The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-10

Normal sehools, No. q.
Editors Iatettigencer
The character OF our schools Ia deter.
mined very much by the teacher. IA
good teacher will generally sednrs 4
good school. What he nrShe, IA, n- 4
great extent, the scholars will become.
II he Is full OF life and energy In teach.
Ing, his pupils will be In learning. Il
he accurate In scholarship So are thew
In recitation. Is be respectful In his
bearings towards them? So are they
towards him. Whatever goes to con.
stltule the sun of his excellence, will
be measnrably repeated in them,
Hence Whatever we would have the
youth -four State become should bethe
model.we. should adopt In our Normul
School. The teachers of this school,
and Indeed OF all schools, should aim
mainly ut precise accuracy, which IL
only TO be acquired by Imitation and
repetition, under a rigid observance
Of definite rules, Especially III the
class of subjects mentioned In my last
article. But when we go beyond these
to subjects involving reason and judv.
1'S.s 90 "eli 10 heuuuIyt lu tnb c0n-
ception and enunHiation of Thoughts
and Ideas which relate to them, some.
thing more than accuracy ofrecltation
lSrequired. Learnlng lesson out OF u
text book and reciting II me1torsteJ., Us
IS too oiten done, does little TO enrich or
lnv1korate the mind. A learned recitA.
ton scholar Is often Il learned Ounce,
And yet the child, when set TO study,
needs something to keep his mind
steady, 10 give 10 It an orderly direc.
tion TO help him fix his attention, and
to furnish him principle of assocIa-
ton and ready memories. Hence the
necessity OF text books. But the teach.
or should be taught how tOteacli others
the use they should make of these
books, how 10 enliven the lessons as.
signed by familiar examples and ex.
plantations and inquiries, us will open
to the mind Of the pupil new thoughts
and render what he has been studying
Ineligible and interesting.
Teaching is profession, and he who
would become an adept In any proies.
sion must be educated specially for
that profession. He who follows the
most ordinary occupation, where we
would suppose very little skill is ne.
cesshry, Is required TO prepare himself
by prntiClng the labor from one TO five
years before he can command more
than nominal compensation for his
work; and when any important or ditfi.
cult mechanical work Is to be con.
structed, a special and most careful
preparation Is requisite. He who pur.
poses the erection OF a steamship pro.
cures the services OF workmen OF
known competency In the general
principles OF constructing, In mechani.
cal skill; persons that understand every
particular portion OF their work, and
the proportion OF each part. Yet the
ship when completed Is an inanimate
body, its value being only counted by
dollars and cents. While, then, this
demand OF ability Is so rigidly exacted
In all the trades and other occu pations
in which the spoilation Of more than
some gross material In seldom invOl we'd,
shall the teacher who IL intrusted with
the duty OF discipllning the most im.
portant and valuable work Of creation
the human mind, the destruction oi
which is lasting Injury and incurs
loss OF incalculable magnitude-not be
required TO make the least preparation,
but permitted to work in schemes ol
chance, aud by experiments upon that
which, when mRtured, remains the di.
rector OF II human being through time,
and works out eternal felicity or cease.
less misery for the soul? Such conduct
Is wicked and unnatural. The teacher
Is not only expected to mould the mind
and manners OF the youth Immediately
under his instruction, but by instilllng
just. and magnanimous principles,
he is TO exalt the happiness OF fImi.
lies and communities. He Is 10
strengthen the intellect of the young
and tender, assist II to develop
and produce honorable fruits, 10 refine
aud exalt the moral nature, TO pluck
the evil desires that so naturally lurk
In humanlty-ihe germs that will ere
long become llIOTns and choke down
progress and honor, and plant instead
thereof, pure motives and honorable
activity, producing an unlmpeachable
character, and forming manhood which
exhibits the henelcent design OF the
Creator. To be Il teacher, how impor.
tant! To lay the moulding hand upon
the child, how responsible. Who can
enter upon this work and not exclaltli,
who IL sufficient for these things ?"
~ bCuShliS u tutlb EuutlutI IL huDuIu
not be. Is the teacher 10 become
dwarf, with IN intellect less stored
with knowledge, with mind less capA-
clons, with heart less ympathetic, with
purpose less earneSt2 No; the glOri-
GUS work OF teaching Is only becoming
those who are prepared only In the
most perfect manner possible, especial
ly n ready knowledge of at least ull the
ordinary branches OF education, with a
correct understanding OF the science OF
teaching, thoroughly reduced TO prac.
tice. Without these qualifications no
person In prepared 10 enter. any school
and give instruction In AN intelligibls
manner, not tending to pour upon the
pupils minds mass OF undlgeSted
ideas, that Will prevent the proper de-
Velopnlent OF the iniellecl. Where can
this preparation be ucquired2 Ianswer,
in the Normal Schools, II properly es
thbllshed, sustained and conducted,
they being the only educational insIitu.
tons In which teaching IL Tor should be)
perfectly systemHtized, and where the
student II NO situated that the knowl.
edge hc gains Is continually to bs put
In use by him IN the practice OF the
science or education. The graduates Of
most oil our BelninArles, academies or
colleges are very little better prepared
TO take charge Of common school, OF
tie ordinary grade, than tho man OF
theoretical science, who hus Devoted
years OF study 10 the uses and adVun.
thEpS OF steam and steam engines, IL to
enter upon the mechanical work OF
constructing railroad locomotive.
10th may have u good knowledge, bat
ihey lack tue practical.
Hence the great necessity for the es-
tabliShtnent OF our Normal School. and
that nt mn early period. NJ. W.
WetLSbury, West Vn.
TnE Dayton (O.) Journal has received
letter from Mr.. Henry HelwicIs, of
FrederiCkstown, Miami county, In
which tho writer brags considerably OF
his iniant. lie says the baby ia lust
three weeks old; weighed lGX pounds
when 1t was born; can sit alone In tho
middle of tho floor; in two or three
weeks ave think 1t can wnlk;" that II
"iS one OF the grealest theatrical sceno.
ry ever WIN seen Tor tho ages" that II he
lives "he will make good lawyer or
doctor by tho looks Of him, at this time.
for he In RRy and hRndsoma. AMI Ln. !,