Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-11-22

!
favor upon the predicted race conflict
that some assert is forthcoming. Tht
remedy for the umelioratIon of the con
dition of the colored race is education
banishng the illIteFacy existing in many
sections of the country, especially in the
South. Many of the teachers called on
the Senator Mt the close of the lecture and
paid him their compliments.
WEDNESDAY MORNING.
Institute was called to order at 0 o'clock,
After music Senator Bruce addressed the
teachers for about ten minutes. He spoke
admirably and knowingly on education,
and pleased the teachers very much. A
rising vote of thanks was rendered him,
and he left on the train.
DIR. White then spoke of language
Language should go into the schools as a
daily exercise. The ability to express in
good language his thoughts should be cul-
tivatcd in the pupils by the teacher. 7
would rather child of mine would
come from school at the age of ten years
able to write me letter in good English,
than to be able to solve all the difficult
problems in the elementary textbooks.
The first aim of all true language work
is to enable the pupil to tell well and then
to write we'll" DR.. White spoke of his
methods of teaching language by having
the pupils tell their observations of OBJ
jects. This is the first work in the teach
ing of language. Telling stories comes
next and then writing them.
The enrolment up to this time was 234,
the greatest ever present at any institute
in the county.
After short recess and music, led by
Professor Innes, Mr.. Thomas j. Itell read
paper on "rhe Teacher" as follows:
The real teacher is yet an impossibility.
The world is not vet prepared for him.
The measure of a teachers success now
a-days is not a. correct one. One teacher
holds his present position because he kept
good order last year another because he
is son or some other relative of direc-
tor, another because of political or other
affiliations, and another because nothing
has been said against him." When a
teacher applies for position the ques-
tions are never asked, Can he educate?
Does he know anything about the laws of
mental development? Can he trace the
solution of problem in mathematics
back to first principles and axioms? Can he
prepare course of instructions to suit the
gradual progress of child's mind? Does
he know what is the difference between
instruction and education ?" The very
best teachers of our day arouse the most
opposition in many places, while those
who seek to get through so as to insure
reelection receive the loudest applause
The progressive teacher, by reason OF the
very fact that he is not content with
things as they are, and attempts new
ideas often has the majority against him.
Existing opinions are intrenched in
the public mind; it is his task to as
sault the position. He may use persua-
sion, strategy, artitce, deception or any
other means, but he must conquer or be
d" Let man espouse human
ity's cause, and he will have humanity
against him." sand noble man not three
before he perished in the Johns
town flood. The Great Teacher was cru
cited, for attempting to change an estab-
ished order of things-an order of things
that will always fill many dark pages in
the worlds annals, We were told from
this platform three years ago, that even
such benefcent measure as the law es-
tabllshing the common schools had to be
carried by fraud. The teacher is expected
n 10 ha hin nf lao hn ir
not allowed at the helm. If he have new
ideas, no matter how good they be, he
must either be branded as an innovator
or stultify himself and quietly sail with
the tide. Some uperintendents and
Principals assume to know it all, and
even deny TO those under them the right
OF an appeal from their rulings. A teach
er sees the pressing need of piece of ap-
paratus, and before he can get it, he will
often have TO put the School Board
through course of instruction to show
them the necessity for it. do not mean
that this is always the case, but
there is not teacher here
who couldn't do better work. if het-
ter means of working were supplied.
Thus far our glance at the teacher and
his work has been from pessimist's point
of view. The optimist sees things differ
emily, and as fas as his VISION carries he
is correct. 1t is this side of the matter
that is usually presented. We all delight
in watching the young mind expand.
The evolution of mature and fully de-
yeloped human mind from the possibilities
bound up In the child, gives to him who
leads out the child's mind great satisfac-
ton. The teacher who Is able to lead his
pupils to higher plane of thought than
they ever occupied before, is the man
for which the age is looking. Let
them drink at the perennial spring
of knowledge. Lift up their tastes;
elevate their purposes lead them to
contemplation of the immensity of Gods
work; the endlessness of duration the
all-extent of space. Did there ever man
stand and peer into the Infinite depths of
the starry heavens and contemplate the
vastness. the boundlessness, the majesty
of the creation, without being lifted up?
Must he not see that there Is over and
above all this, in guiding, controlling,
supervising, governing the whole uni
verse great and master Power-God.
Oh, how it stirs the very soul Religion,
you say, has no place in the common
school. 1t has. Such thoughts can.
not fail to inspire the soul till
it feels the Divine touch. 1t is not Sec
tartan it is above all sects. There are
intellectual pleasures in which pupils
Il i L. L. 4 Ill.