful than that of educational assooia-
tions, when properly conducted. 1t s
mainly in our associated capacity that We
are enabled to arouse that degree of in
terestson the part Of the people, which the
cause which we are engaged in demands.
It's true, &hard working, faithful and
Industrious teacher may command the
admiration and secure the attention and
interest of the community iu which he
labors; but when the united efforts of
the teachers of o County or of a State
are directed against the strongly guarded
eitadels of Ignorance and superstition, it
is then only that the taacher.s azs1llte their