The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1884-12-11
To the Friends Of Education.


Now that the election is over, aud
the contest is ended, and it is agreed
that we are to have a change in gov
ernmental affairs, would it not be well
for the advocates of improvement in
public education in Giles county to
shake off the quiet Indifference on the
subject, promotion of the common
cause, and to protect their common
interest? l appeal to our teachers in
particular, and to the friends of educa-
tiOn in general. Outsiders sometimes
see deeper into the game than the
players. We live in a land OF change,
in time of change, moral change. re-
liglous change, political change, intel
lectual change, ana indeed l might say
change OF every kind. Amid all these
changes truth grows and duty varies
but the principle OF obligation re-
mains the same. 1t is nnalteraole.
lt is everlasting. We have a duty 20
perform, an obligation to meet. 1t is
ours TO educate the youth, and to ed
ucate rightly is not simple and easy
thing. Indeed, so far from being
such, il is very complex aud extreme
ly difficult one yea, the most difficult
task that devOlYes upon adult life. In
this day s.Of progress and free thought
and press a great. deal is expected OF us.
No teacher is likely to meet all the de-
mands that may be made against him
But, my fellow teachers, we can spend
a portion of our time and we can i'm
prove ourselves trying to meet these de-
mands. We can show To the people
that we feel the dignity of our profess
sion, and we can prove our feelings by
uuremitted eXerrions to attain to the
highest excellence OF which we
are capable. Then let us strive TO i'm
prove ourselves intellectually and NOR
ally. Let us study to teach the art OF
teaching. We live in day OF progress.
Political constitutional are not made
they grew. So it is with edu-
fact that in any brief period the
growth is insenslble, still, however
slow the growth, its success implies the
use OF means. All of these we have not
the time nor the facility to appropriate
But one of them, discussion, is within
our reach Let us improve it. Let US
do the very best we can for each other
and for each others good. Let us
meet and have free and liberal ex-
change of thoughts and views, plans
and principles. Lawyers, physicians,
merchants, mechanics, almost all profes-
sions and craftsmen, employ this means,
Teachers in other states have taken ad-
vantage of this means and have been
greatly prOfited by it. Even in our
neighber counties this means has been
used and the result is an acknowledged
improvement in the school system.
Then why should we be slow to adopt
it? Let us come forward at once and
ness of head, the thorough going COM
pleteness, the moral back bone to do
our duty. Let US have unity of pur-
pose and concert of action, Let us
have a common ideal, so that our
changes and our efforts, if they cannot
attain to it. which we scarcely expect, |
will tend toward and not from it. Let
us hear the cry of education on every-
body's lips.
The boast and glory of the school |
system of the United States is that eve
ry citizen has fair aud equal start in
life. Now in view of the fact that we
soon are TO have complete revolution |
in the administration of our national |
government which will necessarily az
feet our cause, and we hope give it |
new impetus, let us be ready to take an
even start. A great number of us teach |
ers are young men and young women, |
almost inexperienced, and often entirely |
ties of position where we certainly |
should have the benefitrof long expert |
ence, where ignorance is sin, and where
Indifference to the welfare of others is |
equal to Willful homicide. Let US not |
come with unskilliul hands, and with
out effort to rise in the profession, aud
attempt to play harp whose tones
forever in the strings. Let us
meet in Pulaski and organize a teach
ere Institute and continue to meet at
stated intervals thereafter, for the pur-
pose OF discussing the various duties,
ways and means OF the teacher. Let us
know each other and learn to sympa-
thize more deeply with each other.
Let us be ready to 20 to our duty the
coming year full o work and fully i'm
pressed with the great importance Of
dong our work well and with the true
spirit of the teacher aglow in US. The
editor has kindly granted US the use of
the columns OF the CITIZEN.
What say you, fellow-teachers. Use
these columns and let US hear from you.
j. II. HAMILTON.
Lynnville, Tenn. (