The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-05-07
rrAc,rER.s rRlAls.
An Essay Read Refere the East session Of
che lima Ceuniy Teachers lnatlinie,
by Miss Mary Castor.


with himself, his pupils, and his patrons.
He is persuaded that he Is doing excel
lent work and commands the admiration
of his fellow teacher His pupils al
ways progress. He has the confidence
of his patrons. What other feeling
could they entertain toward him lie
ellis the youthful schoolma'am with awe
and humiliation. From the nights of
egotism he smiles with patronizihg
serenity upon her as with anxious faith.
fulness she threads her way among the
briers, faneied and real, Of school life.
lie belonzu 10 tho class characterized - fat.
sleek. headed msn and such - alssp o nghtA'
But while this species OF the genus
pedagogue is extant, be Is not its expo
nent. The majority Of teachers meet
difficulties, many and grave. Cassius.
like, they 'qhink too much" they have
a clean and hungry look" or the seri-
ousness Of their work Teachers Insti-
tutes are tacit admission.
The woes incident to our profession
have been the favorite jest of pen and
pencil They have been caricatured by
poet, novelist, and artist. But it is not
in their ludicrous aspect that we now
regard them. From tho terra firrna Of
vacation let us consider the fogs, shall
lows, whirlpooIs, rapids, and adverse
winds that have perplexed our crafts,
that, as we launch into now torn, we
may take our places at the pilotwlieei
with courage aud wisdom.
The teachers trials arise from three
sources himself. his pupils. and causes
over which lao has not direct control.
We first mention lack Of Selfconfi-
dence. The teacher is aeldom found
who meets his pupils at the opening Of
term without selfdistrust. lie sees
turned upon him an array Of eyes, won
dcring and critical. ready alike for all
rniraiiou o,-conte,npt They will indi
cate the former at the manifestation of
leadership, tho latter ut It's nh2nnce.
Children are hero worsl,ippera lie
recognizes tho foroe of truth which,
until now, has had little practical sig
niiicanoe To- him; leaders are not made
Iut born. No general needs more the
ability to govern wisely, that ''art- Ma
poleon," than does nov our teachers.
Then arise the questions, have | this
abiliisl Can eontroI there restless
aud diverse spirits Can | bring har-
mouy out of jargonl II be with nSsnr.
ancr answers "Yrs," we'll 1t not, hr
has hefure him campaign Of peiils.
surprises, and anxiety 10 which guerilla
or Indian warfare il 10 comparison
Well ior him ii determination compress.
es his life. sieadi-s his cy g, and straight
ems his form; il hu can Aat. l have a
right 90 stand ~l,le now ,ln. ] will lc
master of the situation, the situation
shall npt master me."
Another source Of perpiexitY TO the
TEACHER Is lis inability - perform the
am0ant Of work rrqnired The tutor Of
mathematics examines the authorities
upon tie science he teaches, hccrmes
familiar with each lesson ASST i nt.l i, h,s
cla-see, a,rI lw careful ihopght ls.uus
how best ga lFrsent IL, Ills wGrk lies
in one direction aud lac can consequent
ly erf. i1n it with satisfaction to hun
sell and with profit TO his pupils. But
tie teacher of the common school must
teach not one, bat many branches Of
study. lie i expected TO be a matbe-
matician, AN historian, AN elocutionist,
an artist, and Penman. besides having
n general knowledge Of men and events.
He has several classes Of different de
grees Of attainment pVFsuing the aame
study. Ills pupils, too, differ in their
dispositiopsi the method that succeeds
with one fails with another.
The time at which our teacher fully
recognizes what is demanded Of him is
critical one. The 2edagogic boat is in
danger. II wavers, then takes one Of
three courses. The teacher becomes
discouraged. lie says, Il cannot do all
my work well. ! have no time to con-
suit gazetteers and encyclopedias. / can
not read educational Journals or employ
new methods. Quincy is impracticable
for me- He performs the work of
each day mechanically. AL enthusiasm
is gone. The boat IL becalmed.
Or the teacher says, II will spare no
pains to make my school successful. /
will not attempt to conduct recitation
until the subject ef il Aaa hearl thor
ousIhY prefsfel bi,,i .ligealed in my
mind, and until ba, 0 become possessed
Of all the information,upop it that is
within my reach. l will be a live
teacher. will absent myself from no
Institute held ip my YicipitY. will
visit neighboring schools and profit by
the experince Of successful teachers
will investigate the systeIns Of our lead
ing cities aud whatever is valuable and
practicable In them / will engraft into
my own methods" If bis shool is large
and ungraded at the end Of three years
the teacher is physical wreck. The
boat has gone over the rapidg =
RetYeen these extremes lies the gold
en- mean. This the wise teacher will
''slens sGlq IN corpore sggle' as his mot
to, ehooses. With care and, forethough
he expends his energy, mental and phys
ical' doing what he can and learning t,
be satisfied that much must femain mn
done. lis craft moves with difficulty
/ often. but with steady progress. = =