The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-07-01
TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS.

The common School System is one
which has come to US in its present
condition through many years of ex-
perience and many changes have been
Introduced from time to time, SO that
,.r result attained in its practical
workings would produce the effect
in,ended.
!he object in introducing this ST.
IN was TO afford the rising genera
u throughout the whole length and
! alth of this beautiful and rapid. y
wing country sure and ready
j., ..ns by which they might gain a
Ai..@ledge ofthose branches of edu-
CT an necessary to qualify them in
teliyr,ually and morally to properly
ex 'cise the various rights, duties and
pri, .'eges of citizena of this free, re-
pub lean form of government. That
sucl, was the object, there is no
doubt.
And it is just as essential that
their moral training be equally as
good. pure and thorough, as it is that
they he instructed in those branches
taught IN the books commonly used
in such schools. Tn fact the moral
training is more essential TO be
guarded than the others, for general
ly the moral qualities control the per-
son, SO that it their ideas of molslity
are low, cultivation in other respects
many times qualities them, SO that it
enables them to degenerate into i'm
mortality to greater extent than
they otherwise could.
The history of other nations whicn
have prospercd and fell, furnish us
with ample p. oof that the morals of
the people degenerated before tie ma
tion's downfall.
II a good, substantial education is
indispensable to the citizens of a / re-
publican f,rm of government, tie
moral training of the young should
for sle greatest and best of reasons
be guarded with the utmost care.
1t rs difficult to tell at what period
in the life of the child it is when they
form fixed ideas Of morality, justice
and decency. But it is very evident
that the training from which they
form such principles. commences ~
soon if not before they are large
enough to abandon the cradle, and
long before tney are of sufficient age
to attend the common school. Those
principles are formed from the train
ing received and from their observa-
tlons of others from early infancy 10
years of maturity.
If such be the case. then their
framing should De thoroughly and |
)ealously guarded, not only while
they are directly under the parental
roof, but also. when at school.
When they are at home the parents
can perform this duty, but while they
are at school the teacher must and
can only look after and guard these
important interests.
Then it must inevitably follow that
On teachers should be sought after or
employed except those who ar. thor
ougfly familiar with the several
branches of common school educa
Ion, and who also have Just as thor
'ugh and correct perceptions of JUS
Ice and morality, and whose charac-
er in the scale of morality is firmly
established, and who Practice accord
ngly in all actions through life, for
person cannot more successfully
each standard of morality higher
!hsn he is possessed himself, than he
'a1 any thing else of which he is not
amilar.
1t a person in this country who de-
Tres TO teach a district school pro.
Fuces the usual certificate of examl-
alton upon the several branches us
ally taught, it Is generally deemed
ufficlent by patrons and directors of
chools to authorize them to secure
heir services. But we confidently !.
hink that much higher and more
nportans duty rests upon them to
'ok further and examine into more
nportant qualifications than are us
ally exhibited by means ofsuch GER 9
fcate-
Senator Lafayette Grover is on his o
ay home from Washington. AT the I
ID Of his official term we presume he I
III return to Oregon to remain per- 9
anently, or else we mistake the is
'od sense Of the people of Oregon. v
Zuindealer. il