The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-30
The Educator.
- 10 y I'D -
To the Editor of the Press:

10 he Edst0r OF the Press: tlt---2 Hi4
A clear and definite conception of charac-
ter is indispensable to success in teaching. He
| who knows little of human nature, cannot ex-
pect to be successful in this profession. He
must first become thoroughly acquainted with
his own organization; the study of which will
not only enable him 10 compare and weigh
character in others, but lead him into new
fields of knowledge. A misjudgment of char
acter is often fatal, else, why do not legitimate
causes produce legitimate results. Either ma
ture is at fault, or teachers educate incorrect
ly, or too much, which, in either case, tends
to incapacitate and enfeeble the mind. Ac-
cording to the statements found in Pope's es-
say on man, teachers are altogether ignorant
of what is most essential; where he says
Sand all our knowledge is, ourselves to know"
Aptness in teaching seems to be the chief
requisite; and this is said to be native en-
document, a sort of instinct, and therefore in
capable of being improved by experience or in
struction. No more ridiculous idea can be ad-
vanced-as if we are to be governed by sa-
gacity no more intelligent than the bird, that
feeds her young to prevent starvation. And
even less instructive than the bird, for where
is the man that can enter a school, without
any experience, and set about his duties and full
fiji them so perfectly and readily as does the bird
in nourishing her young, which, though hay
ing been Matched in an oven, and never hav-
ing seen nest, would be equally as expert in
nest making. have yet to see such remark
able instinct, and am far from believing the
assertion. On the contrary, regard it among
things possible, 10 acquire, if not all the tact
necessary, enough to bury the idea of natural
endowment forever. Aptness in anything is
acquired by constant application and contin-
ued effort; and is it more difficult to become
acquainted with the organization of the schol-
ar than the soldier? Do we not know of in
stances where teachers, at first unsuccessful in
government, have become masters of their
profession, where generals, though signally in
competent in the first campaigns, have shown
themselves equal to any emergency in war, in
the third or fourth? And teaching is only
commanding an army on small principle.
There may be exceptions to this rule, which
only prove the rule. a
And this leads me to remark that the most
important textbook to be used in schools, is
mental Philosophy, now almost universally
wanting How can teacher successfully
give instruction without a knowledge of the
resat'on Of the intellect to the sensib;lities.
the eu'o'lve states of the mind, the pathe-
matte sentiments, the nature of desires and
propensities. And how can the teacher nron-
erly control scholars, ignorant of moral ob;oa-
tons? Or what uniformity of action in the
moral sensibilities can be called out without .
knowledge of mental philosophy When the
desires of the scholar become alienated, which
often occurs in the sensitive nature, the teach.
er must correctly understand the nature of
that alienation, to be able to treat the case
successfully; and this must be done at once,
for where there is indisposition there is no
advancement. j. NJ. K.
Lincoln, March 23, 1866. .-.--