Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-11-25
ToachinC.
An Essay read al the Buchanan County Teachers
Institute November Bird, $50.

An Eaaa, read al the buchanan County Teachers
Institute, November Bird, $50.
Patience, fairness, industry and per
severance, are the essential clemsn Of ii
good teacher, and, to these. we must add
the habit of punctuality None Of these.
save the latter can be acquired they must
he inherent. for, though we may have a
mind well stored with useful knowledge,
and a heart o'cr.fiowing with kindness.
and have not these natural qualifications,
we shall never succeed as teachers. Line
upon line, precept upon prcccpt, here a
little ard there Il little-this is the teach
er's daily work, and a work which no one
but teacher can fully realize and appre
ciate The life of a teacher, with all its
pleasures and ENGAGEMENTS, is still Mt
tended by many trials and diflic"l..,,es
which must be met and overcome, and.
ofIlmes, who" We reflect upon the great
sponsibilitieS Of our position, we feel
utterly dlspiritcd and weary, Every word,
every action, and, we might say, every
motion, of ours, while in the school room,
exerts an influence, for good or ill., upon
the minds of our pupils, and in the years
to come, these influences will rise up,
either to justify or condemn us.
Have we, who are yet young in the
profession, given this subject our thought
full attention. Shall zee shrink from our
responsibilities. Can we, should we, pass
this matter lightly by? Surely not, if
we are earnest, honest teachers. We, as
teachers, exercise controlling influence
over our pupils from the time when their
young minds are just opening to receive
the seeds of knowledge, up to their ma
turer years, when, as men and women,
they are about TO step out into the world,
and fight the great battles of life for them
selves Are we, then, not responsible for
the moral and social position which they
sustain. Every teacher, who has care
fully considered this subject will answer,
that we are. We are engaged in II good
work, and in one that will bring its own
reward Ours is noble profession, and
upon it, success in all others depends
If we compare our position with that of
the teachers of the olden time, we cannot
fail to find much, that will comfort and
encourage u.s. Let us glance for few
moments upon the two pictures OF then
ana now. III INC IlSi VIC shoi SNS an
old, dilapidated, poorly heated, and
scantily furnished school house, the
teacher mere drudge, halfpaid and I'M
appreciated Now all this is changed.
We have pleasant, well ventilated, well
lighted school-rooms, furnished with com
Portable seats, and provided with all the
accessories which make our daily duties
light and easy, and, add to all this, that,
instead of being looked upon rs an in
fcrior class of beings, are honorcd and
respected by every refined and intelligent
mind. But let us not look upon this as
our mcritcd reward The credit is ducno
to us but to the teachers of other days.
They sowed in bitterness, we reap in JOY.
Dcspisc not then, the day of small things.
He who teaches the little child his a, b,
c's is laying the foundation of knowledge,
the mower and influence of which will be
for future veal or woe
And now, as we have so much to en-
courage us to look forward to the htlhll
mcnt of our tondcst hopes in the cause or
education, let us once more buckle on
our armor, and go to work with will,
increasingly and without filtcring, work
earnestly, faithfully. praycriHly, never
resting until we have assembled the ladder
of learning and stand upon the top most
round as successful teachers.