The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-08-12


Mr.. EDITOR: I was glad to be greeted
BY your cordial hand shake at my little
school house on the Brushy Greek the
other day. I hope you will come again.
Ihave been trying the plan Of fteaching
on the black. board, addition, subtraction,
ETC., in which tho teachers were instruct.
ed at the Institute, and find it very valu-
able. It relieves the moaotony of the
school room duties and pleasantly en-.
cages the attention. Of the pupils: it
begets in the scholars a laudable rivalry,
and, in a short time, imparts -facility'in
the art of combining, separating and
multiplying numbers, that would other.
wise occupy years in the acquiring, or
worse, not be acquired at all. 50 much
for my school.
If there is any class of people worthy
of the universal sympathy and support
of mankind, it is our country! school
teachers, and yet, they possess very little
OF either. Ny own. aching back and
limbs and brain and heart (school teach.
ers have hearts) since ! have entered the
lists, have caused me to do some serious
Illuminating. Our public school teachers
are paid about twenty-five dollars per
month. For this mere pittance they are
expected to devote the whole time of a
cultivated mind to -one of the most ex:
hausting and mind-ransacking pursuits
in the catalogue of human experience.
Don't think me complaining or seeking
sym pathy for myself. The experience Of
the new phase Of life, on which have
launched, will amply reward me for the
few weeks that will have been devoted
toit: and it is we'll, for that is about all
the reward I aoiK receive.
The lawyer charges Eve dollars for
about FIVE minutes use of his pen in fill
ing out tie blanks in some legal docu.
meht.. He collects a fee Of from fifty to
a thousand dollars for defending some
vlleaged criminal the principal thing
being; the making of.a speech, the get.
ting up of which, at most, requires but a
few days study. The doctor charges
from three dollars upward for few min
utes of his wise-looks, drug.giving and
pulse-feeling: The minister receives
from seven hundred to two thousand
dollars a year for conducting q prayer
meeting once:a week. and for preaching
one or two sermons on Sundays. Even
the farmer, whose hard lot is so much
lamented, has ease and quiet and good
healthy diet in his country home. And
what of the teacher! the meek, self
forgetful, accomplishing teacher! He
is in some cases superior, in many cases
fought always to be) equal, in mental
capacity and training, to the adherents
of any other profession. He is expected
to possess all the cunning of a lawyer,
the knowingness of doctor, aud the
wisdom, gravity and unimpeachable
morals of minister. He tolls FIVE days
in week (aye, sometimes seven or more,
devoting himself to labor and the study
of other peoples interests and for his
meek, unselfsh and almost unremitting
labor, the State, in her bounty and ex-
treme solicitude for justice and the vel.
fare of her people, pays him taOenty .fve
dollars month, hardly enough to provide
the necessaries of life. 1t is unjust, a
shame, preposterous: but the facts re-
main the same. And who must change
this perrerse state of affairs, if it is to be
changed? The teachers, assuredly.
Unity gives strength. The farmers
know this, and bind themselves together
in their Oranges and Farmers Clubs.
Merchants and mechanics have similar
means of co operation. If the teachers
would accomplish anything, they must
bind themselves together in united effort
to make themselves better teachers, and
to create demand for their services.
They must magnify their profession.
The Institute is the organ through which
the Anderson County teachers should
act. We have every reason to rejoice
with you, sir, at the success Of the late
session. Through it, if the sessions are
only frequent enough, and the, Teachers
Column, our teachers have an opportu-
nifty to fight a glorious battle for educa.
| |tion, their country aud themselves; : none
the less glorious though not victorious,