Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-06-04
TEACHERS COLUMN.
CLAY WOOD, EDITOR.

TEACHERS COL Mn.
CLAY WOOD, EDITOR.
OTIuawA, LAD
MAY 2STH, lSl4
Clay Woop, Cous1Y SURF. OF
ScnooLs Ono Of the most promising
signs Of the future that we have to.
day, fs, 10 my mind, the fact that there
are 60 many well defined and sharp
controversies being participated in by
the mssees-controversie that are be.
gotten and largely nourished by our
best minds, and which are intimately
relsted to all essential belief and ac-
tion, and which are 90 vital and cx-
tended that they touch humanity at
every point. Irepeat that this fact is
promising sign of our future, for no
one can doubt that the religious world
Is to be made better by its having .
Beecher, q Swing, a Thomas, and q
Patton, and others, who are aiming to
reach the eamc results by somewhat
different methods; for the one is q
modification or the other, and the
compound is better than either alone.
No one individual, however wise, is
likely to be altogether right; neither
shall we be likely TO find any one in
dividual altogether wrong, but we
shall find more or less Of that which Is
good In all. Now. BY uniting the
good and modifying that which is
partially SO, and entirely discarding
the wrong, we shall greatly increase
the efficiency Of that which is excel
lent In each. &6
We arc living in N age that anx.
iously seeks for new truths, in order
that its Fast educatioa, preiudices and
expsrience may be either confirmed or
correctsd. This spirit of earnest IN
quiry is to be commended, for at the
worst "Truth crushed to earth will
rise again. 90 We are assured from the
beginning that nothing but good can
come from 1t. New times demand
new measures and new men. The
clothing that gracefully fits the boy
can nerer become the man. Meat must
take the place of milk as life devel.
opes through the years; the child that
10 naturally Satisfied with the alpha.
bet OF language, will, as naturally
In naturer life, seek TO know some-
thing OF the origin OF that language,
it's more liberal use, and constant
growth from its first narrow literal
meaning. The spirii Of reform that
is 90 manifestly and universally at
work in behalf Of the virtues, is this
same eager striving after better way.
am heartily glad that while this in
quisi,ive spirit is being followed so
vigorously In 90 many departments Of
life. there 10 at the same time an edu.
ca,ional awakening that the inquiry
is being made, what shall we do to
make better and more efficient schools !?
These six conventions of County Su-
perintendenta in lows, called together
"a % many different 1ocxrrrIes Dy tho
State department Of education, will
prove themselves Invaluable aids TO
the higher interests of the schools.
They are, indeed, revival seasons, by
means of which the older members of
our profession renew their vows and
become greatly refreshed by an addi-
tionai Infusion OF the spirit, while the
younger are instructed and encourag.
ed. aud what Is perhaps better than ali,
new converts are msdesto the cause.
We, at Wapeilo county, are more
especially interested in the good re.
results that should come TO us here at
home, from the general interest mani
tested throughout the State. The
teachers should early make their ar
rangements to attend the Normal. and
congratulate yOu, Mr.. Superintend-
ent, on having already received so
many names for your Normal class.
Mere Inconvenience should not be re-
garded as an available excuse.
The worth of any object depends al
most entirely-and | may say Alto
gether--upon the cost incurred in se-
curing 1t. There is no such fact as abb
solnfe worth--the dollar Of the day
laborer is multiplied in value as it rep
rcscnta tho burden and heat of the
day. So the means and privileges
that the State and county have offered
NJ freely for self-improvement in our
professional labor, will be increased
In value In exact proportion to the In
conveniencies aud sacrifices we suffer
and make in personally approriating
them.
The Board OF Directors OF the pub
lic schools Of Ottumwa, have express
ed their emphatic approval and inter.
eet In this preparatory instruction you
Are to give the teachers Of the county.
BY voting you the use OF rooms in the
large school building for such pur.
poso. Everything has beeu done that
We could reasonably ask, and even
more. 1f success is not the result, the
tanlt must be ours; but We shall not
fail II We teachers earlv make our
plans for this coming Normal session
Of four weeks. Make every other In
'eFsst shape itself to this one, then We
may be sure that we shali receive such
beneAt that the county will recognize
and gratefully accept Il. Wcmust be-
stir ourselves and manifest this same
progressive spirit that Va see 90 thor
oughly alive elsewhere, or rest
content BY living in . realm wholly
our own, and in an age long since
past Lot this spirit OF earnest intel
llgent CONTROVERSY show itself In oar
departments Of labor. We shall not
all be Of the same mind. Some OF "a
will contend for the primitive faith Of
tho fathers, namely: that 20 teaching
can be absolutely correct that does not
cOndne iis instruction literally 10 the
text book that the alphabet can only
be rightly taught by an intelligent use
Of the pen.knite on the part of the
teacher, and the parrot repetition OF
A. B, q, &c on the part OF the pupil,
while Others will as earnestiy, and
= -fs Al f,,s IL that