Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1878-12-17
MlsCELLAREous
ESSAY By MRS. sCBoNKEB.

UonoreR President and FelHo,o Teachers
Since Cadmus invented letters. and Plato
brought t" LIE the lHteGt powers of mankind
and proved that mans mind is kingdom
whence wisdom has her stores. the Muses.
have presided over Poetry and Essays. But
do NC expect sny poetry III the life of u cOun
try school marm, who very often does not
reach the mind except with the help of a
good birch rod, and who is not supposed by
many of her patrons, and not expected by
others, to tesch .he children to get beyond
..My dear friend take my pen in hand to
inform you tbs. l AN we'll aud hope when
these few lines reach you they may find you
enjoying the same good health 7" We will
leave peumanship aud orthoCraphy out Of tho
quesriun for it was neither, but a grand
fixture ia both How ia she to write an
Essay thar would engage the attention Of the
learned Professors and Lawyers. and D DIS
Of this Tnstiiute? ? Would not the gentle
Mnse, retire in dissu.t and leave her to her
own prosaic Thoughts, which find are very
full Of sympathy Tor the poor teacher or
scholar who has q task 10 perform for which
he is not gifted by D.ture art? Why. I
really belisys that. after thi., I will have
much sympathy for my scholars that l will
not mention Com position or Essay 40 them,
bu. will let NY imagination place them in my
position before our Superintendent, and will
say: "Childr.n. I will excuse you this time"
for. really. 1t is greater task than thought
it u,a Well do I rem.mbcr my first at
tempt. which, if you had undertaken to have
parsed you would have found mixture Of
prose and poetry. hut which my teacher could
not deciphor for the blots which in my nerv-
ousuess I had scattered rromi-cuously over
the paper And nOe, with all Difference for
the opinions of our worthy Superintendent.
let me ask if E.says could rot be dispensed
with in our Institute. men are but 'chil-
drcu of larger growth. and instead Of msk
ing blots. make errors which msy be equally
hard to efsce Then. not as m Author.
but es Teacher let me come before you this
morning, feeling thst ours is great aud no.
BILE task, and that those who educate the ma
tions children shape its destiny J. and to
our care is entrusted the keeping of the jew
els that will make bright the escutcheon oc
our nation, aud gladden. with the light Of love
and true refinement homes ell over oar land.
Nor is this greatest or all for each trusting,
cou6ding little heart given to our care may
become = bright gem in our Lords crown of
rejoicing. Truly, then, is no small
task, nor should it be a nenial one but let
US as Teachers take "Excelsior" for our
motto, and feeling that the Human Mind is
capable of grand possibilities, let US train il
to noble thought, and by teaching (both by
precept ard and eIampIe) develop those la
tent sparks OF Divinity i'll our souls that will
achieve these grand results. Teacher, lsok
upon that little child that the parents have
this day entrusted to your care. It is limos
cent aDd full of enchanting ways that will
win your love-if you will open your heart
to Iove-and feel that your task is not ended
when that child quits school; but that the
impression you make may mar its future
life, if not blast its happiness forever
Follow that child down to its three score and
ten and think what possibilities for good or
evil are bound up in its life. and that you,
through your influence and by your example,
may bring out all that is good and the world
may rejoice in the great reform Luther can
bring about, or admire true patriotism in a
Washington, or stand amazed in wonder at
the genius of Morse or Franklin. Then
how can we best develop the mind, and bring
to life and light the good that is bound up
in those tender little besrts2 Yes, tender
aud pliable, and almost moulded by US at
will, and so deep and lasting are the impress
sions that we make that all the rude and
rough storms that come to them in after life