, 1872-10-17


fess the benignant influence of the pro
fession
But above and beyond all these, as
incompatible as the things of eternity
are beyond those of time, is the work OF
the common school teacher. lie or she
takes from the hand of the parent or
guardian the raw material which Is to be
formed into the future man or woman
who is destined for good or i'll to govern
society in their day and work out their
own salvation for eternity, by such H.
st uction and examples as they then re-
ceive at that plastic age when all i'm
pressions upon the mind are the most
lasting and ineraceabie. The material
may be fine or coarse, well or lily pre-
pared by home influences or inherent
qualities of good or bad; but at that age
when children attend school. between
infancy and early manhood, they are
the creatures of imitation and their
teacher is always their model. The
scriptural proverb-" Like priest. like
people," applied more particularly to
an age when the priest was the only
teacher. Like teacher, like pupils, Will
apply with much greater truth t. the
common school system. Is the teacher
refined, gentle, self-possessed and wlthal
equitable and Just in governing. the
scholars, by whatever outside Influences
they may be surrounded, will gradually,
but certainly tail into like becoming
demeanor. On the other hand, if the
teacher is coarse and vulgar in manners,
loud-voiced and of undiscipliped temper,
YOU will soon have occasion to observe
the same popularity Of department In
the children Of that school upon the
street and at home.
To illustrate if the man teacher is
slovenly in his dress, chews tobacco or
smokes, uses slang terms i'll his speech,
sucks tooth-p pick during his hours OF
recitation, expectorates upon the floor,
or practices any other vulgar habit, you
will see all these habits repeated in gro
tesque imitation, by his boys in spite of
home injunctions or examples. If the
woman teacher disreSards feminine
graces of department, has q masculine
swagger, talks loud and in a coarse man
ner. chews gum, tips back in her chair
and rests her feet upon bench while
hearing recitations, the girls under her
tuition will grow up hoydens. with
coarse manners, and 10 future efforts at
refinement can ever after make of them
accomplished or agreeable ladies'.
Some may deem these small matters
in educati IN, but what is education with
ont refinement of mind and manner?-
Tie Psalmist prayed THAT our sons
may grow up. as young plants, and that
our daughters may be as the polished
corners of the temple" The sainted
John Wesley said : Cleanliness IS
next to golliness;;' and there are few
objects more repulsive to il person OF re-
fined sensibilities than an educated boor,
disregarding the rcfinements of social
intercourse, and assuming pragmatical
manners by virtue Of his literary acquire
ments. Whoever disresards the refine
ments and Establishments of convention
al usage, violates a law of nature. God
has planted in every soul love OF the
beautiful; has garnished all His works
upon earth and in the heavens with EN-
biems of this sentiment. he highest
evidences of Christian culture are mani
tested in the adornment of our homes
and the temples erected to His worship.
Is it becoming to Christian people to
give less attention to the adornment of
the temple created in the image of God.
by allowing it to become the abode of
uncleap things?
All intelligent observation will con-
firm this testimony to the influence Of
the teacher upon the pupil by force Of
example. and that it is no transitory i'm
preston, to be superseded by subse-
quent association and example, for the
,b,1l ;c;, q tr,ncit ~, state orovipp into
endurable and permanent manhood or
womanhood, when the habits of manner
and thought become fixed, responsible
and self-asserting; no longer clay in the
hands of the potter. He may change
bis views and opinions upon surround
ing objects and events. He may become
amenable to discipline and conform his
acts in measure to controlling minds;
but as indelible as the ugly scars left by
wounds or sores upon the body, are the
moral sores and blotches received by
the child while his ductile mind is being
formed by education.
In this view, and it is the view sus-
tained by intelligent observation and
the philosophy of our nature, how great
is the responsibility of teacher even
in its lowest walks. 1t is q high and
holy calling. t. perform its duties ac-
ceptable to God and man, according to
the measure of its influence upon socie-
ty, requires the most systematic train
ing, the most entire self control. the
highest cultivation of mind and man.