Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-08-09

like that Of ladies' hats every season, still
continues. This is ridiculous, to say the
least, for good tesche. can teach arithms-
tic, reading or spelling from any of the
good series now in use, and to be changing
from time time and putting expense upon
parents that are in many cases poorly cir.
cum stanced to bear it, is useless and wrong
and the practice ought to be discontinued.
The strong arm Of the law must step in
and do the work.
In teaching practice and theory, We are
making fair progress. Our leading object
of the examination is to induce study be-
yond the text book. A teacher should ac-
qsire knowledge of everything that per-
tains to his profession as rapidly as time
and means win permit. He should study to
to enlarge his education for the pleasure Of
knowing anS the purpose of instilling q
similar desire in the pupil. This is true
teaching. The itinerant character of the
profession still remains.-About ons-third
of our teachers leave us annually. Their
places are filed from the recruiting list
As a r,le, though there are exceptions, .
young teacher cannot teach as well as one
of experience. A loss is sustained when
ever we lose an experienced teacher, but a
man has the righ; to 60 where he can make
the most money. But mere money seeking
teachers are of little account in the school
room. In everything skill has its reward
and this will be the lever that must elevate
the teachers profession. Teachers can and
must qualify themselves for their work,
that society will look upon experience as q
necessity the same as it does in the legal or
medical profession. The demand for
learning and talent in these professions is
unprecedented and men do not hesitate to
reach down deep into the pocket TO reward
services. 1t is true principle that the law
of supply and demand regulates alike trade
and professions. Have We a fair demand
for good teachers, and if so, have We the
SUPPLY We answer negatively. Some
answer, raise the salary and We will get you
the teacher you wi.h. Another will say
give us the teacher of ability and he viii
command the salary. We must go to tho
men that employ the teacher and pay him
for his work, the director and the Taxpayer,
the power behind the throne. He will tell
You that if the salary was raised to the
amount desired we would have the sane
teachers we have now, for if the reports OF
Superintendents are correct, the same state
of things exists every where. To say, that
fer want of proper remuneration the good
teacher, have all left the county, is but q
common croaking in every county OF the
State. Where are the teachers we SO much
desire to have7 They are allowed to leave
the profession. Why2 Because teachers
fail TO demonstrate clearly to those whose
servants they are that there is didereoce in
a skilled and unsk1iled teaching az there is
in every other trade, calling or profession.
Our State Normal Schools have failed even
to convince the people of this fact. To be
an adept in the subject will not suffice if
one i. but novice IN the art. There 10 a
difference between knowing subject and
knowing how to teach it. Some Of our best
scholars taught us the poorest schools
How few teachers read journals and works
devoted entirely to their profession. How
different is the private room OF the minister
the doctor or the lawyer, and even the jew
.eler, the dry goods merchant or the manu-
iactursr. These all read erything that
has any bearing upon their respective call
ings. The reason is very obvious and
teachers must scquaint themselves and car
r. out in their profession the laws, princi-
yles, and processes that underlic the art OF
teaching Men will always pay cheerfully
waen they arc satisfied that they are get
ting the worth of their money.
In my visitations spend as much time
as possible in schools taught by young
teachers, and give advice and make sug-
eestions after iDquiring into their classifi-
cstisa and programme. / also held writ
ten examination in every school, and the
resus. proved highly satisfactory TO me and
about one hundred directors and over three
hundred citizens. Easy exercises in COM
position were given to ascertain legibility,
spelling, the use of capitals, the period on
ly and grammer. In arithmetic questions
covering the fundamental rules and rs far
as interest SO constructed as to conform to
the ordinary affairs of life. The pupils
soon sas that there was much for them to
think aba, and that an easy thing is hard
when yon -cdon't know how" "Boys
should be taught what they will need when
they are Ren;n A little more 'spractical-
ness" in our text books and in our teach.
ers a great deal, seems to DO necessary.
Words that pupils will never use in their
life and that are difficult in orthograPhy
they are taught to spell, and words that are
used every day they are apt to miss, not
enough time and attention are given to the
meaning and using of words. Teaching is
very superficial IN our day when it allows
: child to pass over any word or sentence
or problem that the pupil does not clearly
understand.
In conclusion ] cannot in sufficiently
strong language express my gratitude for
kindness received at the hands of the De-
partment. l return my thanks to directors,
teachers and all true friends of education
fer their cordial support, their forbear-
ance and cooperation. Let US hops
that fewer errors will be committed
and better results reached in the
future. We cannot bct grow wiser and
better by experience.
WELLINGTON SMITH,
Supf. Junid!a Cosrfy.
Boys Wanted.
Bow of spirit, boys of will.