The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1880-03-26
The Th0rns and Flowers that
Strew the Teachers Pathway.
Read before the Dnbois County Teachers, a q
soeiation at ireland, Dec. 3Oth, 1879.

n
Continued from last week
Then, TO avoid all this, in starting on,
IN life, every one should study himself
he should consider well The comparative
development Of the various faculties O,
his mind; his Temperament; the power,
Of his physical constitution. etc before
making choice Of a profession. lie,
each one ask himself, what am best
fitted TO do? What pursuit Is most At.
traciive 10 mes Let him avail himself
|of every opportunity 10 become &C.
quaintcd with the various trades aud
professions, and, then carefully observe
the impression they make upon him. lei
him make bis selection. Ii that be the
profession Of teaching. let him enter II
expecting 10 devote himself 10 the work.
and not be drone far behind the tines
q misery TO himself and others around
him.
There i nothing in any calling or pro-
fession that will necessarialIy lead 10
honor, usefulness or happiness, but every
thing depends on the manner of pursu-
ing il.
The teacher must. IL he or she wish 10
attain 10 any eminence in his or her cali
ing. dovotc himself or herself 10 the
work. The heart and hand must both
be employed and act in unison. We
must strive every day Of our lives 10 lift
ourselves npon higher plane in our
profession.
II we would be respected and honoredl
~ our calling, we must make ourselvesl
worthy OF such respect. This we canl
not do without the necessary sacrificed
and labor upon our part. This we must
undergo in any occupation, If any emil
ncnce is attained.
II one forsake the occupation Of teach
ing and take up another expectingl
TO leave all drudging behind, he isl
very much mistaken. The LAWYER.
minister, merchant. farmerl
and, indeed. persons in all the useful oc-I
cupa;ions, must undergo labor, either
mental physical or both. II they would
This labor. however. should
not be made thorn. bat we should en-
deavor 10 mud pleasure in its very per-
formance. Industry in any occupationI
10 our happiness. (But thisl
- somewhat deviation from the subject
1T hand. and we ask your forbearance forl
q time and shall resume an examinationI
Of the subject)
The thorns resulting from the cansesl
above mentioned are found obstructingl
Ihe pathway Of persons in all pursuits.
There are thorns, however, that strewI
Ihe teachers pathway that are unknownI
. the pathway Of those pursuing other
vocations.
One Of these that great many con-
'idcr thorn thrust in the pathway Of the
eacher, Is "the poor compensation
allowed him for his labor
Financially the teachers are almost
universally poor, not because they are
'uch spendthrfts, but because thcirl
neager wages are insufficient 70 meetI
heir requirements.
A man, with . family looking to him
or the means OF sustenance. can scarcelyI
Keep the -wolf" from his door with his
neager salary. "A live, energetic teacher,
who has spent the most Of his life and,
means preparing himself for the arduous
work OF teaching, can not afford 10 take
lpon himself such responsibility. With
,ut being fairly remunerated. lie has
he necessary education, tact and abilifyl,
. make successful teacher, but othcrI,
professions ofler more attractions fnan-
tally, and he thus forsakcs the one and \
Idopts another.
A great many Of the teachers Of 10. dayl
re not intending TO follow teaching
through life, but expect, BY and by, To-
pursue some other vocation, from the
act that annoying thorns have been
leedlcssly thrust before them 70 tread (
lpon and in order to avoid them, taey /
orsakc such pathway and try 10 find
me more pleasant.
Otherthorns, with which every teacher
: annoyed, are those inflicted by the
'arents Of children that be II insiruc,
ng, aud hy The children Themselves.
The tcschor 4 placed I'D school where ,