The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1875-09-08
A THIRD TEACHER GIVES HIS VIEWS.
LIvERMoRE Ky, Sept. 4ih.

LIvERMoRE KY, Sept. 4h.
EDITOR HEEAID:-Your correspondents,
"R. C. "and &c. NJ. R." in, ventillating
their peculiar views concerning Institutes,
Teachers and Trustees, whether uninten-
tionally, or designedly, l cannot say, mis-
conceive the whole nature of the question.
There is too great blending of error with
a very small amount oftrutll in what they
say.
ar. c." rs evidently splenetic, or suffer
ing seriously from some species Of mental
alteration, when he so inconsiderately de-
dominates Teachers Institutes, "cphem-
era from the "brevity of their sessions"
His objection is not well taken, notwith-
standing his diatribe has these same brief
sessions for its objective point
An interchange of opinion among n
number Of practical teachers, ever for the
short term Of four or five days, as to the
best method of organization, discipline,
and the best method OF teaching the diff
ferent branches, cannot fail to be OF adj
vantage TO teacher, pupil and parent
The young inexperienced teacher, unless
he is as stolid as ar. c." himself, can
derive some benefit by listening to a reci-
tai OF the experiences Of a lifetime spent
in the school room. He must be dolt, in
deed, who on such occasions, from the
multiplicity Of views expressed, cannot
gather a few facts which he may well
reduce to practice with almost incalcula-
ble advantage at the very outset of his
career.
If the majority of teachers determined
to make an actual, a lifelong profession
of teaching, the case woald, perhaps, be
different. As it is, however, teaching with
many is but an occasional profession, a
step preparatory TO the prosecution oil
some other avocation. In either case,
no man IS so profoundly erudre that he
cannot give some little instruction from
the enunciation of principles which will
add to his proficiency and render his Ia
bors more acceptable. and as a natural
consequence, more remunerative.
''R. C's" structures on imported brains
are in full accord with his other very silly
position, No one, unless he was suffering
from an attack of cerebro~spinal menin-
gifts, or some other raging disease would
object TO the presence Of a gentleman
and a scholar Of the first water at an In.
stitute or any other assemblage where
gentlemen do congregate.
But this astute philologist, rushing into
print, erects man Of straw and belabors
it most numerically. Such is ever the
nercuean task of one who studiously
msconstrues the nature of any general
proposition. 1t is not the object of the
Institute TO demonstrate abstruse prob.
lens from Euclid, to solve difficult exam
pies from Algebra, to explain some tan
gled skein from Arithmetic, nor to con.
strue very knotty lines from Homer
or Virgil. This belongs to othel
localities, and is the undisputeC
prerogative of the egotistic, pedanti,
donkey. The average District Teachc
is generally well versed in the primar,
branches of an English education. It i
not, therefore, to the want of any bool
knowledge that his many failures NAV b
attributed, but rather to an entire alb
sence OF any well defined plan of opera
ton, confltsson, and not order being tn
prevailing element in most Distric
Schools. The real object of the Institut
Is how TO teach, and not to avoid tn
drudgery OF study. 1t is reasonable to SUI
pose that the teachers have underson
! this drudgery before attending, what til