The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-01-28
Communicated
SehGGI Teachers, Look at and Read This!

D
Comparing the common schools of
twenty or thirty years ago with the
I present day, what is the result. Log
cabins, puuehcon floors and stick
chimney- were then, where now are
brick houses with planed floors and
fancy stoves. Then thirteen dollars
per month for twenty-six days, in-
stead of fOrty-five dollars for twenty
days. Then land Of scarcity, now
a land of plenty. Then teachers,
esteemed il an honor to give their
scholars social treat ON the holidays
out of their small wages which was
long remembered with pleasure by
the teacher, while it filled with joy and
gladness the hearts of the scholars
around MIN. We all knOwNxith how
much anticipation children look for
ward to the holiday presents Mt home;
how every heart beats with joy to see
the gifts distributed and enjoyed, and
what n bond of union and. love the
holiday season creates and strength
ems in the family circle. Now the
schOOl-rOOm is only a larger family,
and it follows that acts of benevO-
lenec and kindness there must help
to produce that feeling of unity so
necessary for successful teaching.
The teacher should do everything in
mis- power to win the confidence and
esteem Of his scholars, and to keep up
the good feeling that should exist.
We may justly consider this giving
of holiday gifts as one of the acts of
benevolent kindness which viii long
be remembered. / have tried it for
twenty years and have never known
it to fail of producing that current of
love which should exist between
teacher and scholars. We ought to
consider any teacher poor, hollow
hearted mortal, after getting the large
sum of two dollars and seventy-five
cents a day, or even lower wages, that
would not spend a small sum in can
dies, nuts and tOy-bOOks for his pu-
pills, which small outlay will warrant
him from twenty to forty per cent.
more attendance at their schools than
is usually obtained. Do not UNDER
stand me that treating the school on
the holidays is the only way to secure
this large per cent. of attendance. It
is only one among many acts of kind
ness which a teacher can manifest
during a term, every one of which
tend to build up the confidence of his
scholars in linn. He does this in try
ing to promote their interest in their
studies; in endcavoFing to instill into
their minds the Importance of educa-
ton; in speaking well of their schOl-
ars in school and out; in endeavOring
to show forth their brighter and finer
qualities and talents; in never making
public their Incidence or wayward-
ness; and in repTOving them in the
mildest manner possible, for mild cor
rections are always better than rash
ones. But on the contrary, we see
some achersnOw-a-days lOafngabOut
the beer saloons and cOnfectioneries,
gratifying their appctites with what
should have bought gifts for their
scholars, and which they richly de-
serve.
Standing on the pavement in Tiffin
not long since, / overheard the fol-
lowing conversation between some
passing children:
''ls your teacher going to treat?'
'"Treat! no. All but the treatl He
will treat himself" 'rWell, if that is
all he cares for his scholars wouldn't
own him for a teacherl' A second
said, "Why, our teacher is going to
treat us, and the scholars think that
he is the best teacher i'm the world.
because he loves his scholars and will
de everything he can for them, and
tell you they learn fast" A third
said, ave shut our teacher out and he
fell to kicking the door to pieces"
"Why, you must have Il hOlIow-heart-
ed teacher"
Now you can clearly see what kind
teachers can do in their schools by
keeping the good will of their schol-
ans; but where scholars get the i'll
will of their teacher they might rs
well stay at home. More anon.
A FORMER TEACHER.