Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1885-07-30

and seeing in it nothing higher than
means by which life may be sus-
tanned till goal, greater as they see
il, is reached. "Inother professions
says Mr.. Page in his Principles
and Practice Of Teaching, an other
professions this is not so. The law-
yer is not allowed to practice till he
has pursued a thorough course Of pre-.
paration, and even then 10 but warily
employed. Thephysician goes through
his course ofreadiJ 7, his course oflso-
lures, and almost through his COURSE Of
starving in the country village where
he first puts Up his sign, before he is call
led in TO heal the maladies Of the body.
But it is not so with the Teacher. He
gains access to the sanctuary Of the
mind with no difficulty, and the most
tender interests Of both worlds are
committed TO his care when he makes
pretension to no higher motive than
filling up few months Of time not
otherwise appropriated, and to no
qualifications but those acquired by
accident"
Who can sainsay tNs statement
Teaching seems to b the only profess
sion for which no special training Is
insisted upon. CISrks without desks.
lawyers withoukciients, doctors with.
out patients7 all can teach. The ar
chitect, prouH Of the conceptions Of his
sa.,,..:,,.,,ii.,nest nj ss Cssalisation and
lIsI,ES F1Iy . sslIi
to rear tEl ksghest Of ell the earthly
works oftEyA Ssat Creator. that more
than human maple, reaching not hea-
venwarl only, but heaven itself, nospe-
cial skill Is required. A care taken in
the mechanical arts Is dsspised 10 the
liberal. This should not DO so. Nothing
requires more skill than teaching, and
the awkwardness Of the unframed
workman here may result in errors too
grave to be corrected in q lifetime.
Glance into the average sehool-house.
| Il Is little world See the tangled
maze of difficulties that perplexes
even him whose life has been spent
amid such scenes Before u.s." in
the words Of another contemplating q
similar scene, "are the clustered chill
| dren Of to-day, the men Of tomorrow,
the immortals Of eternity" Every
being Of this complex whole has his
distinct individuality, every heart It's
own impulses, every mind its own am
billions. Here 10 the constant con hict
of opposing and varying interests, the
fierce unrest Of the passions Of human
hearts. Clustered children Of to-day
men Of what kind tomorrow And
does the teacher influence the oharao-
ter Of their tomorrow Let the an
swer be found from his relations 10
their to-day. They are gathered here
10 receive bis impress for veal or
woe. AT this period Of growth, when
the physical, intellectual and moral are
taking on the frmness;if -.ot the per-
manence, Of mature years, he has I'M
dertaken 50 10 guide development that
maturity will forever bstake Of the
character Of the moulding hand. The
miniature man contains the posi- Ii.
ties Of all he may hereafter bebv.ne;
the all Of his future depends largely
on his present. The children Of to-
day will be the heroes or the laggards
! Of tomorrow. "Train up the child in
the way he should 60, says the wise
man, land when he is old he will not
depart from it. Here the teacher must
be king, but king not only; he must be
a just judge, wise counsellor, symps-
thetic frieDd--sverything but subordi-
nate. Thejoys and sorrows, hopes and
fears Of this little realm must be his.
But why enlarge? Everything Incl
dental TO bis employment, every de-
tail Of his labors, is proof that his work
Is ON art, aud that to master that art
not only the most serious preparation
is necessary but the most careful APP
plicstion Of experience. Space is not
allowed me here even to outline the
many qualifications that should 90 to
the formation ofthe teacher -themoral
rectitude. the sympathetic nature, the
gentle Hrmness, the mental and physi-
cal power Of enduranOe--the mems
sana IN coypoye sdno. Teaching 10
a. ~