The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-17
ARP AT CHAUTAUQUA.
What He Saw and Learnt at
Salt Springs.
Judge Hook and the Peabody In
stitute-An Interesting
Letter,

have been to the Peabody Institute al
ChautauqUa and enjoyed the visit. A mar
never gets too old TO learn, and / don't know
what school he can 90 to for month where
he viii learn so much as at one of these nor.
NAL gatherings, where eminent teachers and
lecturers instruct and entertain the people
Judge Hook has done well in establishing this
institute at Salt Springs, where everything is
| so lovely aud attractve-wiere the air is SO
| pure and the water so healthy. Georgia teach
ers are fast coming TO the front as lecturers
| and instructors in art and science, and inter
| spersed with their morning talks or evening
| essays, they have discOurscs from some Of the
most eminent philosophers OF the country. 1t
is grand scheme for the diffusion Of knowl-
edge, and every teacher in the state should
eagerly embrace the privileges offered there.
What an instructive feast it was to listen TO DIR.
Calhoun tell of the eye and all Its beautiful
and wonderful organism-or TO listen to Judge
Bleckley as lie discoursed on evolution, or to
DIR. Payne, as he charms us with new and
broader views Of life and knowledge. Verify
the people of this day cannot fully appreciate
the blessings that are within their reach
blessings that were unknown and undreamed
of in our youth
a thousand times have wished that was a
teacher-a school toacher-not that was vain
and thought that l could teach better than
others, but l am conscious of loving the youth
of our land, and wished to mould them for
usefulness and happiness. Another reason
came to me from observation. The teachers
are the taught They are their own pupils
They are going TO school all the time The
scholars are put behind them and press them
forward. A faithful teacher is the best student
in his school, and every year takes the first
honor and deserves the highest medal. For
many years / have noted these teachers-the
educators of the land-and they are the best,
the noblest, and tho most useful of all the sec
ular professions. You can ponder them out with
almost unerring certainty. You may consider
the statesmen, and preachers, and lawyers,
and editors, and almost every one who attained
distinction, and was loved and honored by his
people, has been teacher. Their profession
makes them precise, exact, thoughtful. They
become the best thinkers and the best writers,
and are always prepared to prove thor posi-
tons on all great questions Besides this, they
become paternal, philanthropic, unselfish, and
have broad, Consideratc views of life and its
duties. A teacher is kind of patriarch and
loves the family OF which he has charge.
lie watches them long after they have ceased
to be his pupils, and if they succeed
he is proud. If they fail he is NOR
tilted. How many honored sons of this great
and say with conscious PRIDE II taught that
man in his boyhood. | marshaled tho way
that he should 60" What an honor to have
been the teacher of Webster and Clay and
Calhoun, and ten thousand others, who have
digniiied and adorned their Callings.
But all are not teachers who profess to be.
The art of imparting knowledge is as impor-
tnnt as to have knowledge. II is in some
measure gift just like oratory, or music, or
Invention. 1t requires force of character will
fvtff gfg Ia, l.
ate regard for children and youth. That re-
gard that inspires patience and perseverance,
that will endure more and suffer moro from n
dull pupil or n stubborn one than from n bright
or willing one-that makes allowance for those
whose parents have but little education or who
take but little interest In assisting their
children with their studies. This indifference
is perhaps the greatest embarrassment the
teacher has to contend with This stingy mis-
take that many parents make who say, IL nav
the teacher to teach my children and if he was
any account he would do it," The poorest
scholars IN school are those who get the least
help ut home. by help, mean encourage
mcnt pride of scholarship and, if possible, as
sstance over the hard places.
The world is progressing in everything, and
OF course Is progressing in the arts and methods
OF impartng knowledge The public school
system has tho Endorsement of the age and the
nation, but confess TO some lingering preiu-
dice against 1t, 1t has many advantages but
they do not altogether satisfy. In some places
1t has been abandoned. 1t is like the election
of our judges. Within forty years the mode
has been changed eight times, and still the
people are not happy. Three times they have
been elected by the people, three times by the
legislature and twice they have been appoint
ed by the governor and confirmed by the SON
ate. This is not progress but is rotation In
many places the patrons are not satisfied with
the public schools and ii may be because they
nave been unfortunate i'll the selection of
teachers. found places i'll my travels where
these schools were very popular, and places
where there was general dissatisfaction In one
town the principal was not on speaking terms
with his first assistant. In another tho com
plant was that two members Of the board had
no children and the other was a sectarian
bigot. In another the subordinates did not
give satisfaction and in all there is feeling of
helpieSsness among the patrons. If you are
dissatisfied or aggreved, what are YOU going
10 do about it. Nothing. You can't
do anything. The board are the masters
and the board is much inclined TO
favor their own appointments. These appoint
ments are sometimes made from sectarian
preJudices, sometimes from family or political
influences, sometimes from school or college
friendships. They arc rarely made from mo-
tNcS independent of all these and solely upon
merit. Suppose an applicant does go through
an examination, what does that establish as In
his or her fitness to teach. The best LAWYER |
ever knew never made n speech in the court
room, lilo was n master of the science ana
we used 10 abide his judgments on intricate
questions With perfect faith, but he could never
overcome his nervous timidity. Nathaniel Ma
con ranked all his contemporaries in the United
States senate. lie was pre-eminently its
counselor and guide, hut he never made a
speech in his congressional life of thirty-four
years
We are all n bundle Of prejudices, l know.
and we old people are Unfortunately attached
90 the customs that prevailed from our vouth
TO our maturity, and hence | am modest about
obtrlding my opinions, but must confess that
! am not yet in love with the modern system
OF public schools. The teachers are too indie
pendent of their patrons. Direct responsibility
between the employer and the employed is bet
ter than TO have middle mon or brokers' In
the olden times the teacher was REQUIRED TO
board around among his principal patrons
sometimes week, or two weeks or a month
and so they became acquainted with him
intimately acquainted. They know his social
and his moral worth.as well as his sholarship.
OF course this plan would not he agrceapie
now, but the intent was good, and In that day
had good results
But in amy system old OF new, the success
OF the school depends almost entirely upon the
qualifications Of the teachers. Beeman made
reputation and kept il SO did Richard Nal.
colin Johnston So did FoUche and George and