The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-07-31

called arguments until they reach the moul
tain in height, and the rock of Gibralta
in supposed solidity, yet, at last, how in
potent are they all in the presence of sue
living and overwhelming proofs of the age
as these
SCHOOLS AND JOURNALIsM--wTIAT THE
WERE AND WHAT THEY ARE.
1t was Luther who said that if he ha
not been Il preacher he would have been
teacher. And he it was also who declare
to his brethren "Beloved, count it on
of the highest virtues upon earth to edu
cate faithfully the children of others.
The education of the young-not of th
few but of the masses-was to Luther al
indissolublc part of the aim and method o
the the Protestant Reformation, and it is
historical fact that schools began to multi
ply and education to advance rapidly from
that epoch. Here we have high authorit,
for yOking the preacher and teacher to
gether, and if newspapers had been a
plentiful in his day as now, do not doub
that DR.. Luther would have also included
that great estate in the same pious cate
CORY of remedial and developing agencies
Education and journalism have gone
hand in hand in this country for the las
hundred years. 1t is interesting to con
trast the present state of our school systems
and the present state of journalism will
their condition hundred years ago. Il
may be truly said that the schools anC
the newspapers started together about Il
hundred years ago in the United States
and that both have grown up together
with the country, until each has become an
immense power in the land. At the begin
ming of the Republic there were few schools
and scarcely any colleges. Now, all
the States are dotted over with them.
Then, it was Il rare thing to find in the
could read and write. Now it is rare to
lind white child of that age who cannot
Then, schools in towns and neighborhoods
We're exceptional. Now, towns and neigh
borhoods without them are exceptional
Then, there We're not above fifty newspa-
papers in the whole United States, with
an aggregate circulation of not more than
10000. Now, there are nearly 5000 news
papers, with an aggregate circulation of
about 1000, 200! Then, only few dozen
copies could be printed in an hour on the
best presses they had. Now, many of our
great dailies are throwing of from 10000
to 10000 an hour from one press!
The newspaper that is not Il warm advo-
cate of the increased efficiency and dcvel-
opment of our schools impresses me as
having about AS much sense as the fellow
Esop describes who killed the goose
that laid golden egg for him every
day. The schools are making newspaper
readers by the million every year, and the
newspapers are making the air radiant
with ideas on all sorts of subjects. Natu-
rally they go together and naturally they
should stand together.
" n |
A TEACHER SHOULD BE A TEACHER.
If the chairs in our colleges, and the |
halls of our schools do not afford as good
an avenue for distinction as other vOcatiOns,
it is probably because of the absence of
and pride in the calling |
want to see the day when young men and |
young women fit themselves by special |
training for teachers and when they have
done this l want to see them enter upon
the work with zeal and Il singleness of
purpose, with the settled view of making
it the business of their lyes,-and | want
to see them strive to imbue themselves
thoroughly with the true spirit, and phi
osOphy, and enthusiasm of education. |
would not have them mere enthusiasts for
a short time. But would have their souls
which would enable them de-
iberately and cOnscientiOusly to make up
heir minds to pursue this line to the end,
md which would give them the ambition
o make themselves masters and mistresses
II their chosen profession. Such enthusi-
ISM and continuity of purpose as develope
he great lawyer, or the great physician,
II the great literateur. 1t grieves me to
ee this noble calling prOstituted as Il mere
onVeniency or stepping stone TO some
ther. Let the Teacher first hold his pro-
essiOn in proper respect, and let him have 4,
well defined purpose and object, guided ,
y true moral or religious impulses and he j,
lill not tail to command recognition and to
lake his influence felt and acknowledged
$ completely AS any other professional
ian. :
This is an age of progress, not only in
he scope of the school curriculum, but
he public schools of the North and in Il
.yeral States of the South have engrafted p
any of the methods of the higher schools
nd colleges, and education is being grad a. !"
ally systematiZed all over this country, II
nd in many of the nations Of Europe, u
Itably in the empires of Germany and =
reat Britain, SO that the masses in those u
untries and in this are infinitely better III
lucated now than they were in former
neratiOns. This gratifying result has h'
zen brought about, first, by the increase al
public interest and governmental aid, pl
id, secondly, by improvements in text HI
'Oks and in the application of improved In
ethOds Of instruction by more compe- OF
Mt teachers. Under the systems in vogue tn
w public sentiment demands that 70
lcher should know something, and it all
es not take child two or three years TO he
ID through Webster's Blue Back Spelling tei
ok, and three or four years more to alb
.mOrize all the rules in Kirkham's Eng sci
h Grammar, and to cypher through he
liley's Arithmetic two or three times, up
j then know nothing about either, eX-
Dt by accident and in spite Of his teacher,
called. Tn
1.-THE OLD FIELD sCHooLMAsTER"
We hardly need go back to the revolution 81,
types Of some Of these strange and ~
nieal subjects, called by courtesy, mn
who didn't know any thing. ID
ave a vivid recollection Of the first So a.,
led schOOlmaster encountered when try
5 little boy, and IL you will permit me sol
will try to draw a pen portrait Of HIM tae
m the tablets Of memory. Ny mother in
taken me safely over the Aims Of the Ru