Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-09-01
THE rEACHER,s BUSINESS.

This week closes the holidays in the
public schools. The teachers have had
their respite and recreation; the pupils
have had their romp, and refreshed in
mind and body, each will resume the
duties and labors Of the school year with
fresh impetus and a new relish.
Our public schools in this city have
been taking advanced ground in the
past year or two, as they have been
throughout the State. Practical and
common sense methods of teaching the
yonng idea how to shoot, are suppressed
ing the old mOnotonous routine that
has made the ehild's school life q
burden rather than an inspiration, and
q distasteful task rather than pleasant
and profitable discipline.
The most encouraging feature ofthese
progressive methods is the effort to
make the school in all its appointments,
cheerful and attractive to the child. Ii
is evident that our school officers and
teachers are grasping that grandest Of
all conceptions in educational work, that
q witchery of suasion and not force, q
gentle tact that stimulates the ambition
and curiosity of the pupil rather than
measures of compulsion, are the proper
and effective agencies in mental diSci-
pine. Music and song, ealesthenics
and other pleasant drills have been in
trodueed to brighten up the daily rou-
tine.
But one unadulterated barbarism re-
mains-the rod. Its use is happily be-
ing rendered unnecessary, not to say
inexcusable, by the introduction of the
measures to which We have referred;
although its very presence is contra
dictiOn of, and an obstacle in the way Of
the complete triumph of the more
rational methods. \ teacher writing
upon this topic-the Use of the rod in
the schOOl-rOOm treats it from new
standpoint that will strike the teacher,
We think, as sound and fOrcible. We
reproduce it here as a most profitable
subject Reconsideration in entering upon
a new school year:
1T is this practice Of hogging children
that has made nearly every great writer de-
nOunce or ridicule the schOOlmaSter. Tits
the only ignOble work in the teachers
round of duty. If this practice were uni
yersally discontinued the teaching profess
sion would rise IN dignity and selt-respect
in q manner to almost make the heads OF
its members dizzy. Children may deserve
punishment in school aud out of il, but it
is no more the teachers duty to intitct 1t
than il is his business TO reconstruct all
the scolding wives and lazy husbands OF his
school district. II is the duty OF every one
to do all the good he can in the world;
but the more diligently a man attends
to his own business, the more
good he will do The teachers business is
teaching ard the more he dOgs his pupils,
the more he does not attend to his own bus
mess. When we make pupils and patrons
understand that We cannot be hired or pro-
voked to whip the former, at least, children
will come to school as their elders 60 to
church, with the thought OF good behavior
in mind; not as IL they were on their way
to picnic for frolic, certainly, and row,
if possible. An irritable teacher is SORT
of natural curiosity TO children, and they
delight in stirring him up, even at the
price of logging now and then, from the
same disposition that prompts them to
poke wild animals with sticks at q show.
Brothers and sisters, let US be teachers,
not threshing machines Division OF labor
is a device of civilization. It's only among
barbarians that jackson all.trades make
money. So, If We cannot be at once the
father and mother and priest and doctor
and tailor and dreSsmaker and nursemaid
end teacher Of each and every one OF our
lupils. let us fill our office, and fill it WI.
Let the parents feed and chastiSe them.
If They are not competent to DO the latter,
We are not in fault; we did not establish
the relationship between them.
Let the doctor take care Of their bodies,
the priest of their souls. Let the tailor
make their jackets, the cobbler mend their
shoes, and the nursemaid dress and comb
then. Let US teach them. If we do this
well, we have done our share"