Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1886-11-04
The Teacher.
Read before the Teachers Association by
Mrs. Era Burgess, october -, 1886.

Read before the Teachers Association by
Mrs. Era Burgess, October -, 1886
Cast thy hrea upon the waters for
thou shalt find ii after many days"
The teacher is q person who assists
another In acquiring knowledge or
practical skill. His Office Is for the
most part, Confined 10 aiding the pupil
IN acquiring knowledge with the two
fold object o. mental disc ipl ne, and i'm
parting valuable I'M FORMATION.
Although teaching is only a part Of
education, the teacher shOnld be an
educator since he IS required TO per-
form an Office which bears an import
ant relation to the general develop
ment OF the child. The teacher is the
school,"
If he lie the proper person destined
by natural gifts and prepared for this
calling by 4 careful and ingenious
course of study. and large and prac-
ticai training, he will make up for the
short comln-s of textbooks, apparatus
and previous education.
If he be full of enthusiasm for his
sacred task of forming minds. and pa
tient in all his labor. ous methods, he
Will mould his pupils minds and morals
by means OF self develop ment. The
pupil will be rendered his own teacher;
will be able TO acquire KNOWLEDGE for
it, and can discipline his own mind,
and whatever is FULLY and clearly I'M
derstood will forever remain mental
property.
No person who holds the Office of
teacher can be merely teacher. lie
must educate while he teaches; he can
not bat do s.; his examples and his
personal influence of every kind will
nee ssarily educate; will tend to form
To- oh o,,ta Of Ia,
Pill. either tor good or evil.
The moral eff ct of the instruction
of trained and educated teachers is in
calculab!e. To the teacher is commit
ted the training and guar dianship of
youth, from childhood to mature age,
and his influence and example act an
important part in forming the charac-
ter, not only of individuals, but of
nations.
The highest powers and noblest 8 m
timents of our nature might remain
forever dormant were they not deyel-
oped and matured hy the instruction
and example of the wise and good
teacher.
Experience has demonstrated the
fact thai, owing 10 the material upon
which the teacher operates, the CHI
ish mind, the profession OF teaching,
differs widely from most other profess
ions.
Upon the teacher rests the RESPONSE
billy of laying the foundation upon
which the child is TO build his future
edifice-p rnap5 of fame-at least to
fit him Tor useful citizen hip in his
country, which in itself is DO small
cons deTatiOn.
Too much care can not be taken in
preparation for the profession of
teaching, if only for beginners. For
If We want a grand edlhce we neces-
sarily must have q proper foundation
and often it is a more difficult task to
teach children from the alphabet TO
the 20 mt where they are able TO read
and c. mprehend for themselves, than
to instruct after that summit has b. en
gained, for upto this they know not
how 10 study. Al must come from
the teacher. and our wits are taxed to
the utmost to awaken and keep alive
an interest in what is to them as uuiu-
telligible and incOmDrehensiD as
would be pOpe's Old, ssey, and in
which they see no object in view.
Teachers can not take 100 much pains
or vote TOO much time to tie little
ones committed TO their care. Make
their le Sons attractive and amusing;
tell item q little DRY IN connection
with the lesst n. Who las not obs erYed
tie intense interest mani eSte1 by cui.-
dTen in caring one another tell stOT-
riesy They will SIT Up u ! midnight
without being slet py. How readily
they remember and relate iutere5tin-
stories 10 each other. Why have not
teachers long since taken q hint Of
this mode OF communicating great
variety OF knowledge 70 their pupils?
One great difficulty TO be surmOuut-
ed. is how 10 govern. TO keep order.
~ school Kept busy Is a chOoi gov
erned.n has becOm. an axiom ~ teach
ing. IL IS the privilege OF teachers TO
50 cODducl their schools That ~ nearly
all cases harsh punishment5 may be
avoided. Keep the pupils busy. Have
5omt thing for them to do every moment
they are In the schOOl-rOOm aud you
will have no disorder. you Will have
nothing 10 punish for. That ia can
10 done has been proven by many
teachers
On the teacher rests another great
reBpOus. biuty. We must look TO the
forming Of the characters Of our pu-
pills, as well as to teaching TIA m TO sIell
nj TO read, 10 cOuut ri 70 calculate
To the teacher is committed the ira n
ing OF the child while the mind 10 in q
plastic state, when IT Is possible 10
bend OF mould at will.
The teacher receives the child 90 the
age Of six years. IL is then Ills duty
% undo All that has been done am .s9
and take the mind Just as he GEds It,,
labor constantly aud patient y 10 shape
u u possible. after TIE Divine 40 81.
~ this respect and narrow our duty
down TO simply teaching from text
books. We are apt TO try 20 feel that