Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-01-10
WearllelG Column
J. W. KELSEY, EDITOR.


Aside from the parent, the teacher
exerts the greatest influence upon the
rising generation. In country like
ours, a country Of school houses, the
teacher Is regarded as more than priest,
or magistrate; and venture that every
man or woman to-day, who was trained
in early life, either in the public or
private schools, Will recall more facts
in connection with them, that have
stamped the character, and guided the
purpose, and shaped the future life
VIII remember more that the teacher
has sad and done, than perhaps all 9TH
cr incidents and influences combined,
save, always, the admonitions, the af-
lectlonate soiicitude, the gentle guild
ance and training Of the mother.
mean not only her who gave birth, but
her who gave the mOtherIy culture and
instruction. If a mother happens to be
o{ciouS, she does more than all other
agencies combined to pcrvert and mis-
lead her child. Giving birth and nrrs-
ing the child docs not comprise all of
motherhood. Teaching child to read
and spell, to repeat its alphabet and add
numbers, is not ali we mean by the
word teacher. To be mother Is to
brood over the child's spirit, to feed its
opening intellect, to regulate its pas.
sions, to develop its powers, and to lead
by its heart rather than by the hand -
The teacher for the time being kcs the
place Of the mother, and is to love the
child, TO regard it with the eye of proph-
csy, to see what it is capable Of doing
and becoming, and to lead its mind by
proper encouragement and assistance to
take hold Of and to appreciate the noble
and true. | have heard the question
discussed, "Whcther there should be
anything taught in school besides mere
intellectual education?' In this coun-
try it indeed is not necessary to teach
the dogmaticology and foIms of thought
sectarlan, still | do believe that no
school ought to exist where the cardinal
principles of religion and the purcst
morality are not eXempliiicd, explained
and inculcatcd The real teacher is not
confined to .he cultivation Of the intel
lcct alone, but like the mother, has a
mission to the moral sentiments, to the
heart, to the soul; to the social as well
as the intellectual faculties. He must
regulate the passions, guide and instruct
the feelings, The world suffers continu-
ally and has suffered too much already,
from persons educated only in intellect.
He who Is only thus instructed, having
neglected the moral feelings, may be an
intellectual giant, but a moral pigmy;
and he who has moral nature and pas
Sions uninstructed and guided, is the
more to be dreaded in proportion as he
has the sharpest intellectual perception,
because he is all the more fitted to scat
ter iire-brands, arrows and death.
Bot who is sufficient for this work
ami what are bis qualifications: in
what peculiar faculties is the secret Of
success: Our excellent school law rem
derS it necessary that all teachers in our
common schools shall have a certificate
attcsting their proficiency and fitness
for the work, and the matter of granting
this certificate is one Of sound Judgment.
The questions to be investigated touch
ing the qualifications OF the candidate
seem to pertain largely to his learning,
and requirements; but the ability to
govern and instruct has no test by which
the hidden faculty can be detected, or
its capacity measured Yet all cur con.
illusions arc formed upon .he hypothesis
that the more thoroughly a teacher
comprchends the branches he is called
upon to teach, the more thoroughly he
digests it; the more thoroughly it is in
corporated with hispersonal knowledge,
the more simple it appears to him, and
the more easily lie can impart his knowl-
edge to his pupils in order TO success
fully teach English grammar, it is not
absolutely necessary that he be an adept
in Latin and Greek, but do affirm that
he Will better understand and teach the
grammar Of his own Vernacular tongue
by being conycrsant with the classics
And | am equally OF the opinion that
he will more successfully teach the pri-
mary mathematics who is well drilled
in the higher branches of the science
Who does not know that even primary
is better taught by a teacher
thoroughly cOnvcrsant with the history
of his own country and the world In
fact, it seems almost impossible that
recitation in any branch Of science can
be successfully conducted without an
knowledge Of every other.
There is a wonderful difference in the
wo functions of the school teacher; the
me by which he watches that the pupil |
shall commit the written text to memo
Y, and the other by which he himself |
caches. BY the first mcmorizing is the |
thief end and aim. aHa mcmorizing only; |
~ the other, learning is accomplished. |
When Gen. Bicrce, of Ohio, placed his |
,nly daughter in Cleveland Seminary, |
mi was asked what studies he was anX.
Gus for her to pursue, he promptly re-
)licd: II want you TO teach her to
hihk." ''But," replied the Preceptress
You must certainly wish her to pursue
0mG one particular course, have Il def
lite drill, in order that she may shoe |
veil in society," II want my daughter
aught to think; to think, instead of
lance and show Was he not right
Wy observation has shown me that the
most common deficiency in many teach
RS is not so much III the lack Of rcqui-
lite learning, as in the want of the fac
,lty and the art Of teaching And this
aculty is a God given qualification of
are possession. The art of teaching is