The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-07-18
The Teachers InSiItute.

EYH.A. d. HENDERSON.
Two things are indispensable TO rCu
dcring Teachers Institutes profitable
l. 4 proper appreciation of their ne
cessity; and-2. OF their design. Tha
the teacher should diligently study hi
profession no one will doubt who ha
any reasonable conception Of the delica
cy and responsibility of his work. Hi
office is to direct the young mind right
To teach it hos to think and what is ,c0r
thy of thought A thoughtless man il
next akin to a mindless man. The un,
thinking and the imbecile are first cous-
ms Thinking involves proper Guilt
walton Of attention. ard this includes al
the observing powers. To see with the
eye, to hear with the ear, 10 feel with
the heart. and to see and hear and feel
things in their proper relations to truth
is the end Of all education. man may
be walking encyclopedia, and be far
from an educated man. You may be
able to trust him for facts and have no
confidence in judgments. which result
from the right comparison and largest
generalization of facts. To give the
mind taste for ennobling themes, and
instruct it how to mediate upon them ;
to incline the heart 10 the good and lead
it TO ditferentiate momentary impulse
snd sudden passion from permanent
principle and moral feeling. These two
statements contain the chef design OF
the pedagogic Office. Would an artisan
who had never studied its mechanism un-
dertake the repair OF chronometer?
Will surgeon unacquainted with the
location Of the nerves and muscles OF
the parts, undertake compound and
complicated surgical operation2 VIII
the teacher, Tor mere prlG IN io;take to
mold minds while he knows and cares
nothing for the laws of reason and the
motivitics Of action the world is iull of
thinkers, oharlatans and scA0oLndstcrs
The sachsr, therefore, should seek ev-
cry opportunity TO be better instructed
in his high calling. that he may walk
worthy OF his vocation, He slrould
study pedagogical literature in its perma-
nent and periodical forms; he should
study human nature and be able to class
ify its pGculiari,ies, as manifested in dit
ferent individuals, he should compare
opinions aud methods with his fellows
an | sit with doclle receptivity at the feet
of wisdom and experience. The law,
rightly apprehending the importance of
Institutes, makes attendance upon them
compulsory. Those able to teach must
so to instruct those who need to learn;
those who are ignorant must 60 to be
taught The teacher who votes the In
stitute "a bore" may be set down as
chiefly concerned for "the draw" and is
never 80 interested in his school as on
payday. Commissioners should with
rigidity enforce the statue. To refuse
to do SO is not only to manifest dcplor>
able ignorance or indifference to the
teachers Of his county, but to be morally
insensible to the obligation involved in
his oath of office. A prompt revocation
Of the certificates of those who hold and
trent the Institute with contempt would
work rapid and healthy reform of exists
ing absenteeism and tend largely to the
speedy reinforcement OF the State with
corps of competent instructors.
SCcond-The design OF the Institute, as
already intimated, is to impart instruc-
ton in tho art Of teaching. "lIow to
teach is the simple proposition that ex>
presses it's principal aim and end. "How
to govern" Is next in Importance. If,
therefore, it is allowed to degenerate into
a debating society, or the time is fruits
lsssly employed in solving the perplexi-
ties of mere mental puzzles, or the hours
are spent in ...quizzIng," then the utility
Of the Institute may well be questioned
Essays, declarations, select readings and
music may serve as elements Of enter
tainment or relaxation, but they should
maintain about the same relation to the
Institute that the recess does to the
school. Abstract themes are seldom
proiitably discussed. Essays should al,
ways have practical bearing on the
teachers work The curriculum OF in
struction should be strictly confined to
the common school course, and no pc
dautic conceit should be permitted to
squander the time upon branches and
subjects that transcend the work of the
common school teacher. How to teach
spelling and reading Including phonetics)
grammar and geography, mental and
moral arithmetic. history and compost
ton, together with how to organize, con-
duet and govern the school, includes
programme fully comprising the design
Of the law, and exhaustive of all the
time allotted to a legal session. The In
stitute should always have a Committee
on Programme that will scrutinizingly
select the best teaching talents, assign
the branch 10 be illustrated by each, and,
as near as may be, accurately defined the
range and limit expected OF the demon
sirator. Sufficient time should be given
those designated to conciacly and trans,
pareutiy organize the method and mat.