The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-11-17
THE INFLUENCE OF THE EYE.

The power of the eye is the primary
source of the teachers influence. Only
let the pupils feel that the ey, &C The
teacher runs swifter to the mark, than
words fly to the ear, and his power will
be felt. The conduct which is to be
regulated must be observed. To the
extent to which this is possible, every.
thing done in the schoolroom must be
under the eye of the teacher. To for
get this, or TO become Indifferent to
the need for il, is q serious mistake.
As prerequisite, it is of consequence
to have the scholars so placed that OBJ
seryation is easy. Any arrangement
of seats which makes it difficult. in
wolves a wilfui surrender of a part Of
the teachers power. and at the same
time of the chiidren's benefit. The
eye is mu-,, iore the expression of all
that the teacher is than the best clio
sen words can be. The scholars can
understand it better, and more quick
ly than they can understand words, and
there is nothing for which the eye is
more available than the expression of
satisfaction or dissatisfaction with
what is seen.
The eye is hardly misinterpreted by
one who observes its play. In addition,
it is the most quick and most silent of
messengers. There is no quicker tele-
graph for the schoolroom, aud it is
practically free from risk of error in
communication. Without the slightest
interruption to school work, the eye
conveys more encouragement warning,
and rebuke than there could be time to
utter. To leave all this uncommuni-
Gated would be an unspeakable loss of
influence Through the eye an une1.
pressed, but clearly recognized, under
standing is gradually established be
tween master and pupil, which greatly
aids school management. Connected
with this form of control there is all
the advantage of comparative secrecy
in the midst of public procedure. 1t
serves all the ends of cipher in tele.
graphic communication; and in school
life private influence upon a single
mind is of vast consequence. The
teacher is constantly occupied in
public exercises, yet more than most
men he needs opportunity of commu-
nicating hints of purely personal ap-
pication, which are best conveyed when
they reach tie person concerned with
out knowledge of those around.
This holds specially of those timely
warnings which are to check the be-
ginning OF wroDg-doing. To utter
every warning to child in the hearing
of all his companions would be to
blunt the edge of the warning itself.
In many cases the calling Oh general
attention to what is being done would
throw the mind of the offender into
an attitude of defense, altogether un
favorable. A warning conveyed by a
look gives the pupil all the advantage
of prnfiting by it without injury to self.
respect Encouragement thus convey
ed gives a great additional impulse,
carrying consciousness of a certain
advance in the good opinion of the
teacher, without the fact giving rise to
pride, as it might otherwise do. On
these grounds it can be maintained
that the eye is the vehicle of the
quickest, widest, kindest, and
most stimulating influence which
a teache. San employ. If children
while in school only be conscious that
the eye of the teaeherr runs everywhere,
they become insensibly convinced of
his power, and yield to it without a
thought of opposition. .som 9;
+ Next week a short article will be
presented on the power of the voice
in school government.