The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-10-04

wuich must eventually be recognized ns /
of primary importance. mean the
county examination. or the plan Of de
termining whether or not an applicant is
competent to take charge Of country
c c,mmon school 1t must be admitted
that our common schools ocrupy q very
prominent position in connection with
our individual and National well being
The mighty spirits who won for us our
freedom were nurtursd in the common
schools of the colonies; the present gran
deur and glory of our. country must be
attributed in great measure to them.
and the future liberty. prosperity and
happiness of our country depend to a
say they are not what they ought to he
is only repeating lameniable fact well
known 10 all. As the teacher must take
the initial step in their development. he
must be well qualified for the work. or
they can not reach the high standard
prescribed for them. hence the mode Of
testing the teachers qualifications TO
teach becomes matter OF imPortarce.
According to the present plan of exam
lining certificates are necessarily granted
at times to inefficienis or course exam.
liners can not justly be held responsible
tor the defects OF a school system beyond
their control. but this difficulty must be
removed before any practical reform can
be- inaugursted. A prominent instructor
recently remarked that kind Of intel
lectual or mental requirement in a
straight jacket style is made. and no at
trntion whatever is paid to the peculiar,
natural, and innate adaptiveness of the
teacher to the profession. and thus men
and women are found at the head OF our
schools who are no more able to develop
the human mind than n Modoc is to
draw a picture of the heavenly Jrrusa.
lem with piece OF charcoal. A eertifi
cate is based on only "A few Of the essen.
tials of successful teaching being general
ly that of moral character and the sppli
cant's knowledge of the branches hr ex
poets TO teach. lfan applicant is so f"r
tunate as to be able To locate the Black
Sea, and To tell the dir, ction of Iceland
from the North Pole aud answer few
more like questions propounded, doe
that give any assurance OF his trachinJ
p,wrr2 IL not. then the applicants abil
ity to inlpart instruction is not deter
mined; hIs skill IN reasoning. toReih'
with his knowledge OF general principles
and ability to manage a class successful
ly. are almost wholly ignored. In point
ing out some Of the defects, measures 20
improvement suggest themselves. Il
the irst place, if teaching is profession
ought it not be controlled by thos'
within its ranks? The professions of las
aud medicine are controlled by their owl
members, and why not the teacher
That this ought to be the case is so sell
evident that il needs no demonstration n
then il seems that none but professiona
t eachers ought to be members Of tn
Board OF Examiners Examinations shoul'
be held less frequently and should b
continued for a longer period Of time. a
this would give better opportunity 4
determine the real qualifications o. thos
expecting to teach II applicants we're OF
ganiz-d into classes. and each appoint'-d
in turn to take charge OF a class. aud d.
vrloP the subjects usually taught in ou
common schools in this manner the sI
plicant's knowledge OF the subject. hi
teaching faculty and his ability to mar
age class will be brought uoder the OF
servation of the Examiners, a certificat
would have sons weight, aud the mea'
ure will be recognized as step towar
raising the standard OF education.
STEPHEN MORGAN.