Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-09-14
Get the Qualified Teacher.

~.
and no less in the common than in the high
school, academy and college, aims at the
foundation OF haracter-upright, intelligent
and stable character--as well as TO impart
knowledge Of how to obtain support and get
a living. Yea, the best teaching sets the
character first and not merely how TO obtain
living and get along in the world. It does
this both because good character is the
condition of happiness and the best invest
ment for support. al have been young and
now am old" says the wisdom of the ages,
"yet have l not seen the righteous forsaken
nor his seed begging bread. He is merciful
all the day, and. lendeth, and his seed is
blessed The one who has been educated
to quickness, sharpness and boldness to take
advantage of the ignorance follies and weak
nesses of his fellow men and raise himself
at the expense of their falling knows how
to get along, how TO get a living but he is
not the man that the state or the church or
general society wants. 1t is the man of
intelligent, active probity and trustworthi-
ness that is everywhere wanted. Now it is
the apt and good teacher, and especially the
personal element in such teacher that helps
most to form such man. The children and
| the youth are as wax to the seal in the i'm
pressons they receive from their teachers.
An active, intelligent teacher, one who is a
pattern of integrity and uprightness, of good
manners and aptness to teach, draws and
wins in any school or neighborhood. Such
a one sets in motion healthful influences
which go on in overwhelming circles as long
as life lasts. The noble man who is our
president has never been slow to confess his
Indebtedness TO his teachers, especially TO
that prince Of teachers, Mark Hopkins.
10 his instruction and to his personal quail
ties he confesses indebtedness for some of
the best convictions that have not only
colored but formed the very warp and wool
of his life. When Samuel Mills, too, conse-
Grated himself to the missionary work he
told friend that one of his earliest recol-
lections was of his mother circling him with
her arm, and saying to friend, " I have
consecrated this child to the service of God
as a missionary" The personal element,
we say again, is the element that tells in the
formation of character. No conceivable
advantages of endowment or appliances, no
prestige of position, should make parent
willing to place a child, son or daughter,
especially in its most impossible period,
such as the school age is, in an evil, unde-
vout or doubtful atmosphere for instruction
and training, certainly not in one where
there is no stimulus and strength, and where
the air is sitting. The excellence of citizen
ship, the trustworthiness of political
economy, and of civil and ecclesiastical
membership and administration, all go back
to the school room and the playground
around it. If we as nation are to be in
the future stable, exalted and worthy
example to others, the foundations must be
laid in piety, principle and honor, inculcated
and wrought into the mind and heart in the
school as well as the family, and in the
school when the family fails as it does in
many cases. We have an annual day of
prayer for colleges, and we need continual
PRAYER and watcbfulness tbereunto in bouo.
and churches that the teaching in tho con,.
mon schools of orr country NAV be MIRO
and sucb AZ shall from the first train tho
children in the fear of Cod and tho Iowa 90
man. Wbatsoever ia nure and of ,ooa
report must enter AZ a vital mart into
the education of our children. We
are led into this train of thouobt and
writing bv falling last week into die.
trict where the committee is irving to hire
CHEAP teacher, thinking more of the ex-
pense per week than of the results of inner.
lection aud example. He limits the nav to
so low sum as to forbid the expectation of
obtaining any other than one poorly quail
lied to teach in the school-room, help the
parents at home, or lead and inspire the
young people, Of whom there are not few
IN the village and neighborhood. And these,
TOO, with comparatively limited means, of
the best instruction and influence. A really
qualified teacher would be great boon in
such place. by her courteous manners and
winning example in the family and neigh
oorhood, as well as by teaching in tho most
ant Way reading and writing and ar;tb,nat;o
in the school-room, she would inspire and
elevate and enrich all, while the poor teacher
will go through the routine in a humdrum
way, and none will be the better for it. The
The name school, in such a case, is deoep.