The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1883-02-08
Qualifications of Teachers.

0uhlluCdtlUuS VI 1chCucASs
LECTURE READ AT THE JACKSON CoUN-
TY TEACHERS INSTITUTE AT JACK
SON, DEC. 26, 1882, BY GEO. ATEN.
The true teacher is benefactor OF
mankind. He looks toward the de-
velopment of the higher nature, longs
for the elevation Of his fellow-man
and strives first to learn, then to i'm
part the great lessons Of life.
Where there is vice he seeks to sub
vert it; where there is darkness he
seeks to dispel it; where there is ig-
norance he seeks to remove it. Vir-
tue, light, learning are his watch
words. His inspiration is i'll the good
he may do. not in the pounds he re-
ceives. His work is Of the noblest
kind; his reward meager. yet invalu-
able one. To him pleasure, ease, and
money for moneys sake, are Of minor
Importance; uppermost in his purpo-
ses are the development of mind, re-
fnement Of heart, and the formation
Of character. With such aims before
him, he receives an inspiration almost
divine for his grand work. Grand
Yes, grand. He who does not con-
slider it so has failed to give the sub
ject careful and serious thought. To
direct the mind. to educate is to train
the immortal part of man. Grand
Yes, grand. Man is the crown of
creation. Mind is the diadem of man.
To direct mind and thought in proper
channels is the grandest work of life.
The results Of training a mind, what
teacher knows? What a mighty in
fuence the character, the actions, the
teaching of one to whom is intrusted
the discipline of youth, has, who can
tell? What a treasure is well dis
ciplined mind! Of what infinite
worth to him who is possessed of no
BILE character!
When Cornelia, the mother of
Gracchi, was asked for the sight of
her ornaments, she presented her two
sons brought up in learning and virtue
as the brightest of all her ornaments
Would that more Of our American
youth were such ornaments! May
we not hope that they shall become
such? Can we not at least labor in
the direction of such results?
Were the youth disposed to receive
the improvement at which the school
aims, did they generally have tenden-
cies in the direction of right, there
were bright hopes of such results
But this is by no means the case
Among the youth, every one of whom
ought to be educated, there exists
every possible class and variety, from
villain to saint. For the safety and
welfare Of society, state, and govern
ment, these must be trained to habits
of study and usefulness. Much of
this work does, and ever must depend
upon the teacher. True there are
many homes where the children are
rightly trained. Thank God for such
homes and such training! They are
the very pillars Of our Republic. But
the number of youth from such homes
is far from large majorities. Thus it
is that the teachers battles are always
with the element more difficult to
train. Should the majority of teach
ers be persons of meager scholarship,
devoid Of principle, and Of worthless
character, there could be no other ex-
pectations than that the riff-raR Of our
Republic should increase in numbers
and worthlessness. But on the other
hand if the teachers are persons of
worthy scholarship, possessed of no
BILE principle, and of sterling charac-
ter, there is hopeful outlook for mag
nifcent results.
Before | commenced to prepare this
paper I read the biographies of several
of the leading American teachers who
did their noble work in the eighteenth
century and the first half Of our own
century. While they did not enjoy
the advantages we have to-day, they
had clearly in view the same desirable
ends for which the true teacher of the
present is striving. They had a deep
interest in their work, and great
love for it.
Listen to the words of that noble
teacher, the l. ghly esteemed Horace
Mann, as he longed and toiled for the
education Of his race: 'Oh, when
will men learn to redeem that child
hood in their offspring which was lost
to themselves. We watch for the
seed-time for our fields and improve it,
but neglect the mind until midsum-
mer or even autumn comes, when all
the actinism Of the vernal sun of
youth is gone. l have endeavored to
do something to remedy this criminal
defect. Had / power | would scatter
libraries over the whole land, as the
sower sows his wheat field"
And again, Il have wondered Il
thousand times to hear people say i
don't like this business; or, L wish
could exchange for that; for with me,
whenever | have had anything to do
[ do not remember ever to have de-
INJURED, but have always set about il
like fatalist, and it was as sure to be
done as the sun is to set"
We do not wonder that a person
possessed Of such remarkable earnest.
ness, succeeded A host of Others
might be mentioned who entered
upon the work with the same zeal
Among these are David P. Page
Francis and Timothy Dwight. Will.
lam F. Phelps, Mrs. Emma Willard
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