Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-11-19

encouragement. just go forward
improving yourselves, you will edu-
cate the community up to your adj
vanced ideas, at the same time YOU
utilize the newer methods of teach
ing to the advantage of your pupils.
In SO doing you will reap the double
reward which has come to all who,
! in good cause, have moved in adj
vance of a hating public opinion.
/ have urged upon you the necess-
ity of acquiring more knowledge;
and have intimated my belief that
something more was wanted than
mere acquaintance with the contents
| of textbooks. In this connection it
may be well to say, that nothing can
be Of greater advantage to you, eth
er as teachers or citizens, than a
thorough knowledge of the political,
social and intellectual bearing of your
| own profession. To inform your
selves in this regard you have but to
reach forth, and the means of infor-
nation are at your disposal, without
expense, and with little effort.
And here / pause to give my
hearty commentator to the great
| work of the Normal Institute. 1t
was happy thought in the mind
which first suggested these institutes
and wrought out the theory Of their
organization. In my judgement
they will develop into cheap and
practical teachers college, which
will do more good to the majority Of
our teachers than would great cen
trail richly endowed institution. The
chief necessity of the teacher is to
obtain wider range of thought, and
to have the grandeur and nobility of
the profession more thoroughly in
grained into the soul and impressed
upon the life. And one of the best
means to accomplish this is in the
friction of mind with mind in these
annual institutes. These discuss
sions, these illustrations Of various
methods, these addresses Especially
when they are wrought out and de
livered by each Of the teachers in
turn, and the social consideration
the teacher should receive in their
place Of meeting, will all tend to dig
nifty the work and stimulate pride
Of profession in the men and women
who have assumed the high duties
of teaching. In view Of these facts
it seems most strange to me that the
work Of these institutes should be
subjected to criticism Of so many
good citizens who really love their
children and are anxious for their
future welfare. And it is stranger
still that the County Superintendent
cy must needs struggle for its life
when the experience Of the States
which have carried educational in
terests to the highest perfection has
uniformly approved such superinten-
dency. 1t seems to me that instead
Of being belittled and discredited, it
should be digniiied and ennobled
until it becomes what its Importance
should imply,-the most honored po-
sition within the gift of an intelligent
people.
No teacher should fail to read the
biennial reports Of the State Super
intendent of Public Instruction. |
have always read these reports atten-
lively, and filed them with care.
From no other source have | obtain
ed so much information in reference
to education in form so compact
and readable. Some may fail to read
these reports from not being inform
ed how they can be procured, or from
feeling Of delicaoy about troubling
the Superintendent with letter ask
ing to have one. sent to the proper
address. Allow me to say, you car
set your hearts at rest upon the score
of troubling the Superintendent. II
is true that he Is a man of but little
vanity, but | know it would crafty
him exceedingly to be assured that
all the teachers in the State were
anxiou To obtain and read his re
ports, az it would evince their inter
est in the great cause Of which he is
the anxious Guardian.
Congress has of late, in obedience
to the pressing demands of educa
tionalists, created the office Of Com
missioner Of Education. This ques
tion had occupied the attentio OF
some Of our most enlightened states
men for many years; until, finally
the memorial Of convention OF
school superintendent led to the en-
actment of a law, approved March ID
1867, establishing a Department Of
Education, which, in the language oil
the statute, is "for the purpose OF
collecting such statistics and facts
as shall shsw the condition and pro
gress of Education N the several
States end Territories, and Of ditfu.
sing such information respecting the
organization and management oil
school systems and methods of tea.