Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-11-27
A TEACHERS CHOICE OF WORK.


TEACHERS CHOICE OF WORK.
A device TO give idiot children some
| idea of form consists of a board in
which geometrical figures are cut to
considerable depth. accompanied by u
box of similarly-shaped solids which
are to be fitted into space. At first
this is laborious work for children. who
are constantly trying to put the square
block into the round hole. and the par
allelogram into the triangle. When
the task is at last accomplished, long
step has been taken in disciplining the
mind.
The application to the subject of this
paper is not far to seek. Many teach
ers feel that they have practically no
choice in the work they must do. The
triangular space is nearest to them,
and they feel compelled to force them
selves into it, even if they happen to
be parallelograms. Much of the fric-
ton in teaching comes from just such
attempts to fill the wrong place. And
it generally takes long years of friction
to show us what is the right place. The
friction need not be useless if we finally
learn where our boundaries really lie.
By the time we have found out our
shape and the space to tit it, great
deal has been done in the discipline of
character.
No metaphor will bear to be fully
carried out, and of course human be-
ings have the power to fit themselves
to uncongenial places; but there are
often reasons why they ought to do so.
But granting so much, there is still an
earnest word to be said to teachers in
reference to their choice of work.
No one has right to be satisfied till
he understands his own powers. 1t is
true, we seldom know just what we
can do till we try; but every one of us
must make it definite object to find
out what he is fit for, as fast as posi-
BILE. And we must be on our guard
against letting our wishes blind us.
That may be very good and delight
full work which we wish to do, but it
may not be our place to do it. In the
end we shall be happiest in doing our
true work, though it may not seem SO
at first.
A great drawback to our clear un-
derstanding of our own place is the
money question. Under the best of
circumstances, teachers are so moder-
ately paid that it is natural for them to
consider high salary as the first con-
dition in making any choice between
situations. And it is important. The
higher the cultivation, the wider are
ones tastes, and the more money one
can use we'll. So most teachers un-
avoidably feel that they need more
money than they can earn. The ques-
tion becomes still more serious when
the comfort of others dependent upon
them is concerned, and this is an ex-
tremely common case. And yet, it is
seldom right to make it the first ques-
tion. Even from a material point of
view, it is not money, but what money
brings, which is to be considered. If
we must lead working lives, as most of
US must, what can money buy for us
which will give us half the satisfaction
that we shall get from doing the work
we were meant to do? do not mean
siraply the satisfaction of q good con-
science. but the delight of working
without friction. When we are ex-
hausted and fretted, we feel that we
must have absorbing recreations. per-
haps expensive ones, to make our
work possible; when the working g-hours
are in themselves pleasant, the SIM
plest recreations,-th fresh air. the
sunshine, an agreeable book, chat
with friend really re-create us;
and we can do very well without more
costly pleasures if we cannot have
them, though when they occasionally
come within our reach, we can enjoy
them with q thousand-fold zest.
Almost all teaching is nervous, ex-
hausting work, and it is to be hoped
that, as the world advances, salaries
may advance too, so that teachers may
not have to labor too many years with
out resting. But to hope for that at
present would be like the dream of the
trades-unionists, who suppose it is pos
sible for them to set the price of their
own labor irrespective of natural laws.
We gain nothing by pleasing our
fancy with impossible conditions. Of
course, we want money, and will earn
as much as we can, provided we can
earn it by doing our true work. But
in considering any change of situation,
the first question must always be in re-
gard to our own capacity. 1t is not
uncommon to hear teacher say, 81
would rather teach the little children,
but the grammar school teachers are
paid more, so I shall try for such po-
sition." Sometimes there is such gen.
uine injustice in the apportionment of
salaries that the only remedy seems to
be for all the square teachers to rush
into the round space, and endure the
friction till the confusion becomes I'M
bearable to the school committee; but,
in general, the teacher who loves little
children best is wiser to stay in the
primary grade than to expend all her
nervous force for another fifty dollars
q year.
Another teacher is happy in the coun-
try, and has wide influence in the
village where she lives A double salary
in the city looks alluring. But why
should she sell her freedom and her
power, for position which can hardly
be maintained without double the ex-
penseP
One word more is needed,-that is,
patience. 1t is the impatient people
who are ready to fall into the round
holes, without considering whether they
themselves are round or square. Even
among idiot children the one who de-
liberately looks at the block in his hand
and then lets his eye travel slowly over
the board, has learned his lesson, and
makes no more blunders.
Our nhQice is ant To ha airor1,,a orihod