The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-07-01
faculty great pleasure to see you at amy


introduced, and said: "In behalf of the
teachers of this county and city, repre-
senting oyer 5000 children, l heartily
welcome you to our city"
MISS N. HARRISON,
Miss n. Harrison, of Commerce, Texas,
was then introduced, and on behalf of the
association responded to the addresses of
welcome as follows:
Wit tickles the world;a cutting sentence,
a well-rounded period, and clever pun,
are valued more highly by the masses than
real depth of thought. So many of us
are anxious to be witty, even if courtesy
has to be whitfield down to make the point
more sharp.
Enthusiasm is frequently kindled into
fanaticism, because we are afraid the
world will not notice the flame of earnest
ness, and we must blow it into bigger
blaze to make it seen at all, and fanaticism
generally scorches the face of courtesy.
Positivism Is often made synonymous
with stubbornness, and in a dispute we
will sometimes argue to point of impo-
likeness in order to make show of firm
ness. So l think wit, earnestness and
tirmness are three giants which generally
knock courtesy in the head.
And yet, do not think that courtesy
need be opposed to positivism, enthusi-
asm, or wit. Oh, think a man may be
Knox in firmness, a Luther in earnestness,
a Voltaire in brilliancy, but he can be a
Chesterfield still. Indeed, l think gra-
ciousness is part of the creed of patri-
clan; and it is fortunate plebianism alone,
that uses the "varnish of haughtiness to
hide the rough grain of the wood" Ease
of bearing generally marks those who are
sure of their own standing, and extreme
offishness of manner holds the world at
arms length lest that world peer too close
and see the fault of pedigree, or the blot
on the escutcheon of ancestry.
So all of us, knowing this, love cour
tesy. We foster it and cherish it, because
we believe it always marks gentility and
culture, and because it makes us better
men and women in little things. All of
us loving it., all of us, l am sure, are glad
that beautiful courtesy has been gloritied
in our welcome here to-day.
Every nation has its code of etiquette.
This truth is shown by the fact that each
one, whether civilized or barbarous, has
stranger or a guest. In some eastern
countries the traveller stops at the door
way and has his sandals loosod aud his
feet washed from the dust of travel by
his host before he enters rs guest.
A Spaniard says extravagantly: snake
foot-mat of my body; this house and all
in it are yours" If we could peep into
the homes of some of the German burg
hers we would see the plump hands of the
German housewives pouring out the foam
ing mug of beer with which they never
fail to refresh anyone who enters under
their "vine and fig tree"
The grand old ballad of the king of
Thule is splashed all over with red win",
for it tells us how the lily girls of Iceland
insist on drinking a beaker with any one
who crosses their thresholds. In Scot
land peace be with this house." and
"The same to you, amen" fell from the
lips OF host and entering guest.
An Arabian fires pistol shot by way of
salute over the mead of the companion he
chances to meet upon the stretch of sun
kissed, sandy plains.
All these we know, and yet l think the
welcome we have had to-day ia better and
grander than them ALL
Dearer than the loosed sandal and the
dust-washed feet, than the meaningless
Spanish gallantry, than the Scottish
"Amen J." than the Icelandic beaker, than
German beer-mug and Arabian pistol
shot, the froth and combustion of cour
tesy, is the hearty Texas welcome we have
had to-day.
say it is better than them all, becaa use
1 believe it means more, and it means
much especially to US. When we teachers
notice that in some of the welcome adj
dresses, the space between our calling and
another's has been crossed by kindness,
think it reminds US that in our profession
the chasm between notoriety and obscur'
ity should be bridged by courtesy, so that
teachers may cross it and clasp each
others hands.
The words of encouragement spoken tC
us to-day tell US to speak oftener the
words of encouragement to each other
The hearty praise with which our ears
have just been pleased, tells us not to bt
niggardly and gingerly in our commend
alton of one another.
In this welcome address our achieve
ments have been mentioned, our failures
omitted. That is grand rebuke to the
habit so many of US teachers have, OF
trumpeting each others errors, and
smothering with silence the good W.
plainly see.
have heard it said that commander
of armies, in marshaling their troops fol
battle, have their soldiers to march side
by side and touch elbows, and it makes
| 1lon, haitian broyar in tho fiuhf
l have heard it said that when the long
line of soldiers stops and the leader rides
before them, the flash of his eye ant
wave of his hand give (even to the timid
hearts of fire and sinews of steel. hav'
heard it said that when the battle is over
and they return from the field "gashet
and gory," few words of praise from
their commander have balm enough tt
almost heal their wounds.
I have heard it said that when tn
bloody day has darkened into night ant
the soldiers sit around the camp-fres, ant
tell the stories of their victories and de
feats, they then resolve to be Drawer ant
stronger on the morrow.
So my friends, think these frequen
teachers meetings we have been holding
all the year, have been but marches wher
we teachers could touch elbows, and SO b
made better, drawer in the fight. In thos
marches the young teachers fingers trem
BILE, and their hearts beat thick when the
take up their arms. 1t is like a benediC
ton for a strong, steady hand to b
reached out to them, and a loving voice +
say, "Come, put your armor on"
When those young teachers enter Tn