The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1874-03-27
TEACHERS AND PUPILS.

How tender and precious are
some of the relations of this life.
We need not speak of family rela-
tions, husband and wife, parents
and children, brothers and sisters.
These are natural, and therefore,
not only precious, but in some
sense, stronger than other relations.
But we speak of social relations.
They are acquired, or form ed; and
some of them are very precious,
and nearly, or quite as strong as
death. One of the most precious
is that existing between a worthy
pastor of church and an apprecia-
tive congregation. How the real
man of God is welded to his peo-
pie. This relation is not conven-
tional; it is a union of kindred
spirits cemented together by love the
and spirit of our Heavenly Father.
The pastor and his people are one,
as the Father and his Son are one.
Christ in them, and they in Him.
How precious, how tender such re-
lation.
There is one other relation in
life almost, if not quite, as lmpor-
tant, and exceedingly tender; that
OF the teacher and pupil. How q
genuine teacher draws young
hearts to him, and binds them up
in his own life, none but a teacher
can know, perhaps. But we have
all been pupils, and if we are half
true to the manhood within us we
cherish, and will ever love, the
memory of our teachers. The
teacher lives among his pupils,
though dead. The student en-
balms in his heart of hearts the
name and excellencies of his teach
er. Others may be forgotten, but
the teacher and pupil never forget
one another.
This matter is growing on our
hands. We are led to think of the
''old field" school where we COM
menced to wrestle with books and
lessons. The house was rude log
cabin, with broad chimney at one
end, and quaint window extend
ing across the other. Our seats
were poplar slabs, with one side
broad-axed, without any backs,
standing upon pegs, SO high that
little fellows could not touch their
feet to the floor. We went to this
place and took our seat in early
morn to remain until noon. One
hour and half was then given for
''play time" when we were sum-
moned to our studies by a loud
"come to books" from the teacher.
Then we remained in the house,
sitting bolt upright on the benches
until evening. The teacher expect
ed US to reach home by or little
after dark. But we must stop.
We were started to school quite
early. Our recollection of many
things fails us; we do not remem-
Der much about the scholars; but
we shall never forget the little
yankee" who taught US our a C.
If we were an artist We could take
a perfect picture of him to-day. He
taught our school six months, and
then went away. We have never
seen him since, but Robert Waters,
the yankee school teacher" left
his impress upon our memory, and
time can never remove it. We of
ten thought him cruel, and tried to
dislike him, but after he left us we
found that we really loved him.
And we seldom ever think of a
school, or look at school-books, or
see a school-house without think
ing of the man who taught us our
first lesson in school. Our exper-
fence, we presume, is not singular.
We often wonder if teachers re-
alize how strongly pupils are at.
tached to them? Do they ever
think about the impressions they
are making on their students lives?
How fully lhe destiny of the stu
dent rests upon them? o, what a
power teachers of children areI o,
hc>W precious the material which is
placed In <heir handsi