The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-02-01
For the Advertiser.
THE TEACHERS ASSOCIA-
TlON.
Does ID Offer the Greatest Posi-.
bic Good to the Greaiest Num-
Der.

4 Does u Ouef uOe 0SfeHltsl H'DSsI.
| bic Good To the Greatest Num-
ber.
The institution of the present cen
4 fury is the newspaper. 1t chronicles
our successes, explains our defeats,
and when our hearts are too full ot
/ discretion) for vocal utterance il j.
the safety-valve through which we
find escape for excess of grief or joy.
1t extends our thanks TO the incor-
| ruptible sovereigns OF the soil hy
whose franchises We were elected. "r
our commiseration, entirely unselti>h.
for those who by ways that were dark
and tricks that were mot vain. were
induced To vote for the other man.
These reflections are suggested hy
| the results Of our teachers meeting un
Saturday. do not wish IL find ga-
necessary fault, and will admit there
was much Ia Ice commended. Vet >stsess
improvement seems 10 my hG!aale
self to he easily attainablc, the aid of
the ADVERTISER j. invoked to plAcz
some of my notions before ether teach
ers. Let it be distinctly under>tossl 81
the start that have no wish to Fiai
fault, only
The object Of these meetia-- i to
aid teachers in preparing for t5eir
work. more especially young tesseher~
since older ones are already ToIsrabIy
proficient unless mean no oFfeuss
too opinionated 10 learn. In either
ease the Younger the teacher the great
er the benefit he should derive Oa
this point apprehend no difference
of opinion. | am unable. however. IN
resist a conviction that our meetings
have been conducted in such manner
as to materially diminish the benefit
that either class might have obtained
\ report of the last meeting woaId
contain >eSrcely Name that doe not
belong To- one wha j both Al expert
cneed teacher ssssi connected with
graded school. Thi- arrangement re-
luire-t oil one class Hot only to instruct
each other. but also the teacher- en-
gage-i in elA-- Of school. seldom even
visited hy those who were Offering
sslyiee. II al-o threw the labor on a
few while the larger number. having
only q passive part in the exercises,
sat Fnately listening or, in imitation of
the nation, representatives at Wash
ingt0n. paired off, and spent the
time in the discussion of topic- which. |
If not better adapted to their minds,
were evidently more interesting.
Now | do not wish to underrate thc
teachers of our graded schools | am
aware that some of them have pro-
tested against being placed - often
before the assembled teacher but j.
it probable that any one class Of teach
ers can present class Of subjects
several times with the same degree of
success az would bc attained by "A
variety of teachers? H. il probable
that any country teacher i. the bert
adviser in matter- connected with
graded schools: Moreover, j. it not
more than possible that even our old
est teachers would sometimes prefer a
meeting during which, with mental
faculties free from the load Of an
exercise" to give, they might he able
to listen To what others say, To think
what they mean. and become acquaint-
ed with other teachers?
Again, a. the physician should know
the symptoms Of his patient, how are
we to help teachers unless we know
what they lack? Sitting in our seats
with mouths shut, don't we seen
about equally wise" Or if we are not
does any one know wherein we ar,
weak? The teachers referred to viii
pardon me for referring to their exer
cises to explain more fully my mean
ing. One gave an exercise in wor,
analysis, but has any one doubted hi
ability to teach that branch? As {,
our learning from that lesson, he di.
| tinctly told u what books containe
| it all. 1t il well known. however
that few teachers are willing to toacl
ii in school, while not few say. ~
can't" Had some younger teachc
given the exercise we should hay
either learned that he knew how (
teach it or been able to help him on
of his difficulty. Another gave u
some sound advice on school govern
ment, but one with his experience
ought to understand that subject. Ar
we to suppose he needed help in thi
direction? Had the essay been fron
younger teacher it would have ind
Gated whether he understood his busi
ness, or in what points he erred. An
a. was observed of the other lesson
every teacher has acces. TO books con
tanning advice just as good but If on
does not read what lies within reach
will he be likely to derive much bane
fit from being told? In educatin
pupils it has been conceded that tn
proper engine is not force pump bu
rather one of the species called ex
hausting, and would not the sam,
method-but the reader will in f.
my meaning, and having alread,
written more than | intended, ! will
stop. 1t may be well to add tina
nothing ! have written is intended I,
be personal. The parties mentione,
are referred to only because it wa
necessary in order to make mysel
understood.