Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-05-06

from the Journal of Education.l j

TFrom the Journal Of Education.
No intelligent farmer, we opine,
would send hired man into the field
to put in crop of wheat, without sup
plying him with teams, plows, harrows,
and the various implements needed for
the effective performance of the work.
The farmer knows that upon the man
ner in which the seed is planted will
depend the question of profitable re-
turn for the labor. Looking beyond
the planting, beyond the growth, be-
yond the harvest, he sees In imagina>
ton, bountiful store of his sustaining
element, and a replenished purse, pro-
phetic of added comfort, luxury, social
consequence and power. Such results
as he desires can only be secured by
right beginnings, hence no care nor
expense is spared to get the seed depos
tied in the well prepared coil, under
the most favorable auspices.
The same intelligent farmer. il may
be, is a member of the district board
the director--in a school district lie
also has children to send to school who
possess powers aud capacities that only
need to be developed to insure intcllee>
tual emineuce Yet our intelligent
farmer, the school district director. the
father of children whose infant years
arc full of promise, proceeds at the pro-
per time to make diligent search for a
.scheap teacher" which having Sc
cured, TIC considers his duty discharged
aud himself exonerated from further
care.
The hired man." whose labors
bring material prosperity. is set to work
in broad ard beautiful field made fer
tile By agricultural art, given tools to
work with, and subjected TO careful and
personal supervision. lest some part OF
his work should be neglected.
The teacher, on the contrary, whose
| field OF labor il the humgn soul, whose
| high mission is 10 plant in the hearts oi
children the germs of intelligence, vir-
| tue and truth, is suffered To toll on
within four narrow deserted walls,
every aspect Of which inspires disgust
instead of hope, unvisitcd, unless it be
| to mete out harsh censurc, nnnoticed
save in the distorted picturings ol
study~hating urchins, and with none oi
the implements Of the teachers art tc
aid in the operations Of imparting in
structon What wonder that schools
languish aud teachers fail What
| wonder that the best talent seeks other
aud more apprcciatiYe avenues of use
| fulness!
The state of affairs above indicated
may not exist, to the extent described
in all our schools. perhaps not in many
but it is undeniable that apathy. lack
of interest and i'll Judged economy pre-.
walls much too generally.
Whether viewed from public OF
private standpoint, there is no subject
that ough more earnestly to engage
the attention of all than that of the
common schools. It is there that the
seed is planted which will either tax,
root and develop into plant of beau
tiful proportions, bearing in profusor
the fruit of civilization and progress, o
dwarfedr by barren and unwise culture
produce but ragged thorns and BRAN
bles, yielding blasted and bitter fruit
ignorance, vice, crime. Make th,
school-houses attractive, pleasant, hom
like; supply them with bIackboards
maps, and other essentials visit th
schools often, and interest yourselves il
what you see encourage teachers an,
pupils, and be assured that in no othe
way can time and money be expende'
more usefully