The Hartford herald., 1875-09-08

and Col. preclude any likelihood of the
admission into their ranks and counsels
on equal footing of any genuine repre-
sentative of the humble class of com>
mon country school teachers.
Country schoolteaching is apparent
lY of less importance than any other
branch of the business, yet, in reality,
it is Of vastly more. Though more
poorly paid it accomplishes greater re-
suits, and though conducted with less
show and parade, is the vast founda-
ton on which repose the strength,
pride and power of the nation. Coun-
try teachers ought to be proud Of their
calling, and, though poor, never repine
at their poverty. Let them consider
themselves the custOdians of their cOun-
try's liberties-the true militia, on
whom depends the perpetuity Of
American democratic institutions, and
if they are poor, let them be, like Gin
cinnatus, "nobly roor. ."yjAbove all
things, they should reject With scorn
the venality of that principle by which
some appear to be actuated of melting
out their services according to their
salary. They should go on irrespective
of that consideration and do their best,
and find their chief recompense, not in
the amount of pay they receive, but in
the satisfaction of knowing that they
have been instrumental in imparting
= needful instruction TO the rising gener-
alton. Men with whom money is the
primary object in teaching, are general
" poor teachers-either they make no
effort, and prove themselves utterly
worthless to their employers, or else
make false, fictitious efforts accom-
panied by vast parade, fuss and pre-
tension calculated to produce an illu-
, sion in the minds of the ignorant, but
after the excitement has had time to
die away, and the dust and smoke and
: flying debris have blown off from the
; scene of action, there is just about as
much left to show for itself as there
was of the famous Kilkenny cats.
The country school underlies the
prosperity of the nation. Blot it out and
: the mass of the people would sink into
= barbarism. Let high schools and col
leges flourish if they can. They are
local institutions and private enterpri-
ses: and while adding TO the country's
pride, are of dubious utility in adding
: to the country's strength. Let it be
: the main ambition of country teachers
= to render themselves useful instead OF
? great--a desire for greatness is selfish
t and scarcely virtue. Their calling is
l of small repute, but if they can make
| it great in its results; and if they them
D selves are small in the eyes Of thC
: world, they should recollect that from
the united and unremitting labOrs OF
more insignificant creatures than they,
= has resulted the emcrgence of subma
t rine empires and the extension of tho
+ list of continents. And above all
should they contend for the superiority
: of brain over bone, of mind over mus
: Gle. and frown down the idea some
5 times expressed, that manual labor Ii
4 equal in money value to mental. Al
f well might it be contended that The
\ engineer and fireman on Il locomotive
q engine are entitled TO as large pay a
y the inventive labors of Fulton, or tha
f the worth OF the day laborer along ;
: telegraph line are worth as much Il
= the country as the stupendOus menta
dCnlcNclllClllS VI IoICSSOI AhOlSC
Country teachers should frown ON al
4 manner of toadyism and snobbery-
Y they should be outspoken, candid, anC
: honest, and never allow themselves Il
, be tieG to the sleeves of any set, sect o
= party.
They should be sworn enemies to al
! manner of aristocracy, and whcneve
they see any symptom of pride Of brit
+ or pride of wealth or of position, the,
:, should greet it with discharge from
=. their deadliest artillery and when en-
croachments are attempted to be mad
on their rights and privileges from higI
places, if men in high Office attempt t.
u overawe them. and bend on them thei
magisterial brows dark with Olympial
thunder, and threaten them for thei
want of subscrviency, let them not b
alarmed, but rally to one another
E support, and present front TO the nc
erosion as firm as Theban band or
. Macedonian PhalanX. They shoulc
also recollect that while it is their di
rect business "to rear the tender mind
70 teach the Young idea how 10 shoot,