Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-07-05
COMMUNICATED.
HOW TO GIT GOOD TEACH
ERS.
BY ONE WHO KNOWS.

chea, they can carry on the schools for
,ba lime named for them TO be KEEP!
open. If they can get some one TO
,escb the school for less than an ordi-
nary laborer receives month, and have
the school opened, they think that they
have fully discharged ,heir duty aud re-
lievcd the tax payers Of an enormous
burden by employing teachers at the
lowest possible rates.
They do for the dear people what
they would not individually do for
themselves in matters requiring skill
and experience. For example-each
one of them, when member of his fam
ily is sick, goes around among the doc
tors and finds out the one that will
undertake the case at the lowest rate,
and employs him without regard to
skill or qualifications the only thought
is cheapness Again, he has an impor-
,ant case at law, involving a large
amount OF money, and in order to have
it well attended to he goes around
among the lawyers and employs the one
that will undertake the case al the low
est rate 1t makes no difference wheth
er the lawyer knows anything about the
case or not, provided he will only uu-
dertake it for tritling sum.
Once more, he is member of church
and the congregation is without pas
tor; meeting is called to select pas
tor, and this individual bitterly opposes
paving a certain minister named such
large salary. when one can be had tor
much less money. 1t is wrong to TAX
the congregation to pay so much money
in matter of such little importance as
preaching, when Mr.. Hlauk, who Is
without Il charge and must have one,
can he had for $500, or So a Month
Again, Mrs Earnest is anxious about
the training OF her children, ana re-
quests the appointing power 10 select
Mr.. Goodman, a teacher at experience,
Il man Of uncXccptiuual character, and
fully competent, but the Board say no
We can not afford to pay more than
$50 month for teacher, AID Mr..
Goodmans teaching is worth more than
that. Besides, the Idle, Of one tracderS
services being worth more than anoth-
cr's is all notion; anybody can teach 4
primary school aud it is 4 matter OF 50
littie importance how children are train
al and taught at school, that it is wrong
20 tax people 10 pay teachers a living
salary. when there ate 50 many who
will gladly "uud,yi.Er' the school tor
almost any tuu., 2ud dn Isl as well as
Il faithful, CONSTITUTIONS teacher WHO
gives hic hole timc and attention TO
Che school.
This is no bnrlcsqu". but a true pic
turc of the way our School Boards rr&
son and act In selecting man to do
:. job of work ct any kind they always
take the one who will charge tie least
tor his labor, and then watch hin' close
" To keep lin iroin cheating them,
OK pay some Que else 10 do the watch.
ing.
They forget that in the discharge OF
their public trusts they have gravcr
duty to perform tlan employing the
cheapest teachers. The future welfare
al society and ;he State, and the life
long welfare of the child and his hopes
for eternity depend, III Il great measure,
upon the kind OF teacher ynu give HIM
and the character OF tbs early training.
".iuv kind of teacher, merely because
he rnav afford TO teach for less than an
other, is poor excuse for economy. y
poor aud iailhl,sS teacher is very dear
at any price.
The laborer is worthy of his lire, and
the teacher who regularly, fully and
faithfully discharges all that is required
OF him is worth more than one who Is
careless and indifferent i'll his work, and
works in proportion to his pay. You
can not expect as much work and ihe
same quality, and will not receive it, for
$50 month as YOU will for $50
month. When 4 teacher las to take Il
salary so small that it does not meet his
monthly expenses, and he has to sup
plemeut it in some other way, his
thoughts are about his necessities and
not about his school. 1t does Hot take
much observation to discover this, and
10 complaint against the teacher can be
urged under such circumstances.
Complaints are made against the
school system and It's workings, but lit
tie effort is made by those nearest the
school to ascertain the true cause OF
complaint and apply the remedy. The
only correct rule to judge of school
and the school system is by It's results.
If it does not accomplish the results an
ticipaled there must be some defect, and
that defect is more frequently found in
the execution OF the law than in the law
itself Certain duties are required OF
the school officers and the teachers, and
if either fail in their duty or neglect the
requirements OF tie law, there is good
ground for complaint from the patrons
and friends of the school. In some
towns and in some districts we notice
better results than la others. Why is
thist Is it not from higher apprecia-
ton of the school by the community,
caused by the employment OF teacher
alive to the work, and the payment OF
such salary to the teacher as will In
duce him, or ner, to put forth all his
energy, enthusiasm and time to the
work Such communities seek the best
teaching talen: and, in order TO get II,
pay remunerativc salary. The best
talen, cannot be had without the best
pay, in any kind of employment, and in
vhatever occupation one may engage,