Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-10-13
THE COMING TEACHER.
BY HELEN M. BINGHAM, MONROE,

Essay read before the State Teachers AS
ISOLATION at Eau Claire, 1859
Prof. Bonamy Price has said that
nowhere in the world is better teach
ing, more accurate conception of the
nature Of its functions, more scien-
tifc yet agreeable method OF handling
young people, more thorough sym
pathy between the minds of the
teacher and the taught, to be witnessed
than among the female teachers Of the
United States.
The New York Tribune remarks
that it will do no harm also to re-
mind them" meaning female teachers,
"that in spite of Prof. Prices praise
they have not yet reached the highest
educational standard" This comment
suggests the questions how much have
they to grow before they reach that
standard? how, when they have at.
tanned it, will they appear? in brief
what is to be the character of the COM
ing teacher? Before attempting
partial answer to these questions let
us glance at the work that will be re-
quired Of the future educator
The highest standard requires that
teaching shall be more work of as
sistance. less an attempt at examining.
It requires that when a child asks
question the teacher shall lead him to
observe or so 10 reason that he NAV
himself evolve the answer. When
, this standard has been reached the
teacher will tell the children little;
they will find out and tell her much
Education will be course of self-de-
velopment directed in the beginning
by another There will be little learn
ing by rote since. as an eminent writer
has justly said, ITO know by heart is
not to know" Moreover, the exercise
of learning by rote has tendency to
Supply all faculties except the mem
DRY, and if persevered in for centuries,
as has been the case in China, to put
an efectual stop to all progress and
make the accusation of belug wise be-
yond what is written reproach. We
whose opening minds were touched by
the blight of the multiplication table
rejoice that wiser methods are already
in vogue and that children now 6 (
profit and pleasure in the construction
Of multiplication tables. But there
is still too mnch mechanical work, too
little investigation among our pupils.
Ask girl if she plays the piano and
you are told "Oh, no! I'm forgetting
all [ ever knew for | havn't taken les
sons for long time" We are more
unfortunate than the music teacher.
1t is so extremely improbable that our
pupils have the mental habits which
make study agreeable that no one asks
if they are continuing school studies
Our system of education is really
system of repression. Instead of lead
ing out and strengthing the faculties
of our pupils, We put them to sleep. A
pupil educated in the natural way, ad
vancing always from the known to the
unknown, as curiosity leads him, be-
comes reliable and an independent
worker; his powers are SO developed
that their activity is pleasurable and
his education is continuous with lite.
From general adoption Of rational
methods may be expected the evolu-
ton of genius. Alexander Agassiz
tells his pupils that the merest tyro in
science would be disgraced by treating
a scientific problem as orr statesmen
dispose of the questions of the day
When we have statesmen whose edu-
cation has been a self evolution the
laws framed by them, like the laws
proclaimed by scientific men will be the
expression of the knowledge attainable
in their time.
When teachers cease to act like the
coachman who gave his too spirited
horses chloral. and then whipped them
into the required pace, education will
be more rapid, and there will be time
for stndies now impossible. There will
be no high pressure system. A teacher
will discriminate IN her requirements
of pupils according to the time since
their ancestors lived in trees; and while
she gives needed resistance to all her
pupils. she will give most attention to
those most promising, as a gardner
gives more attentipn to plant about to
! flower than to ore whose fruition is far
in the uncertain future.
As self evolution is the highest
standard of intellectual education, so
self control IS the highest standard in
moral education. Moral education is
something more than knowledge of
the moral code. It is not process by
which little Judases may be filled with
virtue. It is the evolution OF the NOR
al nature. That the moral nature is
as educable as the intellectual, is prov
ed by the success of the reformatory
institution. At the Reform School of
Ohio two thousand boys convicted of
crime have been received since 1858,
and all but very small percentage
have been discharged apparently re-
formed. The same amount of power,
says DR.. Buchanan, which can elevate
| criminal youth to respeetabilitv can ele.