The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-03-10
Written for the CHIEF.
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Remedial Suggestions.
DoNALDsoNyII.LE. March 4. 1889.

| SAo wv WIZ Oo uouOt Ju6JiC6 tU bNCRl
as we have already remarked, the. calling
must be exalted and have thrown around
it all the dignity of a profession. In our
last we referred to some things which
those teachers, who are teachers, might
do in accomplishing this end. We now
propose pointing out what we deem the
duty Of tho people in this matter. We
are aware that many may, and that many
do think this matter in which they have
no concern, but more gross mistake
was never entertained. Does any one
think that he has no concern in his child's
welfaref Certainly no one feels indiffer-
ent in regard to the physical health of
his offspring; but on the contrary feels
himself bound to make all provision in
| his power for the preservation of it's
health. And why not be as deeply, yea !
more deeply interested in its mental and
| moral healthf Is it 80 that any one es-
teens the body more important than the
mindf Certainly no person who thinks
will says 80. Yet we find every effort
made to get good tradesmen to prepare
articles of clothing Rr children; and
when taken with sickness, the country
is searched for a good physician, and at
the same time the same parents will en-
ploy mere quack in morals and litera-
ture to cultivate the mental faculties of
their children. This is strange, and were
we not aware that very many parents
are driven to do SO by necessity, we
wonld draw some forbidding conclusions
from the premises; but we refrain, know
ing that very many are implicated be-
cause they can not help themselves. They
must either keep them at home or send
them to this class of instructors.
Let us for a moment consider these
questions:
1st. Ought we to be satisfied with the
class of teachers which now officiatc, es-
pecially in our rural districts I We an
swer no, We ought not. If we can not
get the kind of goods we desire in the
home market, we send to some other
market for them. And if the kind of
teacher we wish to employ does not pre-
sent himself or herself, we should send
abroad that our wants may be supplied.
End. Is there no possibility of obtain
ing the kind of teacher We desire, To
this question we answer yes, there is.
1t may require some effort to find him.
and some exertion to support him when
be is found, but the result will pay for
all the trouble and expense. Good teach
ers may be had, although it is quite ap-
parent that the supply is not sufficient
for the demand; yet good teachers may
be had if search is made and adequate
salary given. Reader, you want house
erected; you want it we'll and substan-
TALLY built; yon have concluded to en-
ploy a mechanic by the time and not by
the job. Two men appear as applicants
for the work. One offers to work for one
dollar per day, the other demands two
dollars. You have a neighbor who is
also desrous to have building made.
He has concluded to employ mechanic
by the day also, and intends building
house similar i'll every respect to yours.
You engage the mechanic at one dollar
per day for the sake Of economy. He
employs the one at two dollars. They
20 to work. 1t soon appears that the
one is workman, while the other is not.
Your neighb6r has in his employment u
man who knows all about his business,
and loses no time i'll studying and exper-
imenting; while your man spends half
his time i'll finding out what he is about.
Your neighbours house goes right up, and
is completed in good style; while yours
is dragging along, and your material
wasted; the joints do not fit, and in one
word, the whole affair is botched. Now
for the matter of economy. Your bnlder
has spent three-fold as much time in
making bad job as your neighbours has
in making a good one. SO it is with
teaching-a good teacher will do three
times as much in one month as a bad
teacher, and no comparison can be drawn
in regard to the manner.
It is positive economy to employ
good teacher, although you must pay
double the amount per month. We think
if this was properly understood, there
would be a demand for good teachers
Immediately, and in all probability the
demand would be greater than the sup
ply; but would supply be impossible
Certainly not. 1t is a law of nature that
a vacuum must be filled, and the same
law prevails in regard to every thing.
Wherever there is demand it will be
supplied from some source. Let de-
mand for competent teachers be made
and it will be supplied as rapidly as the
nature of the case will allow. 1t will
require some time to shake off the pedan-
tic leeches which have been sucking the
blood out of our system, but the united
perseverance, of teachers and employers
will insure success.
Society may greatly assist teachers in
clothing their profession with becoming
dignity, by encouraging and assisting
them in forming associations. There
must be commencement i'm this good
work; teachers may feel diffident in max
ing it, and consequently it will not be
made. In order to overcome this diff
dence, let the citizens urge it upon them,
and assist them in pecuniary point of
view.
Again: let it be a subject of petition
to our Legislature, to take the necessary
steps to form a State Teachers Associa-
ton. The Importance Of these Associa-
tions to the cause of education can not
be easily overrated. Such meetings will
give forth an amount of information and
excite degree of interest in the cause of
common education which will rebound
to our safety and intelligence.
Further: it would be to the advantage
of education should citizens look upon
the members of the Associations as regu-
lar teachers, and employ no one unless
belonging to them. A man to become
regular physician, is required to pursue
a regular course of study, and unless he