Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-06

set myself up as a public educator. I will
study hard and try again, tor If I enter the
profession at all IL must he as one whom
the superintendent will be proud to claim
Is one Of his teachers"
He should strive TO be competent. men
tally. physically and MORALLY; should cult.
vate bodily health. personal neatncss. and
correct habits; and above ali things, keep
his good name and honor above all sus.
piclon.
A teacher is an of1ce.holder, elected
by three officers according 10 law,
commissioned by another public ser.
want, paid from the public treas.
ury. He IL . chronic ofice.seeker. He
is a man under authority having others un-
der him he says to one, come" and he
cometh, and to another, Ego out and cut me
a stick" and he dosth it. But in all things
he is responsible to legal authority. If not
duly prepared he must not be licensed; If
filed with learning. but incapable of i'm.
parting 1t, he must be rejected; if known
t. he immoral or ~dissipated, he cannot have
. certificate Of good moral character; and if
after getting his commission aud beginning
his task his school is visited. and his work
weighed 10 the balance is found wanting,
his certificate may be snnulled. Ii he neg
lects TO make his report 70 the clerk at the
end Of the term his pay may be withheld;
of which there Is at present an example In
this county.
Ofthe county sapcrintcndent's duties, the
law says that he shall have charge Of the
common school interests Of the county he
shall record a written oath, faithfully to
discharge the duties Of the office and shall
give a bond of $500 with good security
conditioned that he shall taihfuNy perform
all his duties. Is this a mere formality? Is
the oath subscribed with his name and
sworn 10 with appraised hand, a pleasant
fiction of law that allows him to let the
schools go to the dogs, or run down from
neglect9 l can not so regard il, whatever
Others may have thought.
The speaker then discussed other duties
Of the position, and said: Many of these
may be done specifically as to look into
school house once q year for five minutes
and call it a thorough inspection to wink
at hideous abuses in the waste of public
money and pupils time by keeping litter
ate teachers; to license every unqualified
applicant and create a class of "cheap teach.
ers" to crowd out those who are worthy.
Such things have been done but how dc
they agree with the oath and bond, to faith
fully discharge the duties for the best inter-
ests of education?
This faithful performance isonly CONTROL
ed by the state of the su~perintcndenl's con
science and the amount Of watching he re-
ceives. If he has at heart the welfare o
the untaught children Of our prairies, hi
needs no other spur. In the words, "h'
shall have charge OF the school interest:
of the county," lie his true commission
his missionary call to 60 out into the by
ways and labor to raise the schools 10
respectable standard. 1t reposes in him
high confidential trust. II there are large
COIuLluulllCS lldl have uCNSI lllu u s\uOot
there is no one to tell him to 60 out, an
argue, urge or shame the parents into or
ganizing them without delay; yet if he sit
idle and makes no effort, has he not violated
a sacred moral and legal obligation !? Ifh
makes the whole business Of examining
teachers a farce and a by-word Of ridicule
all may seem to go smoothly a while; bu
some day there will be a waking up, hi
conduct and moral worth will be called ii
question, and hard indeed will be the con
fict between ignorance and education before
the wrong is made right.
The words, "haye charge Of the interest
Of common schools" imply there are enc
mics about that somebody is likely to d.
them harm and he must guard them da,
and night. Can it be possible! WHO
would dare to tamper with our school system
and do it injury.
There is an enemy to be kept away, ir
every county and state. Not one only, but a
host, and We meet them but too often.
n alluuc w Tue ~thcOM peieA teuNheiHy uhttalAeu,
careless, and neither given to study, read
; ing or thought. They are those who's
h minds once grew up a little way by study
!, till they got their first certificate but were
: content ever after to grow downward like
weeping willow; who like the professio,
only because lazier work than that Of tn
If farm or kitchen. 1t is those who by thei
own dullness can reduce the bright an
Ne lively school Of some former teacher to
y set Of %listless drones the very first month
er who might teach one school for years an
re never train a single pupil in the use of tn
b. English language by competition exercise
or written examinations! But We will dra
the veil before the picture is fully show.
r. The law foresaw that such a foe u educatio
would be constantly knocking at the scho'
house door, willing to teach very cheaply
hence the Office Of superintendent.
Tho snoskor thon told . story f,r itluatr