Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-10-06
the Schoot-Mistress,


the frost suggesting vspors OF carly September,
comes the schoel-mietress. She vanished from
us just as the tulips were towering and first
wrens were balancing themselves upon the ca
talps twigs by the south window. We remem-
ber how weary she looked as she passed along
the street that last day Of school. few steps
behind the prim little callcoed misses and the
hilarious young brats IN button-ups. She steps
more lightly now she goes smiling to the
work and worry OF new torn. The pale cheeks
that she took away with her when she went out
to Kansas to spend her vacation have gained
color from the pink and russell tintlng OF the
rich plains sunshine; and the new life in those
eyes which seemed so dull and sad three
months ago, looks like surprise OF blue sky
through the mist-like veil that serves the dou-
bic purpose of concealng her freckles and pro-
tecting.her against the ill-mannered stares Of
street loafers. She still dresses in'msterial that
can be washed and 'done up and wears that
inevitable white apron, and the brown kids
frayed at the iinger-ends but not the Helen OF
the Iliad, i'clsd IN the beauty of thousand
| stars, was so fit to be enshrlned in immortal
song.
We owe her royal welcome, the returning
September schoolmistress. She IL emphatical
ly one of our things We might better spare
the whole race OF politicians than this modest,
earnest, even tempered step-mother of every
body's children. She it is who, iu her quiet and
patient way. sways and fashions the errant for
| ces upon which depend, not merely the rise and
| fall OF rudimentary knowledge, but the security
| snd growth OF all that preserves and exalts So
| ciety and gives to popular government its pro-
gress and its glory. NIne-tentha of our children
| get the most of their education in the public
schools and there can be no higher mission i'll
such a country than that Of the meek-faced wo-
| man, with no crueler weapon than bunch of be-
lated marigo.ds or copy OF the last 81. Nicholas
| brings the boys and girls who are to be our fu-
| ture men aud women safely and clearly through
| the decisive experiences which, more than all
else OF life, fix the bent OF mind, OF manner and
of morals. According to the sincerity and skill
| of her labors, must be the character Of tile
schools and as the schools are, will be the
| citizehs-which is but saving that so viii lie the
| nation. for honor or for shame.
| The returning school-mistreeE will find things
much the same as she left thom. She will see
| some new countenances among her pupils, to be
| sure, and perhaps new series Of text books,
| also ; but, there is no alteration in the general
| outlook, and her work is ready to be resumed
| just where she dropped it, week hence she
| will have the business of her school reduced to
system that no ciyil-service relormer could i'm
| prove. She will know not simply the name, age
| and scholarly standing of every child under her
charge, but also all their individual tastes, habt-
| and preiudces 1t is this admirable faculty OF
discovering and utilizing the peculiar character
i-tics of each mind with which she has to deal
that makes the schooi-mlstress OF the period
| such pronounced success. With her, to impart
instruction il not to turn the crank OF d placiue
| Instead of adapting her pupils to her teaching
| she adapts her teaching to her pupils ShC
| sometimes has a dOZeu methods of presenting
aud enforcing the same thing, not one OF which
is TO be found in any book. II Johnny STUN
bes in his syntAx she does not refer him Il
printed rules that are ten years ahead of him
but explains his error TO hun in language of the
playground and il little Susie gets mixed IL
her multiplication table, she is set straight again
by some homely illustration which is worth
whole deyF study to her II took us a long
time 10 learn that teaching is specially oi
women. The SCHOOL mistress has won her plact
in spite Of us. And having won it, she is enti
tied to our greatful recognition az she appear
again after her vacation (Which, let us hope wsi
pleasant and proftable), tO remind us that Sep
temher has come and - schools recalled"
Oar September school-mistress will be maxim;
| a wife Of herself one of these days. Sh,
always gets married. There IL place for he
in matrmony, just az there is in education.
widower, with i've Or six children, il some
whore constantly waiting for her, She coul
not evade bm il she would /; perhaps she woult
not II she could. lie il not an educated man
and there il smell of the soil On his garments
but he has a comfortable home and a good in
come, and he will worship her in ha clums
Way as il she were a second Minerva. When h
gains her we lose her forever Once wife
not even September can bring her back again
| and the INCLINATION n he a wife is the on
temptation that she cannot resist The trail 0
the sci pent 10 here a. everywhere. Good AN
| useful aud necessary az ahe H. the besettiu
ambition of her se1 will creep in to lure he
away from US. Being woman, she cannot, O
" not, escape her destiny. Like all the rest
: che 10 looking and lettering for the expecte
| husband. Long may the good Lord delay hi
H1 nipur lam, .tf h.tf