The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-10-28

and to follow faithfully. 30 far rs he
can, his true bent. OF course tho one
who elects to DO q disciplinarian is not
to be content with superficial class
work. He must know his lessons, and
know them thoroughly; but he must
not think himself fitted for position
demanding wide knowledge, or careful
reasoning, or critical judgment, or fine
poetcal discrimination. He must re-
alize that his own proper work is noble
and indispensable, and he must not at
tempt to do another's.
On the other hand, the student is
not to be satisfied with lawlessness or
inattenton in his classes. He Is not to
fix his eyes on the floor and tell his pu.
pills a series of erudite facts. II he
cannot impart his knowledge in such q
way that his pupils actually receive it
he has mistaken his vocation. He may
be good writer, or annotator. or
translator, but not good teacher.
The teacher who Is student must
strive for the best possible discipline
among his pupils, but he must realize
that the kind of discipline which he
can enforce will be that which is al
most unconscious; and he must, If pos
sibie. find position in which the
qualities of a student are needed.
And here young teachers find diff
Guilty. At graduation, very few per-
sons have enough special knowledge to
enable them to fill situations in the
higher schools. The number of schools
in which discipline is the first requi-
site is SO much the larger, that young
woman who is secretly sure that her
true power lies in the direction of
scholarship rather than discipline, may
be forced to begin in school where
scholarship counts for little. OF course
she must then do her best. But if she
wishes ever to do any satisfactory
work she must look forward little at
the same time. She will not have
much leisure for study, and it will be
vain to try to make Of herself uni
versal encyclopedia. But if she will
carefully decide the line of study for
which her ability is greatest and
steadily pursue that she will, in few
years, find herself fitted by education
for the place for which she is fitted by
nature.
Having decided whether one is a
disciplinarian or a student, and having
determined to work in ones own
special line, unless the fates are more
adverse than they usually are, there is
still something of Importance to con-
slider if one wishes to be practically
successful teacher. Can he work we'll
with othersp With some principals,
this is the first question in selecting q
teacher. One may be avery Napoleon
for discipline, and Dr. johnson for
learning, and still be an intolerable
teacher.
Naturally, working well with others
depends on character, but as there are
persons of fine character who fail here,
we will specify few points of i'm
portance in securing this end. First,
the teacher must understand where his
own place is; that is TO say, he must
do his own work without Sinking, or
expecting other people to help him
out, while at the same time he must
obey those in authority over him,
whether principal or committee. If he
thinks he can see better way OF
working than that prescribed, he
should, of course, say SO respectfully,
but he must not insist upon his own
way, except in cases of absolute right
and wrong. He may think his judg-
ment better than that of his superior,
and it may really DO better; but then,
on the other hand, it may not be. At
all events there cannot be two rules,
and constant struggle for mastery
wastes in friction all the energy which
should 90 TO instruction. The person
who cannot submit to those placed
over him, cannot succeed practically as
teacher.
Second, he must not interfere in any
way with the work of others. If
teacher seems to do his work badly,
still it is not the concern of another
teacher, unless he is absolutely asked
for advice by the teacher who is in
difficulty, or is urged to give Judgment
by those who have right to his opin-
ion. He should remem Der, too, that
the teacher he criticises may really be
doing better than himself.
Third, he or she must know how to
be absolutely silent on school affairs.
There must be no school gossip even
among intimate friends. Nothing is
more common, and nothing is more
pernicious. Speak of school affairs
only to the persons with whom they
must be discussed as matters of bust
ness. Do not weary the principal with
anecdotes Of your difficulties with
your scholars, unless you need his adj
vice and are prepared to take it. DO
not criticise your fellow-teachers in
talking with other people, Do not
complain to the teachers that the prin-
cipal is weak and ignorant. Do not
explain in general society that you
hate teaching, or that you love it, and
do not bore the community with school
room experiences, The golden gift of
silence helps a teacher more in work.
ing harmoniously with others than any
other trait, more even than unfailing
good temper.