Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-12-19
Msiseellaneous. g
A Defense Of Teach, rs.

mate game by all marksmen, and we
not untrequently see teacher firing
a shot into the ranks of his own com =.
rades. | propose TO say few words
in their defense.
But, In the first place, will admit
that very many persons are engaging
in this calling who have no vocation
thereto, selecting it solely because
they cannot find ANYTHING which, as
an avocation, they like better, and not
because they are in any degree at
tracted to tie occupation, or feel any
interest in the development of intellect
or character. Such people should
never be selected to ill the post of
teacher; they are radically untitled
for 1t. And. undoubtedly. the stand.
ard of intelligence among the teachers
OF this State is very low. A certain
proficiency IN Oral and written arith-
metlc (this j. the great, imreratiye
requisite. possessing which. the ap-
pucaut \ almost certain of successl
a smatterirg Of what is PLEASANTLY
termed English grammar. surh
knowledge OF geography as comes ~ 4
mere mechanical drilling in textbooks.
without any general rta ling. anl the
aniiIty 10 write gOpd hand. conSti-
tute tile average Of attainnents. 10
these some add number Of historical
dates, which they AMI their cmpiover,
are raw enough to regard as history
Any thing Ike n knowledge or IA.
general philosophical principles hin..
Al the bottom of the science Of mum.
hers, y exceedingly rare. and there 7,
not one teacher ia a dozen wA, Nh,
respectable knowledge of En..,,n
Literature. WHO ha, read even tlc b,,t
WORKS ut fiction. such 4, Charlotte
HroHte's Jane Eyre. DicAcn,' Martin
Z tmzzlcWit. "a IhacAcral, VANITY
y falt; Xxi. ~ thr H-ld of p,rtry. Il,
familiar with Hood or Tenny,nn. "a
'A' noihin- uf men Of trl ,ycnIcl.t
-ruiu~. slch "a, Milton aad shake.
~lcarc. AMI tur cnmiu,n.>rInnl
teacher who has ,,aI Buck.r', .iii,tor,
"f tiVllzafiIn, L uuIc', account ~
tine times ~ thr Iulor princes. or
Schiller, history OF Tie Revolt Of H.,
United Netherlands woul bc a
prodigy among his fellows. Very few
possess such knowicig. of natural
science ~ would admit of any ,a,l,,
t'r tue works of Huxley and Herbert
>pcHc"S% First Principles not one IN
hundred coad read. Having con
ceied all tbs, let us look at the other
slde ol the question
Generally receiving for his services
no more than is paid to a mechanic o.
equal qualifications in his department
OF labor, oiteaeless. the teacher enter,
scAvoi-room which is frequently ANY
thlh5 but inviting, IN Il location which
Is anything but attractive. and in the
| midst OF society which is ANYTHING
but congcnlai to a person Of culture.
lie hnds IN this scho,l-room perhaps
iOrty scholars of every grade Of
ignorance these unfortunate children
have, N the majority OF instances,
been bred UP without either COOL
manners or good principles of them
one might say. not that they were
educated, but rs the famous .Topsy' Of
the story said Of herself, that they
'growed.' Allowed daily to insult
their parents through some fo.m Of
dlsrespect, often disrespcct without
disguise, they expect the teacher 10
I endure the same insolence which they
/ indulge IN At home and they arc
| brought together in the schom rs
Kind or limbo. From this cllt,, the
rcctIher Of parental msnana4ement Il,
expected t) eiucc order II he u,lonts
the means Indispensable t. Til. cni.
nc is directly accused of .hars.!.. \, \
and severity or finls. ~ {puSt. that
hc /, supposed not to understand OF
'sympathilc' with children. II he
allows things to take their course, he
!, with equal certainty, set down as
unable 70 govern his school License
+ what such parents practically de-
inand for their children, and, as usual,
they give it the name of 'libertv.'
Let no one deny that these things
are-so. | do not believe there is a
teacher of any experience in the State
who has not observed abundant facts
Of this kind. either in the discharge of
his own duties or in the cases of some
OF his acqualntances, or both. There
are many people in the world who in
different to the public welfare, in all
difficulties of this kind initiate the
ostrich, which, when closely pursued,
hides its head in the nearest bush. SO
that 1t cannot see the danger. it is
satisfied Thus the class | have al
luded to pretend to ignore the teachers
difficulties and their causes, so dis
graceful to the community, and will
assure you very coOllv, that Mey have
never known of any children capable
OF such behavior as | have described.
But no remedy is ever applied to
any abuse until that abuse is frankly
acknowledged as such. and its nature
thoroughly investigated. Nothing but
radical treatment will suffice. Yet, the
task is very ungrateful one and it is
so much easier To make the poor
teacher the scapegrace on whose back
are loaded the sins of the district
where he happens to be sojourning.
This disposition of the difficulty re-
Tnires nothing but the commonest ca
pacity, united with censorious tenn
per, achich is adron enough to pass itself
OF for amidbility.
The vast majority Of parents (of
course, there are hundreds of noble
exceptions) look upon education as
little more than preparation for sue
cess in practical life, either through
money-making or office-seeking-the
latter is becoming quite general as an
occupation-and cannot appreciate the
efforts of conscientious and inteli-
gent teacher, who is striving 70 eradi-
cate selfishness and injustice from the
hearts OF his scholars, that he may
mold noble characters. and thus Law
the foundations of generous, COM
monwealth III