Daily Republican., 1882-09-12
zUKsDAY, SEPrEMBKR IL. 1854.
a,omUIaIntng of Teachers.

ObHlDlhADlhb OA
The criticism of "W." in yesterdays
REPUBLICAN in reference TO our pub
lie schools is in some respects in place
and in others 1t is too severe and CEN
SERIOUS. Our public schools are justly
the pride of our city and nothing but
an efficient corps of teachers backed by
an enlightened and liberal pubic senti-
1nent, could have brought them to their
present state of usefulness and efticien-
CIV. Our correspondent we will venture
to say was never teacker in public
school. If he had been there would be
more of an absence of that evident in
tention TO find fault with the teachers,
and to torture his mind to bring up
some imaginary object as an excuse for
finding ia ult. We do not wish to be
understood as an spolOgist for every
thing a teacher may do or say in the
school room, for they often do some
very foolish things and make use OF
very foolish expressions that afford no
justification and which would not be
excused were it not that on the part OF
the enlightened community the mantle
Of charity is always close at hand to be
thrown around the perpiexed, the hec-
rored and sometimes the much abused
teacher.
We would not know where to look for
a greater contrast than in our public
schools for an exemplifcation OF the
The theory and practice of teaching.
Theory is q splendid thing. Anybody
can have a theory of teaching and can
flilate most beautifully upon that theo-
ry. BY it the machinery of school
room is rendered complete. There are
no jarring interests nordiscordant prin-
ciples to disturb the symmetry and de-
lightfully smooth working of the plan.
There is perfect equality everywhere,
and a teachers position is to be epvied
by even the most favored. 1t is easy
to say: Delightful task to teach the
terder mind" But practice is quite
different thing from theory, and it is
only when theorist comes to put his
fanciful machinery into operation that
he finds there is something else in teach
ing TO make it a success than fancitul
ideas and theories that are impracti-
cal.
Now to the point. 1t will hardly be
denied that teachers sometimes become
irritable; but is it any wonder? Per-
feet indeed would be that teacher placed
in the midst of and in charge of large
number of pupils of different habits,
dispositions, characters and tempers
without ut times becoming irritable. 1t
is more than could be expected of ordi.
nary mortals, and our teachers are no
more angels than their critic. They
meet in the same class the dull and
bright scholar, the indolent and the am
biticus, the nervous and the more even
tenpered-in fact all the different
characters which make up the vast ag
gregate Of humanity in all It's grada-
Eions, are found in the school room.
Can a teacher be expected to succecsful-
" grasp in all these different DISPOSE
tions and advance them in their studies
all alike? 1t is impossible. While
gentle, soothing words will call into ac'
tive life play the mental and moral
powers of one scholar, it takes some
t hing mere than that to effect Others
Scholars are different. That what is
the matter more than any thing else,
though we are willing to confess that
there are teachers who mistake their
calling, and should be employed in the
kitchen rather than in the school room.
Character must be given to scholars at
horne, and even the most intelligent
teacher is not required to furnish schol-
ars with that which many most lack
Brains. The position of q teacher is
arying one and were there more OF q
disposition on the part of fparents to CO.
operate with the teachers instead OF
finding so much fault with them, there
wOuld be less cause for complaint.