The South western news. (Dawson, GA.) 188?-1889, 1888-06-27
WISE WORDS,
A Vital TssGIe-SCsaO0aS
and Teachers by N m.
Folsom.


most momentous of ali the vital
issues that we will be called upon
to encounter during this year.
That is The selection of teachers
for the public schools.
Thus far our board of education
have showed themselves wise and
efficient, and our principal has
proven a man of capacity.
But the schools are in embryo.
The future of this foremost Of
all our institutions depends eu. the
selection of the teachers, They
must be competent and willing
to second the efforts of the
leader.
The future of our school system
depends ten times more on this
than on the constructive end fur.
nishing of buildings. !.
A good teacher is an individual
of such broad resources that he or
she may be able to instruct the
child in whatsoever surroundings
they may be placed.
A poor teacher is worse than
no teacher. He or she will not on
ly fail to train the youthful mind
in the best arranged of homes and
with all the latest appliances but
will unfit the child for receiving
instructions from real teacher in
after years.
The efficiency OF the teacher
does not depend solely on his pr
her educational attainments. The
teacher must understand human
nature and be able to appreciate
child nature.
One had rather tumble into pur.
gatory with the love, gratitude and
respect of his pupils than to float
through the gates of Eden pursued
by the contempt, heartburns and
imprecations of single dull wit
ted child.
Some teachers try to set them~
selves up as iufallible and incapa-
Die of making mistakes. Others
make and enforce their rules and
regulations with all the despOtic
Indifference with which the Modes
and Persians issued their edicts.
Some uusympathetic, going through
the allotted tasks 10 a treadmill,
fashion, never varying the dull
and dreary mcnotony with a sim
gle hope or cheer.
There are others whose smiles
are sunbeams of the soul, and
whose tenderness and sympathy
urge and encourage the little one
on to the accomplishment of even
the most difficult tasks.
Teachers are born, not made.
No amount of schooling or train
ing can ever fit person Of uucon.
genial taste and temperament tor
the delicate duties of teacher.
The sad, sad, truth of the busia
ness is that the curse of the schools
of to-day, in many places, is natu-
raj incompetency, backed up by
the petty politics of the city,
town, village or cross roads commune
nifty.
children have line instincts.
Their perceptions are not dulled'
as ours. They still retain some
vague snatches of memories of a
better world than this. Their pre-
ferences and prejudices, likes. and
dislikes are founded on a broader.
purer, bases than ours. They are
apt to have those who are lovable
and it is a hideous wrong to inAict
on their tender natures the tyran-
ny Of some ENJOYABLE person.
Let the commissioners weigh
each applicant exceedingly cares
fully. 1t is not a matter of dol
lars and cents, policy or favor
itism.
Better support an incompetent
person at public expense than pea-
sion him as teacher.
Our schools have done so we'll,
have made such fair progress SO
far that we cannot afford to take
any risks. Get good teachers aud
we will have good schools.
With the young republic of the
school room it is a critical period.
There may be made mistakes of
a moment that life time will new.
er rectify, Our children are bet
ter than we, Let US strive to keep
them ever up to that superior
standard of excellence. Therefore
LOT tha salaotioos No oarafallu con-