The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-04

euu "hae are IT'S terms Let US see now
the case stands.
Some one desiring employment as a
public school teacher appears before the
county examiner to be tested as to bis
qualifications, aud, if deemed fitted, re.
eeiyes certificate to that effect. He then
applies to district school board for EN-
ployment; they demand to see his certifi-
cate, aud give him a printed or written
paper setting forth that they have employ
ed him as teacher of the district school,
at no stated salary and for no given time
longer than thirty-on days, aud he gives
written acceptance. He may be dis
missed for cause at any time both by the
State Board and the Board Of County
School Commissioners, and he may be dis
missed ioithout cause by the District School
Trustees OTTER thirty days notice. Here
we have an agreement certainly, ose which,
in my opinion, places the applicant or
teacher in .fornd pdaperis, an agreement
which fails to be made respectable by Civ
ing it the name Of contract. But such as
1t is there it is, an agreement. With whom
is it made 1t is made directly with the
district board But that board only acts
as an agent of the county board, and the
county board, as we may see 10 the law,
although given control of the educational
matters Of the county, only acts under the
law Of the State, and must do 80 in strict
conformity with it, hence the agreement
is made with the State.
Now We come to the nature of this
agreement or contract 1t simply states
that John Smith or Miss Smith, as the
case may be, is appointed teacher of a
certain school. This word, teacher, is one
Of the most comprehensive in the language,
and if IL be not limited by some express
sion or condition to be found 10 the law,
the teacher becomes free agent to teach
whatsoever he may please We look and
find in Chap. vii, Sec. 3, Of the public
school law this limitation In every dis
trict school there shall be taught ortho-
graphy, reading, writing, English gram
mar, geography, arithmetic, history of tie
U. s. and good behavior 1t goes on to
say that certain other branches shall also
be taught whenever the Board of Dristrict
School Trustees shall deem it expedient,
and still other branches when the Board
Of County School Commissioners shall
think proper so to do.
Then, without applying to the State
Board Of Education for its Interpretation
of the law, | take it that the teacher is
restricted to teach only certain things,
those expressed in the law, aud may not
use his discretion There can be no doubt
Of the nature Of the instruction to be Civ
en- in seven ofthe branches specified in the
law, and text books are furnished by the
county board for that purpose, but what
shall We say of the eighth No text books
are furnished or, as far as know, author
lied BY the board. Is there any text book
on this subject, or is it worthy Of one
Good behavior What is it2 We hear
Of it very often 10 the home, in the
church, in the school, in the street, on the
blood red field of battle, 10 the laundering
ship; even in the lewd and filthy dens Of
infamy there are those who are held con-
spicuous by their fellows for good teha-
vior. Again, what is it and how are we
to teach III l have to refer to Webster
to hnd out what behavior is. Behavior
Action, demeanor, department, course OF
life. He says that it is sybonymus with
conduct. Then, Of course, in connection
with the adjective it means good action,
good conduct, good course Of life. should
like to know from What sourse we are fur.
nished with our idea Of this adjective.
good How would Sioux or an Apache
Indian teach his child good behavior ?
What would he expect Of him What is
the model department Of young savage
in Central Africa? What would be good
behavior of the commander of a sinking
ship laden with thousand passengers ?
What would be good behavior on the field
Of battle Of a soldier armed with musket
and bayouct and sixty rounds Of ammuni.
tion Would good behavior in the draw
ing-room serve for good behavior in the
church ? or will good behavior in the
schoolroom serve for either? Is there a
text book, or are We simply to keep yerscd
in the fashions of the day, and is it, like
etiquette, sprung from the vagares Of hu-
man nature, Of which, indeed, it may be
creation
| propose to myself these questions .
Which Of those definitions is the intent or
meaning Of the law2 Does the law re-
strict the good behavior to the school
room, or does it contemplate that the youth
be instructed in the behavior that should
attach TO all intercourse between Christian
beings throughout life ?
Behayior-Course Of life. Here we
have something tangible, aud as Chris.
tian teacher / fling all other definitions to
the winds, for it oompreheuds all. Ii
means restraint Of every impulse that is
recognized as obnoxious by Christian
people, II means restraint Of hand and
eye, and ear, and tongue, and thought,
View it in whatever form we will, the ac.
tive principle of good behavior is restraint
and | need not tell the teachers present
that it is the active principle 10 the school.
room. Ii is my belief that man to commit
good action, must in most cases restrain
a bad impulse. And here we have the
opposed adjectives good and bad. Wha,
do We know about them and how did we
learn it repeat, are good and bad
changeable as the fashions2 May what
is deemed good to-day be reprehensible to,
morrow2 Has our idea of good and bad
come out Of the Garden Of Eden with
Adam and Eve, and journeyed down to u.
through the long line of generations with
out any modification Good behavior
Shall we teach our children that it demand,
an eye for an eye aud tooth for tooth
or that it needs to present check for
blow repeateds Where shall we find III,
! authority that governs our conduct an,
that diseriminates between good and ba,
behavior, one upon which we can direc
, our children to rely to teach them the re
straints necessary to constitute complet
lady or gentleman ard model citizen o
the State
All my friends, where shah we fad i
hul in that hf.nf "a snhsoh o.tn~., -. 4. r -.