New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-09-03
PENNSYLVANIA TEACHERS CONTENTION

PLNANlLIAAIh
Recently the teachers throughout our
neighboring State of Pennsylvania assembled
in philadelphia to hold their nineteenth an
nual Convention There is something III the
mere fact that any body of men and women
engaged in the same employment voluntarily
cboose to meet together in order to promote
On esprit de corps, and to urge and inform
each other as to their work, which tends to
nrove that they go to that work Id the spirit
of artists and not as drudges. But outside OF
this consideration there are few noticeable
noints in the report Of this Convention
which make it a subject of general in
terest. There are but one or two States in
which the education of the children is as
Thoroughly and successfully systematized as
in PENNSYLVANIA, or where a higher average
amount of talent is employed. Many OF the
hest men in the profession in that State, and
indeed in the country, were present III tins
Convention, and it is to be presumed, when
thew spoke at all, brought to the speaking
their best matter and manner. We are con-
strained to say that, while the subjects of the
addresses have so far been often of vital i'm
portance, the style has been curiously marked,
not surely by incOrrectness or inelegance, but
| by q correctness too heavy, an elegance that
was forced, q wit and energy hackneyed, I'M
spontaneous, nodded and produced to order
and by rule.
We call attention to this circumstance SIM
ply because it is suggestive of an important
truth. The defect does not certainly arise
from any lack of mental force or familiarity
with the best models among Engllsh Writers ;
it is only the result of "a certain "lthuit"a III
from the great currents OF Thought anu LOCI
ing. The teacher is too often inah VI ms
tevt- hooks. and il is well for his puplis II
tbov he not n generation behind the STUDY ol
ubiob they nrofess to be the opponents III
tho co.omon schools, the teachers are usually
educated but in one narrow groo We
thot of the branches which they IN
tend to teach. Science and literature
ontside of that, are too frequehtiy Ii
duu Ultima Thule to them when they 90
NOT wish and certainly never expect 10 eA-
More. Especially is this the case where as
| in Philadelphia, the teachers are selected
from the promising pupils OF the mgh
schools. The aspirant naturally confines ms
efforts for the attainment of proficiency to the
petty scale of school-books required for sue
cess in this point; and once in the treadmill OF
teaching, and in the receipt of his $500 OF
5000 per annum. is tempted to extend his re-
searches but short distance outside OF IT.
! Now we want in the man who teaches oul
sons grammar and mathematics not only q
prammarian and mathematician, but an intel
ligent instructor, who shall strike his keynote
in harmony with the spirit of the age.
A significant proof of how little this is the
case with the mass of teachers, and by how
many their occupation is held to be question
Of SO much work for so much wages, instead
of noble and ennobling service to humanity
is given in the first days proceedings OF thu
very Convention. The question OF Teachers
Institutes being brought before the Associa-
ton, it was suggested that the attend
ance of the teachers should be made le
gally compulsory, as in no other way
was the maintenance of the Institutes
practicable. The measure of enthusiasm
here must be low, indeed, either in the nc
auiring of knowledge themselves or thu
business of communicating it to Others. 4
common-sense argument in their favor lies, it i
true in the very fact of the 5000 to 5000 sal
airy. Men of wide information or successful
zeal as teachers are not often to be had a
that price; or, if once obtained, the question
of how to foot the years bills with tho meage