The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-04-02

what i wrong with one. Others find no
fault with that. but censnre The teacher
for dozen other things. One parent
does not like his method Of arnen
scholars, and says the teacher has ne
more sense than 70 try 10 teach the \
10 read before they mn spell.
Two or th do not believe he begins
school ear enough in the morning nor
teaches late enough IN the afternoon,
aud the re,esscs are too long; or. per-
chance. they may fault him for the oppo-
site and think their children are kept In
school entirely too long Still Others
think he has the big head; and ii he
should happen 10 hire ianitor 10 keep
the schoo-room cleaned and build fires.
he is pronounced lazy. These and
thousand otherannoyances.t the oiispringS
of ignorance and sometimes malice. con-
tinnally harass the teachers and hinder
their success.
But, in addition 20 those external in
huences above enumerated. that are
thorns sirewn III the teachers pathway.
there are others more immediate which
also harasS Us. One Of these is the
irregular attendance Of pupils, the evil
consequences OF " hich we have neither
the time nor space 60 notice. Ii j. one OIL
the most serious obstacles in the way OF
our success in the country liz is the
cause of a large portion Of the disadvan-
Itages under which we labor Its direiul
effects are severely felt in a majority OF
country schools. IL is impossible to
grade or classifya school properly where
liz exists. II imposes upon the teacher
lsI..
pupils. and TO assist them to keep up
with their class. II causes an abate-
ment of interest in those who do attend
regularly, and demoralizes the affairs OF
school generally.
Another difficulty. with which we are
compeled to contend, Is, getting parents
10 supply their children with proper
text books. Some come to school and
bring books not III uniformity with those
IN use III the school: or, perhaps. bring
no books at ali, and their parents. OF
course. expect them TO learn Just MS fast
a. others who are supplied with proper
books. Ii they fluid their children are
not improving a. fast as others in their
class. the teacher. OF course. must bear
the blame, regardless OF the poor supply
These then, are some Of the lhorns
that strew tile teachers pathway. and
/, sometimes they seem ~ 10 almost unen
durable. and would be, no doubt. if il
were not for the flowers that are inter-
Spersed among them, whlch give VI en-
Encouragement 70 press onward; the flow
ers are all the lovelier, aud we appreciate
them the better for their being contrast
ed with the thorns.
A. we have been looking nj the dark
side OF the picture. or the thorns that i'll.
habit oar pathway, We shall now notice
the bright side ~ the picture. Or Tie
flowers we lind mingling with the
lthorns.
Flowers originate from causes lust tht
loppoSitc o. those which produce thorns
Hence the preaominancc OF the one over
the other will depend upon the prcdomi
nance Of the respective causes which
produce them. III we desire more flow
ers than thorns. we mist obliterate III,
causes which give origin 10 the thorns. i
e., those thorns which originate in our
selves and are subject to our control
and our desire will be rca lied.
others throw ihorns in our path, ",
have only 10 tread them patiently ans
"trip over them lightly for by dwelln.
on them long. we shall double thei
sting. We must learn 20 look on tai
bright side or life just A. much. and 81
the dark side just As little, as possible
says the poet:
" On life wnuld be happier TO AN i've knew the foil
!, aud Nh q complaining
For though sometimes it- comforts seem al ID hay
IAN 49,.
/ But to the subject. The flowers whicl
we find dotting our pathway like til
! thorns, may be divided into two casse
from the nature OF their origin. Som
: have sprung from seeds scattered by our
: selves; others have been strewn by som
other kind and tender hands for which W
should return our heartfelt thanks. TIL
number OF flowers Of the first class vii
Z depend altogether upon ourselves. w
i are, every day, sowing seeds. either 3
!, thorns or flowers, for our reaping an
the reaping Of others by and by. Let Il
be careful 10 sow the seeds Of flowers i
the pathway Of the little ones placed !
" our care, aud for which we shall be he'll
. accountable.
think there is no flower so rich, nc
q one that should more encourage US
! press on in our work, than that Of SEE
7 ing the precious little ones, who are ju,
4 beginning to try the realities Of life a,
4 yeloping, at last, into true manhood an
: womanhood by our care aud infuenc,
4 This Is flower that requires time for il
: maturity, and one that only the aged an
, Experienced teacher has realized; IL
ala flower, the sweet anticipation
which buoys us young teachers up, an
(which. dc we perform our avery dufv