The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-03-27

BILE. She sees even Russia iron despotisn
rousing to the need of education. She sees
at last that Rome alone still fights the
idea of universal education, as the banner
of free education-free thoughts unfurled
around the world. She sees the mission
schools of Turkey, of India, of China, OF
Africa and of Hawaii, with their corps OF
self-denying workers, planting at once the
seeds of religion, of mental culture and OF
material progress. 1t is with joy and pride
that she notes how the first pioneers in the
cause of education have grown to be a
giant army; more potent for good or ill
than any that ever followed the world S
great soldiers to the field of battle. She
clearly recognizes the fact that the future
of our nation rests upon the labors of its
teachers more than upon its soldiers, its
Legislators, or its preachers.
This train of phantoms melt away and
her thoughts are away with the future.
What is the destiny of those boys and
girls that daily gather around her to be ?
Is she training Luther or Wesley, a
Milton or Hemans, a Newton or Her
schel, Washington or Garibaldi? As
she ponders this question. train of images
pass in review, dimly shadowing what the
future may bring to pass.
She sees great professor of language in
a university hall. He has thrown light
upon many of the dark places of history
Wy Ia hnrinnS fron r>f 81, II,
their connections to their origin, and now
throng of students wait for his utterances
and the world recognizes him as one of its
really great men. Something in his face
dream. At last her fancies assume form
and substance, and in the eloquent scholar
and accomplished linguist she recognizes
the little Charlie who used to worry her by
putting pronouns in the passive voice and
insisting that coniunctions were in the in
dicative mood and present tense. He has
not forgotten those early trials and now he
looks back to that teachers labors as the
foundation of his success.
A great preacher holds listening thous-
ands entranced, while the nation waits anx-
iously for his printed utterances as they
fall from the press. In the great preacher
she recognizes little Johnnie, who used to
declaim "Casabianca to the mirth of his
school fellows. He has outgrown his early
difidence and now stands proudly up
among the great men of his age.
An artists studio rises into view. Hosts
of visitors pause to contemplate the marble,
to which the artists chisel has given all but
life. The artist himself at last appears,
and with a start of surprise she recognizes
another of her old scholars. 1t is Willie,
whose slate used to be adorned with such
beautiful carcatures to the disadvantage
of his arithmetic, who was constantly in
disgrace for carving his desk and defacing
his copy book, and who, in all other re-
spects, was the Ounce of the school. Now
his name is household word wherever his
language is spoken.
The tongues Of the literary world are
busy with the character and genius of
new author, who has burst with sudden
lustre on the world of letters. She, at
last, catches a glimpse of the new celebrity,
among the thronging figures that troop
through her brain and in the slight figure
and earnest face of this new child of fame,
she recognizes little Mary who used to be
SO much puzzled by her composition.
One by one she sees those children that
oh toll lad ,.t1, o.,lx,
have taken their places in the great world
of action, as honest, worthy citizens, each
filling his place in the great world of being
but each looking back to her efforts as the
foundation of his or her success in life.
She sees the various avocations of life,
each filling its own especial place in the
economy of the world and second to none
in Importance the teacher takes her place.
She sees herself as one of grand success
sion, running from the earliest time to the
present, succession in honor and import
ance second to none in history.
CHANGING down the coming years, she
sees the school house and teacher still ad
vancing upon its heaven-imposed mission.
She welcomes the time when every poor
mans child shall be able to gain pure
knowledge, free as air and light. She wei
comes the gradual triumphs of free educa-
ton, of free thought, of scientific research !;
the sure and steady decline of the spirit of
war and conquest, and the certain dawn of
the reign of "peace on earth, good will to
men,"
The dream is over, the visions have fled
and again she rouses to the real life of this
work day world. The fire has burned low
and the shadows of evening are closing
ing and goes. forth ready with another day
to renew her labors more faithfully than
before, conscious now more than ever be-
fore, that her trials are slight compared
with those of the pioneers of education,
resting at last in the assurance that if
bread be cast upon the waters it shall ap-
pear after many days. She remembers
with a vividness of which she had scarcely
thought before that Christ has said: Who
soever giveth a cup of cold water to one of
these little ones shall not lose his reward"
"They that sow in tears shall reap in
joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth,
bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come
again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves
with him.
A SCALP DANCE,