South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-06-02
FAraMoSr. W. VA, May 10. 1882.

fayors, again ask little space In your
good and newsy paper to insert a few
statements which / ceem due to myself.
The so.called 'smistake" that L made
when | said. Oar teachers are not pre- :
pared for their work. seems to have
stirred up some Of cur friends wonder
fully. insomuch that they m Ike it an oh.
ject of derision Perhaps the shoe
Cts" and l guess il was designed for
such as it suite d best.
But we must prove the assertion, aud
10 do this We need no stock argument,
no help from the learned and eloquent.
no long arrays of statistics, but look
and see. Consi ,ering that the dearest
interests of community are intrustc,i
To the teacher Of the public school, that
the children Of each household are un-
der our care. that Garfe.dfs and Wash,
ingtoD's are 10 tie taught by us. and that
wa are training and ins,ructing the me- t
generation, IS il not time for us TO say,
en- not prepared to teach Z
No more important charge is cor fiji, d
10 any individual in public or private
station; fer the work OF the primary
teacher is the foundation stone of human
culture. He fos ers and cul,ivates the
germ ot civilization, and causes it TO
spread IFS blessings far and wide. lie
plants in the tender souls of children the
elements OF the whole range of knowl-
edge, and enables them to drink from
ihis fountain during life.
Not only few are concerned. but eve.
~ parent, citizen, ard property holder
Of whatever condition is deeply and di-
rcctly interested in this great matter ,f
'enchi"g. nud in less than score OF
years the tnithfulncss with which the
teachers duties arc discharged will Sc
rious'y affect The interests OF al for il
will determine The degree Of int l,inehce
and the virtue OF society n that time.
Tue II we have no hi. hen motive in
view, han 10 impart n knowledge of The
branches, tho work ia not Of so : reaL i'm
portirce az when teaching il consi tered
in iis real sense: hut believe that if
we ieii 4 iu.t into tho minis of orr
puiils high ideal OF lie. an ideal that
will make be ter mca and women vr ogr
boys and girls, NC fail "a he success s rul
teachers and will be held res ponsible for
the failure. Bat are we Ire, arcl to
impaTt systematically aud intel GENTLY
know'c go Of the branches even p
ihe reply will Ger ainly come up as with
n voice that Nc arc not prepared
Now know that nm getting irto a
disputed. and perhaps dangerous terri
tory, ard ma he | would Letter 90 slow.
ar Rather p"s % al all ii ~cuit have
the l"yc Of all rpv fellow tea hers. bu,
at any rate ] will venture 60 make "a
comparison. In scmc, or in one district
OF orr county hoy c'uhI not finish
practical aiiih,nc,ic, were he To attend
school four mon tbs year from ,he time
hc IS six years old until 30 il twen,, =
one AMI why is dis the case Why
because The teachers never finished il
them'c'v >. And algebra j. stranger
80 TEACHER and pupil while in other
conn les of 81: 5 ate p-aeticnl arithm -
Tic - completed, algebra l,''imarl) is
completed, and higher arithmetic pretty
we'll nders'ooh, and the pupil is pre-
pared to enter an academy or "A normal
school by the tine he il fifteen or siA =
teen years Of age.
Now where i. tho great trouble that
has made this great Il florence? Shall
We Llamc school officers with thi T
MOST Gssu"elly not, tor VIC have seen
nom struggling ~ poverty. amid formi-
dahlc opposition. working with unlirinu
zeal Tor ;hc best interests of ,rache-.
tax-pay or, ,nd Lupil, willie we stood
ldly by, with our arms fO!deh wondering
whether our rights woud he invaded or
our salary diminishei. Only II few
years ago when our worthy Superinten.
dent insisted earnestly shat we Intro
duce graduating system into our
schools, and reform many Of our anti
qna'ed methods OF instruction, re "a d,
I'VE tried 1t AMI it can not be done :"
but we must have tried IL with the Same
latin as the oil lady who prayed for the
removal OF mountain. There said she.
/ knew 1t wouldn't, AMI il didn't"
ami now there remains for us TO do that
which we should have done years ago.
ami which must ho done before our
schools will reach that standard Of ex-
collence which the interests Of our State
demen'. j he allied powers OF school
officers, state and church, can never
make good schools without educated
teachers. The teacher is C. G soul OF
tho school" Teaching is holy pro-
fession to educate ard TO teach divine
occupation and in view OF this last
quotation will make no reply to the
many hard things said OF an Article
written by me last Spring, but will
bring these random thoughts to an end
hoping that they vii escape the eye OF
the critic, rs | believe the immense re-
sponsibi'iiy resting upon teachers, ad-
mits Of no Gippant criticism, no false
logic, no arrogant conceit and that pro-
fessional Jealousy IS trihing with the
highest COOL Of immortal minds. Res
Z, ciiuliy, ONCE ~ AWHILE.
TWO ORGANS.