The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-05-18
Teachers Department.
Obstacles in the Way.
lCol. F. w. Parker, Boston.1

ateachlng better. Supervision, methods,
systems, discussions. will not help US
unless they help us to teach better.
Our energies should be concentrated
upon one point: How can we know
more of the great art Of teaching? |
answer, first clear away the barriers
that stand in the way Of an honest,
earnest, persistent study Of the art.
EssWhat are these barriers I?
One great obstacle may be found in
IS the bad logic used in criticism,-stou.s
arguments against reform ; arguments
that are old, stale, and weak, yet full of
potency in impotent minds. Let us
aStook at some Of them. "This is the
chest method" is the first statement that
us on every hand. How do you
know il is the best You cannot know
which is the better Of two methods un-
less you know them both. You cunnot
4 know which is the best Of all methods
Il unless you know them all. You cannot
know one method unless you know the
prlnclples (mental laws) upon which
1 the method is founded. for method is
1 the adoption Of the subjec to the mind.
tried that method, and don't ike it."
IS often heard. What did you try,-a
9noaaMs Eoperondi given by some book,
or superintendent, or some method that
you made your own, by a close study
sSof the principles that under1ie the
4 method ?
Teachers often try methods with the
same faith as the old lady who PRAYED
Tor the removal Of the hill, "There,"
SAID She, Il knew it wouldn't gu, and it
didn't That method has been tried
and latfed." concludes fhe whole matter
with many a teacher. Who tried it ?
a teacher who understood it, or one
mechanically used the technic.
without understanding the why's and
Wheretores :? A poor teacher may use
me best method in the world and fail
utterly. while Il good teacher may sue
eeeq with a very poor method that is
no argument at all against the good
lmethod,-"Prove all things, and hold
fast that which is good" 81 don't lik.
your methods" l hear said by men who
look very wise. ado you know them p,
Yes, l saw them in such and such a
hoo My dear sir. can l see your
ideal in the schools Of which you have
charge? Would it not be better for
You to explain the defect in the princi-
pie to which the method applies ?
There is a class who believe thor
oughly in reform, but who think that n
new method is like u machine: set it
up, turn the crank, and, Presto, changed!
q new finished article appears. No
method, no system can 60 one lot be-
yond the powers Of the teacher to an
ply what she knows. To change from
darkness to light, from death to life. in
teaching, requires years Of ths closest
study and practice. The transition ne
ROD is often chaos. The road to sue
cess through constant laundering. The
point of'the critic should be, l. the
Tendency right ? Will this work lead
to better things =?
Shrinking from this necessary blund-
.ering is a great obstacle to success.
The worst and the greatest criticism
have ever met with, and that too from
very high quarters, has been from per
sons who have never taken the trouble
TO examine the work or discuss the
principles involved. They say ut is all
wrong" with an mir Of profound wisdom
which impresses itself upon the faitl. ful J
follower. know at least two lights in j
the educational world who, to nv !
knowledge, have never taken the trouble $
TO enter certain schools, or examine re- :
suits and principles in any way, and !
YET these wIseacres give it az their de- Z
cided opinion that the work done in a
these schools is q failure! The work
may be q failure, but how do thew !,
know, unless, %perchance, they are gifted \
With second-sight I?
Let us be honest my fellow. teachers. Z
The immense responsibility upon us ad-
mlts OF no fippant criticism, no false {
logic, no arrogant %conceit, Professional
leaiousy is trifing with the highest
good OF immortal minds. Our position
should be one Of deep humility. before a
Dur great work. Any one who pr.,ends I.
. know it all is a quack Of the. worst
sind. And he who shrinks from apply i
that which he knows and believes
y be true is o coward. Any one who
.eryilcly follows the dictum Of others
3 q slave. s
again, I say, "Prore all things, and