The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-07-20
OUR COMMON SCHOOLS
TIE FOURTH THING.

The fOUI tn and great thing wanted is s.If-
EFFORT among the teachers. Teachers rely too
or upon Institutes or upon journals OF Cduca-
ton. They are always crying, Help me, Cas-
Guilty diSCOurages them. No teacher will ever
become competent in the sciences without self
10 play toe violin by looking on. learn 70 set
type by watching the mauipulatjons of COM
postor, as expect 10 become Il scholar by listen
ing to SOnOrOus lectures nasal readings at
Institutes Young teachers should be TCguirC1
and compelled to take part in the exercises of
luStItnteS, JiSt as cl;lidfch III schooI are com
pClIcd To recitc their lessons AZ it is some five
OrsiX of the best scholars run the Institute, and
the rest listen; II schools were conducted in
that manner how much would pupils learn! !!
Simply none at all. There are many teachers
in ihis state that could not write the obituary
of Il dCfunCt mathematical point without MAX
ing dozen or more mistakes. Why Because
they viii never put pen on paper but rely upon
rules, suggestions ana lectures. or adv ice from
others Just so long they refuse to practice
just so long will they he imperfect. Practice
makes perfect. Nothing else will Nau makes
mistakes: animals do not Man improves; an
lnalS do not Some one says that the swallow
that built its nest in the rattCrS of Npuh'S ark
and the swallow of tut yesterday buiit alike
There is no Improvement there, but man i'm
proves by the very mistakes he makes. Let
and correct. Let them subject ali their efforts
to criticism. Corn will not grow in the shade
Teachers will not improve in a bandbOX. They
must be exposed to light like the plate of the
photographer. Sailors are not afraid Of storms
because they have become familiar with them.
Let teachers become familiar with criticism and
they will not fear it, but II they shrink from
I "A
be liable TO mistakes
Then, as to experience in teaching. let me
ask, how can any body learn experience from
others? What an abSurditN. Teachers must
learn hOtC to teach by sclf-efTort. suppose one
part all his experience TO others ut an Institute
or Normal school? How could he tell all that
! happenc'! in twelve thousand days teaching f?
How could an old, experienced lawyer inform
ali the haps and rfsifnrs m a ta,VrS & &lSitute OF
eventfui life? He could not But if he could
what good would lido the uninitiated youth
through ordeal hun T.
ing up points and preparing cases before he can
possibly realize the mental labor and the men
tai anxiety which is inscparable from the task
Aud So 1t is with every other profession, and so
bug connected with our Common School sys-
tenn, and men make money i'll this way. They
pretend to iinpart instruction tnat they car NOT
impart, and somebody is victimZed. | remCn-
bcr when man named De ShOng travelled the
United States, teaching people how to add col
umns of figures yard long by one single men
tai effort, and how to multiply, and substract.
and divide in the same way. He got their mon
ey, but he never impaired his powers of com
binatiOn to a single individual. lie simpIy
H,unbugged the people. So does sny one Who
pretends to teach teachers bow TO teach. II is
no art--it is an intuitive power. Some are al
ways succCssful-some never. The ability con
not be impaired. Men may profess to do So Tut
they cannot make Franlllus, and Fuitons. and
MorSes, and Howes out of everybody. Neither
can they make successful teachers nor eyen
good scholars, out OF all kinds OF the mate
rial. And L doubt whether such can be i'm
proved even in the least One cannot gather
grapes from thOrnS, nor figs from thistIcs nor.
can one change the nature of the crab-apple or
choke-cherry by cultivation. Plant them where
you may, water them as You will, the fruit
when 1t comes, viii designate the species of the
tree To argue anything else would be down
right Darwinism-to wit: that man. by cult
Vation, and tanning, and feeding, is only i'm
provement of the monkey. and that feeding and
tanning and cultivation will do il again POotG
HdSc Tar, non fit. So of teachers. ROB Roy.
1N MEHoRruM,-TrbWte of respect to the
memory of Henry Davis. late member Of TIE
Dauntles, Fire FL CINE, Huok, Ladder and Hose
Co.. of Ebensburg. Pa.
WHEREAS. Ii has pleased Almighty God to
take from midst who has endeared
himself to u by his aminbe disposition and
ever ready III time OF need. Therefore,
REsoLvfD. hat We deenly svmpathize with
the IA mily i'll their ftliction, and that in
him they have lost all atiectionate son. a low
ing brother, and an efficient and worIbv
memher.
REsoLvED, That we attend the funeral of
nur dere1 stii cnInfads In a hnhv