The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-07-16
STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.
OF THE GRADUATES.
The Nobility and Responsibility OF the
Teachers Vocation.
BY J. y. d. BROWN.

/
~ for time, and then suddenly or
gradually decay? Why do we see, in
some nations, virtue and intelligence
marching onward as generation sue
ceeds generation, while in others the
children tread i'll the steps of their faith
ers? Why has America changed from
the wilderness of yesterday to the pop
pIous, free and prosperous country OF
| to-day? Why have the Hghtnings been
tanned and taught to traverse the noun
| tains of the deep and write the voice OF
nations? Why has man been changed
from the ignorant and idOlatrous being
Of the past to the Intelligent and God
| fearing creature of the present. To an
swer these questions we should rcmcm-
Der this is not a world of chance, but that
every SELECT" proceeds from some legit-
| innate "cause" Planets revolve around
their central sun, and satellites around
their respective planets according to fix
ed laws. When their great moving power
is increased they draw nearer their CEN
trail body and move onward i'll their
course with greater speed; but when ii
| is decreased they wander off into space
and are lost. Is it not so with nations
| Do they not march onward and draw
nearer their Great Center as they be-
| come more VirtuOuS and more intclli-
gent? And do they not, like the planet,
wander away from their God as they
become corrupt and ignorant? So with
| men. Do they not become more per-
feet beings just in the proportion that
they are educated? Ii we carefully
study the past history of the world we
shall find that this is true. and must
come to the conclusion that education is
the means which God employs in ele-
waiting mankind, directing the course of
nations, and guiding them to their final
destiny. If this be true, oh, teacher,
how noble, how responsible is your
work
1t is noble to be a great artist; ''to
| be able to discern the finished statue i'll
the heart of the shapeless block" to
hand down for the admiration of pos
terity the beautiful, yet silent and mo-
tionless representation of great and
good men. But how much more noble
is it to be able to shape with plastic
| hand the mind of the little child; to so
mold it that lie shall become great and
good that he shall be able to grasp the
great truths of nature and hold them
up before an admiring world. The
great sculptor, Phidias, occupied high
and responsible position when chosen
to prepare statues to adOrn the palaces
| of proud Athens. But does not he that
is chose to prepare immortal souls to
beautify the palaces of the Eternal City
| occupy far more noble and responsible
position!
What more important object is there
in the great vegetable Kingdom than the
little leaf? 1t, like the teacher, is ST.
lent worker. 1t makes no pretcnsions
to greatness. 1t tolls Oh and completes
| it's work, content that the monument
which it builds up shall receive the
praise. 1t prepares the fuel that warns
| the hearth-stone, that sends the lOcOmO-
tive dashing across the plain. But the
teacher prepares the fuel that warns the
| human heart, that rouscs up the latent
powers OF the mind and prompts them
to action. The leaf prepares the food
that builds up every plant from the tiny
moss-cap to the giant oak but the teach
err that which expands and adorns the
human mind. 1t prepares the timber
ont of which houses and cities are built
But you, . Teacher! are to prepare men
for all the various callings of life; mel
that are to take our places; men that
are to stand at the head of our nation
and guide her either TO prosperity or to
ruin: men that are to live for the bene'
fit of of mankind, or for their own per-
sonal acknowledgements. Yes, more than
this: YOU are to prepare immortal
souls Tor eternity. ., sir, let me ask
you to realize the nobility, the respon-
sibility OF your calling to fully prepare
for it ; to lay aside all mere personal iii.
terests to be actuated by the highest
purest and best motives.
Will you shrink from your duty be-
cause the world does not applaud?
trust not. Remember that it is ours to
sow the seed, but that far of generation
must reap the harvest.
DO YOU know that the great want o
the age is active, enthusiastic and hon
est teachers men that will take hold u
their work with all their might; mel
that can appreciate ''thc spirit of the
age" men that will not seek to cover
up their actions, but will hold them VI
to the broad light! Are you one o
!; these men? Do you feel confident o
/ success? Are YOU willing to devote
your w hole life to your pupils good Do
YOU feel prepared to take the little chic
and educate him physically, mentally
and morally, making him as perfect |
being as he can be? If so on to yonl
work If not
But if YOU would succeed; if you
would rear mp a strong, Intelligent anl
moral race of men; and if you wOuit
have the teachers of future generation
honor your name, you must continue
YOUR preparation; You must keep thu
! fire well supplied with fuel lest it buPI
? out and YOU be left iii the dark. Gol
must not expect To slide along witIiou
Z energy, without expanding any vita
r force. You have thousand dsadvan
: tages to encounter and a thousand diff
a. culties to overcome. You must gatbe
t up your whole strength and meet then
like man. And when dark days d.
come, struggle on, remembering that tia
, sun will soon burst forth brighter thai
ever before,
et Yes, your calling is truly noble ant
responsible, and if, when the great ma
tionaI roll of honor is read by the ora
tors of future generations. your name i
not found among the first benefactors o
the human race, among the first builder
up of this great republic, among th
first names of the great and good; ant
. if the future American eiliZen, after &C
II eoanpanvin% the stranger OSer oar beau
tiful hills and valley, across our broai
and fertile prairies, into our populou
and prosperous cities, along cur grea
railroads. TO our hard-fought battle
fields. and "a the tombs Of tise ssiilliOn
| that have persisted in freedoms cause
does not after all these point him wit
bride to your names and eXclaiIn-
These are our Jewels, these our abiding
Il treasares-it will be because you hav
failed to realize the importance of you
: work; because you have not fully pre-
= pared for it because you have not keE
your lamp trimmed and burning, an
= because you have not done your Who'll
5, duty.
5. Others may prefer some other woes
;t tiND; may prefer to win honor as
= lawyer, doctor, statesman or warrior
: but Is for Inc. my ambition rises lao Algi