The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1881-03-25
HONESTY N THE scHooLRooM.
Address Delivered by Prof Fowler, OF
the State Normal, Before the Lyon
County TeAehers' Association

County TeAehers' Association
Fellow TEACHERS: We are to con-
slider, for few minutes this afternoon,
the subject of honesty in the school |
room. This, however. is not our whole |
theme Honesty in the schoolroo can |
never be obtained alone. Il must spring |
out of general character which is hon.
est, and that character VIII insure hon.
esty in all the relations of life. The
genuinely honest man does the duties
which he owes TO himself, to nature, to
his country and to his God, as well as
those he owes tn his fellow-man in bust
ness intercourse; and he does them all.
not grudgingIy and on compulsion, but
freely and gladly. In this view of the
matter honesty becomes Synonymous
with morality, and our subject is better
stated in this question: "What can be
done in the school room by way of de-
veloping moral eharacterf'
1t is doubtless true that the ordinary
discipline of the school room is promo
tive of good morals The pupils learn
to be prompt, orderly and obedieni, and
tc use method and prudence in the per-
Torrance of their tasks. These things
grow to be habits which go with them
through life. and tend to keep them out
Of temptation, and, perhaps, to tide them
safely over it comes.
Then again, when pupil has once
grasped some portion of truth and has
come TO admire its beauty and harmony,
when he has found principle which
runs through, explains, and binds to-
gether innumerable facts, and has felt
the scholarly emotion kindle within him
at the discovery, it does not seem SO
likely that he will be insensibIe to moral
beauty and moral harmony, or that he
will easily abandon himself 10 the stir
ring up of moral confusion. The ideas
of the true and of the good are not so
unlike that we can recognize and
acknowledge the one and be wholly in
different to the other.
But the results come indirectly and
incidentally. Can any direct effort at
moral training be more effectual? If
so how shall they be conducted? By
what principle shall they be guided?
These are the questions whose consider
alton the proper treatment of our sub
ject requires.
There is at least an analogy between
the methods employed to develope the
intellect, and those to be used in cultivat-
! ing the moral character. When we want
to dcvelope the intellect, whose Office it
| is to know, we put il about its apprc-
pirate work, Thus, TO develope The pu-
pills powers of observation, we place
| objects before him, and set him 10 find
their parts nr 10 discover their likeness
and differences. or, better still, 10 draw
| pictures of the objects. In this way the
observing faculties are brought into ac-
ton, aud by their activity they grow.
Acting in proper directions is the law of
intellectual growth, and this is true OF
moral growth rs we'll. Wemust observe,
however, that this activity is selfactivity.
that it cannot be caused by anything ex-
ternal to the mind. We might as well
attempt To compel child to play. The
mind acts spontaneously if it acts at all.
1t must be developed from within, as
the germ is unfolded.
The relation of the teacher to the &C
tivity of the mind is liable to be mis-
conceived. He is not in any proper
sense force from behind, causing its
movements. His office is of different
nature. Although the mind puts forth
Zee axornisaS SnnDtapanuslu IL dOas mt
act at hap-hazard, but only when it has
some object of action, when some proper
occasion for its activity is presented.
Here is the teachers work, wisely and
skillfully to surround the pupils mind
with occasions which will call forth and
stimulate it into activity. We can place
the seed in fruitful soil, amid the IA
voring influences of sunshine and rain,
and so, as it were, tempt the life force
within it to come forth and avail it.
self of these advantages and build
itself up by them; and just
so, we can surround the pupils
mind with occasions which will call it
into activity and supply il with that
whereon it may grow.
But what occasions are fitted to call
up moral activity, and are any of them
at the command of the act? Let us
take such an act and examine il. The
apostle Peters denial of his Lord is
familiar and adapted To our purpose.
The Savior had been taken before the
high priest of the Infatuated Jews.
Peter, not liking the outlook, had tar
ried behind and was warming himself
at a fire. One of the high priests
MAIDS approached and said: 'Thou
also vast with Jesus of Nazareth -
Peter Is brought to the test. He must
confess or deny. If he confesses, what
may he not expect at the hands of that
mob of angry Jews? His Master they
have buffeted and spit upon, and they
are determined TO take his life. Who
can tell what kind of treatment awaits
his disciples9 The prospect is not a
pleasant one to Peter. Every interest
of worldly happiness urges him TO the
denial. On the other hand his spiritual
nature makes its claim. He knows that
it has an excellence and worth which it
is his highest duty to preserve, and that,
if he denies his Master, that
excellence must inevitably be
outraged and debased. Conscience
lays its imperative hand upon him,
and he feels bound to respect the
claim of his spirit. Here is an alterna-
tive-worthiness of spirit on one side,
!
must be taken and the other left The
difference is not one of degree, but
of kind. 1t is no balancing OF one graft
fication against another, but placing OF
the dignity and worth of the spirit over
against qualification, while conscience
pleads on one behalf, and the desire for
comfort and prosperity and the approbs-
ton of the multitude on the other. At
length Peter chooses, denies his Lord
then remorse seiZes upon him, and he
goes out and weeps bitterly. Every
moral act finds a counterpart in this
one. There are always the two courses
, of action lying open, one of which is
seen to be demanded by the excellence
of the spirit, and the other of which will
crafty some appetite of the animal ma
, ture. or, it may be. some love OF science
or art Conscience enforces the claim oil
the spirit, and the lower desire the op
posing demand Finally a decision is
reached, and the neral act is consum
mated in choice. If the appeal oi
conscience IS the stronger, the choice is
: / a 4 A. 4
walls, the choice IS of the evil In either
> case there is the deliberate choice of the
one when the other is open.