The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-06-15
Enthusiasm.

Much more OF Mind, which grows,
not like vegetable (by having its roots
Uttered with genealogical compost), but
Ike spirit by mysterious contact OF
spirit; Thought kindling itself at the
FIRE of living Thought How shall be
give kiuding in whose inward man there
is no live coal, hut all is burnt ou. TO a
dead grammatical cinder 2-Sartor Re
sortas
Ehthu iasm does the hard work OF this
world; it works out its reforms, fights
its battles, makes its discoveries; i,
writes the grandest poem, paints the
mos, beautiful pictures, and pours forth
the most glowing eloquence; it sur
mounts the greatest difficulties, endures
the fercest prosecutions, braves Death
itself. And yet it disdains not the low
est Offices; il gives strength for daily
toii 1t cnnobles the humblest deed il
sancties the commonest things. To
none does it bling greater blessings than
to the teacher; by no one ls it more
needed; to none more Indispensable =
Notice the mos. successful teachers; see
how wrapped up" they are in their
work, Said q student, Every one oil
Professor Us. classes fancy that theirs
is his favorite class; enter any one du-
ring its hour of recitation and you would
think that he considered that branch the
mos, important in the course, and that
around that particular lesson centered
the work OF the whole term" Mr.. H.
has had. unusual success in teaching
Arithmetic. What is the reason p
Watch him. He seldom meets a pupil
without inquiring about The lesson of the
day, as a man would naturally ask about
Important business another had in hand.
He interests himself in other things
which interest them, and often In con-
yersatioD his Illustrations are drawn
from The principles of Arithmetic. What
is the reason his pupils never character
ize this ss "continusl dineing"p Be-
cause the feeling is real one, and hence
never makes itself offensive, and be-
cause the pupils show the feeling. Hyp-
ocrisy is as fatal mistake in Education
as in Religion. Every one realizes that
the pupil must be Sonest in his work,
but we sometimes forget that any pre-
tended interest or ieigned zeal on the
part of the teacher is quite as bad as the
use of key or translation ny the pupil.
Since The feeling must be real how can
1t be induced, how cultivated? George
Eliot makes ore oil her characters give
this advice to q young man-"You must
love your work, and not be always look
inc over the edge o. it wanting your
play to begin" See oil the beauty in
your work, the beauty Of your work as
a whole, and the beautiful in every part
of it There is not subject Taught that
does not have much TO call forth admi.
ration, both in itself and in Its working
on the minds pursuing it. Ii the teach
er can find opportunity 10 do some gen.
une work, not too remotely connected
with that which his pupils are doing, IL
will greatly help. If he already knows
all that may be learned from the text
book, in regard to the Ocean, find some
thing pn it somewhere else, not alone
that he may impart additional iuforma-
iioI to his class, hu, that be NAV have
the feeling OF interest that comes from a
common, work.
When The teacher is really arausrd TO
the pupils will share the feel.
ing .as. ny contsgion, and the best pait o
it is that having had il once, is no pre-
venuye against taking it again The ef
feet Oh ike pupil reacts upon the teacher,
and so on in an in6uiie series. Thel
teacher. who has thus reaaered his pupil