The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-10-01
Written for the Spirit
EdNCatlnn.

E0ICag2fsH.
Horace Mann once said: ITO save an
individual FROM death is small act bu,
to save him from error is great one
We have E1ucators in opr country
doing much, very much, for the advance
mrnt of education; but there seems to
be one prevalent error, which very much
retards the onward course OF success in.
our Common school, viz: the view taken
by some regarding the ''new method Of
instruction. That Instructors diftr from
the school masters of ifty yeats ago,re-
%arding the most successful method OF
producing a}vapcaneHts, needs no gu-
ment, also. that measures are more
abundant for accomplishing this same
result none will deny, and yet we have
men whose minds sfem not tn have dc.
vcloped with the age we hear them say !:
Why can we not have our children read
in GHy book at sci, ,ol, IS WE did forty
years ago? There are t1o many ideas
out nova days II takes TOO much
money to school children Books are
changing too much;' also, Teachers
wages s;e too high" We have had all
the ah0ge questions propouded- to us;
and many Others of similar nature and
how to furnish a reply to such men, We
must confess, put ps to unr study, and
sometimes We passed them by without
entering into controversy with them, in
asmuch IS We did not feel ourselves ca
pahle Of the task Of convincing men Of
the necessities OF such a state Of affairs,
without firstly convincing them that they
were fttv years behind the age And So
our duty to the rising generation is often
met With obstinate opposition, even bv
those to whom. in very great degree.
committed the sacred charge of training
mlnts-im norts| minds for the stern
conflicts, and the various useful posi-
tons which the increase of mental de
velOpment is daily sugmenting il our
country. This may seem Almost fabu.
Ions to many VINO live in the more en-
lightened grounds Of civilization; but
ch amid the back grounds Of almost
any county in Ohio, and you will 6nd
some such men; ways opposed to any
and a'l measures taken to better the con-
dtion of the youth, aud to them it will
appear all ''out Of order, unnecessary,
differing so much from the msnner in
which they we're educated But hsppi-
ly for us, such characters are becoming
scarce, snt soon we hope they viii en-
tirciy disappear from smong Us. When
such bee mes the situation of affairs, We
will no longer hear the cry Of "Wages
too high Too many new notions about
conducting school The successful
teacher will then be appreciated f)r hi.
labor in trying To bring into repute new
and important changes As he sers the ne
cessi,y and opportunity occur for their
introduction AMI the labor aud energy
Thus expended demsnds, and Justly too,
an increase Of remuneration And the
time i. not far distant when teachers will
not he paid merely in proportion to the
number of teachers, hat hv actusl labor
performed. men ~ill discuss that some
teschers are worth $50 per month, which
under the dispen>atlon of this same 20
fogy" principle could get but s90 and
vice versa: those who received perhaps
$50 are not in the ms ket At SIS Like
ali other branches Of tShor that OF tesch
ING must advance, and those who 10 moi
will fall ont OF the market, ss they de
serve to 90 Then felio.-teachers, let
rs look forward in our profession, and
resolve 10 stand 81 the head OF the al
vancing column. and we can rejoice in
confident expectation Of an increase of
salary, and those vino n0,U oppose the
idea Of increasing compensation for
the teachers, will leNn TO be advocates
of this measure AS the hest and only
sure means Of increasing the success: OF
education in our country When prop
cry considered, no man can reasonably
predict time when good instruction
viii be st discount under our system
Of free schools, but on the contrary, as
the reasonable result Of advancement, it
must he otherwise, snd teachers wages
VII advance and experience will only
prove to the world the error of men who
oppose it, A. NJ DuSN.
Mason City, West Va, Sept IT, 1872