The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-11-28
Educational 5natiers,
HrnloLpr. KAys Oct II, ls7s

" WW*~s|"U"" ecSS"ss**"'
HUMBOLDT, KANs., Oct. II, 1879.
Webster says: ''Tescher, one who teaches or
imparts instruction." To teach necessitates not
only one who gives instruction but one to receive
it. There are so many every day trials in
teachers life that could cot i'll would mention
each one separately. Each school has its own
and just the best methods to tighten them are not
obvious only as we meet them. He who meets
trials bravely determined to be master of circum-
stances himself will tighten them more than he
who il overcome by them though he have u
hundred aids by way Of rules or suggestions.
The posifivs teacher finds ways to surmount DIFF
flcuties that the teacher Of little force, one We
might denominate the neutral teacher, tails to
reach.
Prominent among the things that add to the
teachers difficulty Is the opposition to our
schools BY the masses. One cause for this is
they do not understand or value sufficiently the
means used for the advancement of the children.
Another still greater is this innate desire so
prominent in human character, the antagonism
to restraint. Should you gather together set
of men and women equal in number to any ofOur
schools you woHld ind Rs much difficulty in
having them carry out your Instructions for one
hour, as you do now in the discipline Of the
pupils under your charge. The cause: for this is
the lack Of discipline The soldier would not
fail in implicitly following your instructions;
why? Because he has been subject to the most
rigid discipline and.it has become second nature
to him to obey. No wonder then that We find SO
much difficulty in disciplining the children. This
one point discipline 10 the "buS bear" Of many
q teacher. Often do ws..hear the remark, 81
like teaching but the governing is what troubles
me. do not like to govern pupils" Just here
look in the face of that teacher and see de-
picted indication, and do not wonder he fails
as teacher. scan the face Of another and see
firmness as plainly as though written on his
forehead. am not disappointed in either case
when enter their school rooms. In the one dis
order, and when the years work is finished be is
glad to leave the position fora new one, hoping
TO find something easier fog the next. He some
how has no satisfaction in his mind as he looks
over the labor he has bsen doing.
The other has no show of government but
someaow every thing comes jus, right. No con-
fusion, no conflict between the viii of the pupil
and that ofths teacher IIe is glsd:that the board
wishes to retain his services term after term and
~
follow him" A teacher..:asks show can gov
cru my school thus?" BE q positive teacher;
know f0x yourself; when We know thing all the
world cannot change us, and when We feel our
own abii ty to govern there. will never be any
pinicalty about. governing. Children are apt
pupils in the school of human nature, and they
can read our faces almost ~ readily as they can
printed book. II We have been observers of
character We can almost always see the firmness
of the teacher or the lack of it depicted in his
face. As we can read sermons in the running of
brooks SO can we read the future Of many a
school from the face Of him who is the head.
Teachers, make yourselves masters of your
selves in every sense Of the word and you will
firi the ability to discipline will be strengthened.
One of the greatest wants Of our schools to-day
is, teachers who have this ability to control and
lead these restless, ever inquiring, never satisfied
minds in the way that will make the noble men
aud women who some day, in the no distant fut-
ure must fill the places of those who now guide
our ship of State. They will not come from the
ho1nc Of luxury where they have had the fire
tutor who could teach them Latin and Greek.
hat from'arpong the boys aud girls who have hat!
:neir instruction in the country school disciplined
and guided by You teachers. From the schools
where to-day you labor, feeling many times tina.
you are mot appreciated and that you labor in
vain. rest assured il you do not receive the
reward, now by and by, in the years to come You
will have the satisfaction Of seeing the men and
women honorei who were the boys and girls
Yesterday under your care. They will look back
to the discipline they received from you rs the
foundation OF their character.
bof ,lo N
room full of upturned faces. He looks them
over and sees faces full Of honor, anxious to
understand all he says. II will be an easy mat
ter he knows to induce those pupils to wOrk::ear-
ne-ty and be feels thr i'll Of pleasure he thinks
how much advancement they will make. But
scattered here and there like dark spots in the
horizon Of beautiful. sunshiny sky, he sees the
faces that tell him as plainly az words that all
will not be smooth sailing. There. are breakers
ahead; there are shoals upon which the good
order and success Of the school Will be wrecked
unless there is q firm hand at e.helm, guiding
carefully, warily. There is the son Of rich
man, and he thinks the money Of his father is
sufficient to take him through ths--world with
ease. He sees no NEGATIVE for earnest study, so
he csn pass the time away until he Is no longer
obliged to go through the irksome routine of
school is all he cares. The question that puzzles
the teacher here will be the best means by which
that boy may be induced to study. If the teacher
can gain his regard it will be an easy matter to
induce hun to study, for "LOve cOnquers all
things" is rs true to-day, and in the teachers
work, As in old times, among the chivalric who
fought for their lady's ribbon, or band of hair.
An appeal to his honor or pride will do much
sometimes There is no boy or girl who has not
some pride, and honor belongs to the boys vo-
cabulsry as we'll rs to that Of the man of tine
world. These may be used to induce attention
and impsl the student to study. 1 am not sure
that ridicule will not offener produce antagonism
than otherwise. This means should he used
cautiously il as all.
There will be the lazy pupil to contend with
and the better way to deal with such will be to
give them work that they cannot shirk. In our
graded schools, there is this advantage over tho
country schoOl-th0ugh that to y great extent
might be remedied il the same teacher was EN-
ploy ed consecutive ierms-it is this: if he will
not steadily advance those of his class who are
worthy will be advanced and he stays just where
he is until no is ashamed and is willing to work
lie will see after time that there is no golden
way to knowledge but the same plOdding, toll
Ing the same old-fashoned path since the
world began. The student alone reaps the ben
eft of bis own study. Give them all the work
they can do, for the more q teacher expects Of
pupils, the more they will do. As far as posi-
BILE, make them feel that you have confidence in
their ability. and they will the more readily try
to accomplish what you require. To make q set
rule by which each teacher can create an interest
among all pupils with which be comes in contact
ha Tbo inlu "a tn
study must he as various-sside from the real
desire for knowledge-as the pupils to whom
they need to be applied. The best surety to sue
"a IN ho ri WaE p