Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-09-17
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childrepUhere the clements of sue
cess are more marked and varied.
Here ,rthe times demand school
tachgS instead of school keepers.
Here common sense calls halt
and commands every active thought
full recruit to carefully consider these
fundamental principles.
Among these important and essen
tial elements of success in teaching,
let me cite you first to that of
MODELS.
\ man or woman without a model
is like ship sailing for no port.
The very idea Of imitation is in
nate in Us, as is admiration Of the
beautiful and disgust at the odious,
all being susceptible of development.
As the master builder, the artist,
the sculptor, or the mechanic has his
model to guide him in his work, 50
must the teacher have his. There
must be n pers-n either real or ideal
that he desires to become like, to
pattern aftcr-that he may have as
well balanced a mind, as well pro
portioncd physique or as
good a moral character. What
teacher, t7le TEACHER, Is there
who has not nodded after some
other older, more experienced teach
er than himself: What one who has
not endcavored to initiate Pcstalozzi,
Frocbel, Horace Mann or Page: Yet
these models are useless if one has
no ambition to become like them.
AMBITION
arouscs the faculties OF the mind;
ambition is up carly in the morn
Ing, prepares for daily work strives
to reach a goal, has no idle hand.
IrGe ambition has passive satisfac-
ti19,no low plane of excellence, no tim
60 lose. snot found among the half
hearted or the don't care astraw'
class. a passive, indifferent same
plane teacher need never hope To
secure thc'gcneralship,for if,promoted
ata., he viii never Get beyond brovet
second lieutenant. Ambition must
be the magnet to draw him toward
success,
TACT.
Again the teacher who succeeds
must have tact and tact means apt
ness, address, captivity. lis the
"know how Of life. \ teacher pos
sessed tact fills new and difficult
position with such naturalncss and
ease that however embarrassed he
may feel, lac forces the impression on
hi patrons, that he was born for that
especial place. lie Will know the
nature, tendencies and dispositions
of his pupils; Will take advantage of
circumstances and currant events 10
to indclibly impress practical truths
upon their minds, and will know
what TO do in case of emergency
without having TO think twice.
Tact is not seeing bat quick sight
ii is not hearing but acute audi
ton; it is not smelling but keen scent;
it is not tasting but correct taste; it
is not feeling, but immediate pcrccp-
ton-so it is not a sixth or seventh
sense but the life of all the senses.
Tact takes hint without the kick,
keeps its eye on the wcathcr-vane
and by adroit shifting of sails can
reach its destination let the wind
blow as it may. Tact never spends !
any time looking into the future in 4
dreamy, longing way; but puts in
lis best ticks to make the most of /
the present and let the future take
care of itself.
A person with tact has no blind |
side, no deaf ear, does not rank with
the awkward squad, or cut blocks
with razor; locks the barn before
the horse is stolen and does not kill
the goose that lays the golden eggs.
Without tact the merchant has
plenty of unsold goods on his shelves,
the farmer will have TO mortgage
his farm, the artist have his studio
full of pictures and sit down to a
cold dinner, and the university grad
nate peddlc garden truck from a
wheelbarrow. Without it physi-
clans become quacks, lawyers, petit
foggers, ministers, laymen, and
gcninscs blundcrcrs.
Without tact teachers who have
spent years in careful preparatio ION for
the work fail TO hold good positions
when once secured, for they fail to- cx-
ercise discretion or to make virtue |
of necessity. The oycrrcach and |
are not well up in practice. They /,
NAV have talent but talent |
is not tact. Talent is something,
tact is everything. Talent lies in
bed waiting for the news Of a legacy |
while tact goes whistling to work |
before breakfast, to earn a compe
tence.
Talent may be innate, tact NAV be |