The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-10-10
AN OPEN LETTER ToA YOUNG TEACHER
EY PRESIDENT j. II. CARLISLE.


You very kindly called to see me on
your way to the school in which you viii
begin your life work. Before leaving
you asked: Have you any suggestions
which you would like to give me-" Ca
man never feels his own ignorance SC
keenly rs when younger friend makes
an appeal like lhat.) An unexpected
interruption, as you may remember,
turned the current Of our conversation,
and your question was left unanswered
Recalling your visit, lei ME cfler a few
suggestions, which will at least show my
desire TO keep you from repeating some
mistakes which older teachers have made
before you.
Go 70 this strange neighborhood not
only as a teacher but as a lslan. The
man is greater than the teacher. 1t is
needless to warn you sgsinst the gross
faults and vices ofsome who dare TO go
into the school room. Public opinion is
now exacting, aud very properly so, on
young teachers a profane, iu'emperate
or vulgar teacher is shame and a caam-
ity which we suppose very few commnn.
tiles in our State are low enduring.
Keep your reputation and character
above just reproach. AS one means to
this great end, keep your money matters
straight. Ifyou ever ask fer credit you
will never be refused, and your credit
will be always good. Keep as near as
possible to this ideal standard.
Take an intelligent interest in the
welfare ofthc community where you
teach. Be the friend, and in all proper
ways the advocate, of every good cause
and of every worthy man. BE neither q
hermit nor an arowed ladies man. Your
education pledges you TO be something
above either ofthese.
As teacher, take one or two good
periodicals about teaching. Attend
'Teachers Institutes. Bay some Of the
freshest, bes, books for teachers. Keep
abreast with your profession. There is
no royal road to being COED teacher.
There il in it no art, or knacK, or trics:
which may be easily learned. In me-
chanics a child's hand may touch au
ivory ley, and great results may follow.
1t is not go in teaching. No weak u.aa
can teach efficiently. No bad man can
be good teacher. a cunning, unprin.
cipled man may become an expert de.ec-
tive or police officer, but that is very
different matter.
Some rules in school are necessary,
as some scaFolding is necessary to an
unfinished building. Boys were not
made TO keep your rules. Your rules
were made to help boys. Every boy
should he raiued to become man who
can be law to himself by observing the
eternal laws Of right. Do net makes
hobby of either punishing or Of not pun.
;shing. "Thc maximum Of good govern
meut, with the minimum ofpunishment,'
is !. COED motto. Wien necessary, let
punishment bc private. Public exscu-
ices Of every kind are denloralizing.
Serious rebuke may be necessary. Never
speak cuttingly to your scholars. Do
no. n-edle=sly make issues villa chem.
I is JUS. as possible for the teacher as for
Ihc pupil to be in the wrong. Letju,ticc
and fairness rule in Jour school room,
This willErlpto create acheerful, health
ful tone aud atmosphere. Let thcr" be
4, little Us possible Of unmeaning work
lone by your classes. Try TO make
their mental effs::s dvfaile and intelli
gent.
DR.. Edward Everett says he r',peate
the old rule about some verbs gorcYHing
the sccusaiiye and geuilive cases
times before he was SO fortu
nate as to meet teacher who though. it
worth while 10 give any explanation.
He adds that if the rule bad been for
the verbs to opoison these cases it would
have been all lheaame 10 him. Yuu may
fall into the very faults which provoke
you in your pupils. Are they in danger
of going mechanically aud unintelligcnt
ly through their work? So may you
through yours. Are they in danger Of
being satisfied with lesson getting? So
may You be easily satisfied with lessor
hearing, without regard to meaning or
results You! chief work is no! to de.
tect, expose or punish ignorance but to
remoyeit.
Wake up the minds of your scholars
by all means. A lesson from tue book,
or the newspaper, or from life al hcci.
dent in the room, the play ground, the
neighborhood; an item from the daily
:.aper; a acyclone or freshet, or riot; the
:nwcr il, Paris, or a birds nest in the
.r:l-any one Of these, or al Of theul,
ln.y i:eip you. Take advantage Of any
loca! historical association. From tine
gullics around the school hnuse 70 the
bright stars above it by night, press all
things into your service as object lessons.
The little spring branch, followed far
enough, will lead you to the great 'n.
Wake up the moral impulses aud q.
lions Of your pupils. Oar country is not
suffering greatly from lack slnart men
and women. We need good mca and
gome'l; wise concerning evil. Aim 10
prepare your scholars not merely fer eS,
animation but for life. Build mp you.-
self aud them by al means.
When Charles Kingsley lA1inis:er Of
Church Of Engiand wa, entering pro
fe-sionsl life lie wrote Il: friend q
go to the humblepsrisll which is to he my
prison or my palace. Ilcase God IL shut
H., ,,,, ,,ut,c, ~ Gn IN v,,,r srhnnl rt,n,r