Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-11-06
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
Edited and Conducted 6y
j. f. LANGENBA UGH.
To the Teachers Of Murshal County

greater or less degree, direct, cultivate and
mould their moral and intellectual minds.
You are to awaken and arouse their SEN
sibilitIes to the beauties of nature, and
inspire them with relish for intellectual
enjoyment and moral culture. Your du.
ties are fourfold:
1st. To yourself, for self-calture, so
that you may teach by the influence of
your character and example, as we'll as by
giving direct instruction.
2d. To your pupils you are bound to
furnish them with the means of acquiring
knowledge, 10 contribute to the formation
of their moral character, to assist them in
developing their various faculties, that
they may have a healthy mind in heal
thy body; to give them a knowledge
which shall prepare them for the proper
discharge of all their duties IN life.
Sd. To the parents of your pupils, and
To the community in which you live.
These duties are intimately related, and |
will proceed to give brief discourse in
this column, of teachers personal duties
AS is the teacher, SD is the school, This
has justly become almost a proverb Ii
recognises the great influence OF teach
er, direct and indirect upon the character,
conduct, present and future welfare of all
who are in your school. BY direct influ
ence, whatever you as teacher exercise
Intentionally and expressly in your labors,
let it be for the instruction and improve
ment of your school BY direct influ-
ence, that which is exercised by every
other expression of your character. All
that is in man speaks out in the tone of
his voice, in his manners, his looks, his
department. 1t often speaks more de-
cidedly, and makes a deeper impression
than The words which he utters. Energy
of character and gentleneSs. The combi
nation of these, energy of action and gen
tleness in the mode OF action is most de-
sirahle i'll the character of teacher
What is true of these is also true in q
greater or less degree, OF every other
quality. All pass from the teacher into
the character of the pupil. and contribute
To form it. Children, even more than
men are the creatures of imitation. They
are also creatures of sympathy. This
principle so strong in all human beings,
is most so in the unsophisticated heart
ola clild. Your abstract principles may
be unintelligible, yonr words beyond
thei: comprehension; but your voice, your
look and your manner they will under
stand and feel. You must not carry with
you into school, principles, feelings, mo-
t'es, or habits, the eeds of Which YOU
are Lot wiling to SOW in the susceptible
heart OF childhood.
Take care then what manner of men
and womea you are when you enter into
the discharge of these duties. 1t will de-.
pend ON you in great measure, whet her
they grow mp TO virtue, usefulness, piety
and happiness, or in ignorance, bitterness,
worthlessness and wretchedness. If you
are yourselves just. disinterested and be-
nevolent, you will awaken the elements
of these qualities in them; il You are pa
iient, orderly. industrious, so will they be; F.;
ifyour own heart burns with reverence, it
will kinde flame in theirs.
A teacher should do what he or she can
to form the moral character of their pu-
pills. The great object to be kept in view
is to establish the dominion of conscience,
to make it quick and active. and to con-
meet with its action the formation of hab-
it. The habits over which the teacher
has no control, and which he or she NAY
do much to form in their pupils, are The
habits of punctualty and regularity, of
diligence, and love of labor; of economy,
of perseverance, of forethought. of kind
ness and courtesy ;of mercy to inferior an
imals; of forgivness; of injuries; of char
itableness; Of justice and respect for prop
erty of respect for superiors and the aged
of submission tn the authority CT laws of
truth of reverence of God, ard obedi-
ence to his laws.
The habit OF punctuality at a school
will be strengthened by everything which
makes school pleasant. The habit of reg
ularity is formed by the natural action of
good system. This depends on your.
self Lore Of Labor and Diligence What
ever makes laboror study pleasant will
lead TO this habit. The studies must be
adapted to the capacity; they must be
clear and practicable, but not too easy.
Economy may be enforced by requiring
children 10 be careful of their books ard
other articles of property, and by explain
ing to them the folly of waste Fore
thought you may teach by your regula-
tions; but remember that much fore
th ught is not expected in child. Per
secerance is best taught by adherence to a
good system. The law of Kindness is best
taught in the language of our Saviour
You should take occasion to excite sym
pathy for the wretched. Mercy to infer
ior animals is an extension of the puciplt