, 1875-05-30

Anle, unlesb on2uRa IL uh1e 1oF tne ne.tEt'
will be paid the same insufhcient salary, $780,
In this there is = manifest injustice. In tho
To1k alone OF the grammar grades as compared
with the primaries, tiers il enough difference 70
warrant & considerable difference OF pay. Inc
primary teache1 dlsmissesa portion OF her pnpna
half her work aud anxiety for the rest
al her work during school hours,
and finish 1t nell. The studies pursued IN the
lower grades are OF such. . nature that lucy 40
not permit OF much work being done BY the
teacher, except while the pupils arc With her, 80
that at o'clock, or few uainutes past, she cant
il she feel 80 disposed, lock her school-room
door. hang up her keys With the traditional
sigh Of relief" which We tehchofs @ 30 na o!ten
boar Of, and (be 1t sad "a our credit 30 seldom
hear, and turn her steps homewasd thus making
school hours comprise her enhre WORKING DAY.
With the grammar teacher, the Case II entirely
different, Let her work As faithfully aa she can'
the days are few and far between on Wnlcn ane
can feel at the close OF school that her days
work Ii done.
It il impossible to accomplish we'll what is
now expected OF a teacher in any OF the higher
grades within the limits Of tho school.day. Ii
sae wishes to attain to that degree OF success
which avery real teacher asp1res to, she mnsE
come early and stay late,* She must come early.
because before school great deal OF time must
be spent in writing on the black-boards, the
topics for the day, IN soliciting from the great
storebouse Of knowledge, aud arranging INTO
suitable and palatab1e shape the daily bread to
snstenance. tho backward pupils, who
come early for special instruction, must
have their weak OF unwilling feet
guided from the level plain Of their
the many stumbling -blook whioh bea~t the lons
and deviouB road to tho Temple Of Learning, TOO
often kypifod in the mind OF the average pupil
By that stone.building on West Monroe street.
After school, when the doubling, dreaming.
inqu,1ing onee who have giaddened or saddensd
her all day long have asked their last Questions
or made their last statements, and after short
spasm of indecisou have finally nade their ae-
lection OF textbooks for the evening study (for
they, too, must work out Of school hours IN Or
der to succeed}, aud have goua home, then she
begins = thorough looking over and COZ
recting Of writing books, spoilers, examples
in mental and practical arithmetic, and anY
miscellaneous written work that Bhe may have
felt it necessary to require OF her pupils. This
daily, the last OF tho week or the mouth, II hei
class la wolt advanced ia the grade. brings With
It extra written examinations. uosI, II aha hangs
up her ae.a and shakes the dust OF the school
room (or tries to) from her skirts bafore 8
O'Clock. it is an indication either tnat she IL
+ very rapid worker, or that sha tases some OF
her "papets homo to correct BY gasllght.
But the actual amount OF labor done ID not
the only basis upon which this particular branch
OF industry should ba paid. In teacnsng, more,
perhaps, than io most other kinds OF LABOR, the
e1celleuce Of the work is in direct proportion to
the experience of the individuals engaged in it.
Tho grammar teachers are, or should oe, those
who, by long tr1nl, have proved themselves COM
petent to I'LL places OF responsibility.
It must be obvious even to tho most careless
observer, that to teach = very few simple
branches and to properly control small children,
does not -equire the experience oor the constant
thought and care that it docs to teach classes
whose lessons include tho greatest variety Of
subjects and whose inclinauon to learn things
wrong, or to learn nothing Ut al, is often SO
firmly grounded, BY the tune they are Of q Bspta~
Bile age for the grammar grades, "a to cause
feeling OF surprise to mingle with the natural
sensation OF anxious discoarsgem=nt that such
cases awaken in the teachers mind.
Aside from these considerations, which per"
haps more valid TO the teacher than to others,
unless the pay OF the grammar teachers is made
more to correspond with their greater labor aud
experience, the difficulty e1en now apparent Of
filling such positions with efficient teachers will
certainly increase. aud there will ensue, in con-
an inevitable depreciation IN the quail
ity OF tho teaching It may be that there are, a.
We often hear said, plenty Of teechers 10 be had,
but the supply Of good teachers willing to worx
for Insufficient pay ia not in excess of the de-
.nand at present, aud excellent teachers are
needed il grades where the instruction AMI
example Of one Incompetent teacher may do
more harm to tho immature Judgment and par
tiallY founded characters Of her pupils than
many subsequent years can eradicate
N. L.