Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-10-15

Hr. President oRd Fslloc Teacher:
The question submitted to my consid-
Grafton inclndes the grand cause Of the as
ISOLATION. II in set down in our conssi-
tuition as the chief subject Of our deIiber-
atoms 1t every regular meeting. and il
should occupy our snxious ihoughss du-
ring the intervening time.
We are invested with no power under
the Law TO compel our pupils TO attend
our schools. and VIC cannot instruct them
at their homes. The State has assumed
q guardisn.s duty By providing for their ed
ucs;ion, but has declined to assume also .
guardians right to compel them to be edu-
Gated. This has the appearance Of . sim
gular anomaly. Our only hope therefore
of inducing q larger daily attendance il
to make education more popular and
desirable, aud our schools more efficient,
interesting and instructive.
To make education more popular and
desirable, We must frst show its salutary
ELECTS upon ourselves. its professors -
There IS no escape from this necessity
We cannot demonstrate the advantages Of
education. unless We ourselves enjoy those
advantages.
In vain may we extof our boasted
medicine. while VIC ourselves are infected
with the very disease wkich it processes
to heal Has education made US better.
wiser or more useful than others? How
then can We appeal to parents in behalf Of
their HLiA1sD or what form Of appeal can
wemake 20 the children themselves?
We are human beings. aud suffer the
common lot of humanity. We cannot be
perfec. nor could We be appreciated BY
others if we were so.
We can, however. rise above an acquir-
ed follies. and divest ourselves Of ell an
tiquated notions. We can moreover ae-
quire a,hcreush knowledge Of the sciences
which we profess to teach and Of the most
approved means Of impar,ing instruction
to others. This / consider obligatory
from the very nature Of our occupation.
We are chosen by the Distric, Trustees.
il is true. aud generally with the appro-
baton of the interested parents. but it is
not for the benefit Of parents and Trus-
tees that We are appointed. but for the
welfare of their children. To instruct
the children correctly and wisely is thcr.
fore the duty We have voluntarily as
sumed, aud We cannot in honor escape
its responsibilities.
1t is not enough to satisfy tn Trustees
and the parents, the county examiner or
the School Board. Our duty appertains
only to the training and instruction of
the children. and in doing this properly
we cannot, at least We should not, neglect
any means which others have found high
ly beneficial.
Every teacher can find something to copy
in nearly every school around him, aud
he can learn something advantageous
from almost every teacher be meets with
|, is the part Of a testy pedagogue to shut
his ear TO the counsel Of others, and to
close bis eyes to all surrounding examples
Every honest teacher should learn ali no
can from srery source within his reach
By neglcetlng our duty We cast a re.
proach upon the profession. Every faith
full teacher is therefore injured in public
estimation by the unsaithiulness or inca
paciiy of one. and must therefore be par
doned for endeavoIing to remove Mat S 2as
we succeed in eleva,ing the standard of
teachers?
To make our schools more attractive
and interesting the 6rst step will be to
make them more instructive. Little as
children seem to regard education, and
reluctantly as they submit to the duties
assigned to them. they nevertheless soon
tire Of school where they can act % the :;
please aud where they learn but little.
Many attractions may be thrown around
the school room without in any way i'm
pairing its usefulness. Varieties NAV be
in,erspersed among school duties to rem,
der the daily routine less irksomc. and
the life. energy aud interest of the teacher
never fails in the end to be caught up by
most of the pupils. l would cheerfully
state 10 detail the various steps that NAV
be taken to entertain aud interest chill
dren. This is. however. outside Of the
duties imposed upon me. will add, how
ever. that songs. glees and games at suit
able hours are not only unosjcc,ionable.
but highly beneficial. I further more
honestly endorse the teacher who set the
Arithmetical tables TO music. and hummcd
the air to his pupils during recess.
| furthermore suggest. as . means Of
interesting our pupils. the best means Of
exciting their ambition to excel each 9th.
er. | know Of no more cffectual way of
doing this than to make judicious clas-
slfeation Of all the pupils in the school
and to register every class daily
1t now remains to show how the meas
urrs | have suggested can be followed BY
the results which We contemplate.
BY interesting the pupils. | expect to
make them willing at least. if not anx-
ious, TO attend school; and by making the
school profitable TO them. the parents will
be Likely TO crafty their desires. By
showing the advantages Of education in
ourselves. | would suppose every sensible
parent would be DESTROYS that his family
should enjoy its advantages also.
The great results anticipated BY the
association have hitherto been barely al
luded to. |, is not expected that our
faithful and successful exer,ions in favor
Of mankind will always be appreciated and
rewarded as they now are Ii canno. be
that those teachers who decline
~ Join u in our associations will continue