Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-02-07

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EDITOR cHRoSIcLE:-At this season
Of the year ones time is seldom occupied
by the sterner duties Of other seasons;
but is usually devoted to literature and
rebuilding that part Of u social nature
that has been impaired during the buster
seasons by long continued inaction. tits,
in fact, the only time that manydeYote to
the culture that higher and better part Of
our nature, the exercises Of which con
stitutes our chief enjoyment. And as
learning and culture are the true step
ping stones 10 all social, mental and
moral excellence, it seems exceedingly
fitting that we should turn our attention
for q few hours to our much neglected
schools, and promise ourselves at least,
as we do the teacher often, that we will
visit the school more frequently in the
future. While those Of other places are
each visiting his particular school we
will visit our school at this place.
Diogenes in the broad light of day
going about the streets Of Athens with
a lighted candle in his hand in search of
a man, demonstrated the fact that men
are a nations rarest and choicest orna
ments. And we of the present time,
with mental luminaries IS much inferior
to his as his Pickering taper was to the
sun, can readily discover that in a
eountry's crown teachers are among its
brightest jewels.
We are glad to see in the person of
Mr.. Mungow Brownlea, our present
teacher, many OF the elements of a
teacher. 1t is truly refreshing to see
the energy and earnestness that he
brings in to the schoolroom and instills
into the school; everything seems or
DERBY and bespeaks an earnest, hard
working set of pupils. The best of
feeling seems to exist, not only in the
schoolroom, but throughout the entire
district. While we have found our own
school in a prosperous condition-full Of
energy, life and activity-we fear that
many Of neighbors have been less
fortunate that in place of vigorous, live
schools they find dead -carcasses, whiten-
ing bones, defunct institutions. That
they have mistaken the wriggling of
maggots for "signs OF liGe," haye left
unburied what long since should have
been inferred, and are possessed only of
the name school. What wonder! when
young teachers, mere boys and girls, are
employed who have bad no special
training for their profession more than
could be obtained in a district school,
are expected to open the door and
convert a noisy, boisterous lot of chill
dren, brimful OF mischief and vitality,
INTO a quiet, orderly, Woodworking
school-to analyze the mind ofeaeh child
Ind instruct it according to the natural
OF mental development; to look
into tho heart and fathom its
to draw aside the veil that hides
secret keyboard of the passions, and
ike the skillful musician draw forth
harmony and music instead of discord,
strife and contention. The successful
teacher must be able to do all this. A
Is further required to beg his
bread by the barbarous practice of
. boarding round" How / pity that
in torment who instituted this
lbominable practical Wonder If he
would like to have a teacher bring him
cup of water to cool his parchIng
One can't; there amt any
there. Added to this that tooth
crone, detraction, is busy at her
work. All the gossips set in and endea-
Vor to hide their own lack of ems by
up a sensation in others, for
that a skunk can do the same.
all things this is the most trying
% a young, sensitive teacher. With all
.hese agencies at work at once will
ineffective what might otherwise
been a fair school. Young teachers
ire by no near fools. They are often
.bovo the average of their age. From
lmong the best students in our schools,
hey are earnest and anxious in their
abors.
What, then, is to be done to make our
schools more effective? We can at least
Encourage our teachers in their work;
I~rranging the stumbling-bIocks in their
way into stepping-stones to success;
Until our State shall see fit to establish
chools for the special training of its
eachers. VISITOR