The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-02-10

Do we all fully comprehend achy the
millions OF dollars are yearly expended
for the erection Of buildings IN which is
carried on the work of educating the
children OF oar country? And why mill
ions more are paid to two hundred thou
sand cultivated or uncultivated men and
women for doing this work? And why
eigt million boys and girls daily throng
the doors Of our schooI-rooms, them
sctge5 but dinlly conscious Of aOhy they
are there Is it merely to gain q GoOdiy
knowledge Of arithmetic and reading,
grainmer and geography? Or to have
the term accomplished connected with
the name because the bearer has spat-
ter OF music, drawing and numerous
otogies? Or as parts of that beautiful
machine, working with perfect beauty
and regularity six hours Of each day,
known as 2 weil-disciplired SCHOOL, Our
pupils would say ''nlos5 certainly to
the first question q goodiy number of
parents would give their hearty assent
to the second while we, teachers if
some Of US were to answer honestly,
might say Eyes" to the third. VIII you
say nay opinion is high flown / believe
that all this expenditure OF time, skill,
money, mental labor and physical labor,
the end and aim Of al, tend toward
the great object; making each boy
happy, useful and Independent man; each
girl. o happy, useful and Independent
woman and 6oth intelligent citizens Of
a nation whose very strength depends
on the moral, physical, and intellectual
strength of its people. BY whom must
this work be done? Upon whom does
this fearful responsibility rest Upon the
teacher, you and me, my friend. Are
you prepared to do the work? Are you
ready to meet the responsibility
Home training of the right kind, viii
aid us but, as Holland says 81 have
no words TO express my sence Of the I'M
poTtance of your office for the teacher
who spends six hours day with my
child, spends three times as many as [
do, and twenty fold more time than my
pastor does, And this is not for
one year only /; for in more cases, the
greater part of the life Of each between
the ages of six and sixteen, is spent In
the schooL-room. Ten gears at a period
IN life when the mind is most easily mol
ded, and viii readily receive lasting i'm
presslons, for good or eUH. Six hours
of each of two hundred days, in each OF
ten years is sufficiently long time to. fc
his or her future. Let Us turn Our at
tention to few Of the many matters,
which must be seen to usby in the school
room, that this after Gje is made what
it should be. To be Of as much profit
as It may, school must be made attract
tee. Even though the material OF the
building be not the finest and the decor
atoms the most costly, the kind word
and pleasant face and voice of the teach
Mill Il al, fp oil
is this the case with smaller children
their 81 like school" or 81 hate school,
depends on one condition,-a pleasant
teacher or cross teacher. Patrons,
under the care of which of these would
you trust yoar little child? 1 wondered
not at the scared faces and crouching
forms Of two score or more little boys
and girls, while their teacher moved
among them, when I heard her order
the states to be cole cted, or administer
reproof for real or imaginary iu-doing.
Those toneE,- shrill, hasty, repuIsive
are indiscribable; yoar imagination must
deal with them, for even a fair illustra-
ton, would have q disastrous effect on
your nerves, I recall two years Of my
own school-hfe, both spent in the same
room. The first OF these, school was to
me Il hateful place-a jail, and my
teacher the Tailor. The most pleasant
exercises Of the day, were taken as re-
cess, in the open air dismission was
hailed with delight. l remember the
fretful face and peevish voice of my
teacher,-at times varied by tones loud
harsh, angry. No word Of praise for
any one, OF any reason, ever fell from
those lips. Curiosity was checked; ques-
lions left unanswered. But rs it We're,
we were forced 70 rRstioake the dry
bones of what she or our books offerd
Us, with nothing to make it palatable.
easily swallowed and digested. When
the long anticipated vacation was at
hand it found US leaving the place.
not slowly and sadly, nor casting one
longing. lingering look behind. The
next year it seemed tilat the room had
lost the dull, unhomelike look Of the
past, and had taken on q brighter aspect:
and there seemed less time, too, for con
iuring little plans % annoy the
teacher. Our studies and school were
now really enjoyed, our interest and
curiosity excited us to ask questions,
and instruction was taken with . relish.
And what caused the change! Wholly,
[ believe, the pleasant voice and kind
encouraging saae OF anctbac teacher.
Are re Kind enough 80 our pupils I? are
We not in DANCE. Hanger OF falling
into habit OF speaking to them III a
d;ctatorial, unpleasant manner, and of
allowing a frown to Frequently ruffie orr
blows OF course, q sharp rebuke Is
sometimes nessessary carelessness and