Wichita eagle., 1889-03-05
MEETING OF CITY TEACHERS.

The teachers of our city schools held
their regular monthly meeting Saturday
in the high school building. An unusual
amount of work was done. After arrang
ing for grade meetings in connection with
the general meeting hereafter, the prepare
tion of report card for pupils which
would show their standing to parents, and
remarks concerning various points OF
school work the superintendent gave an
informal talk severely canteriZing num-
Der of errors into which he said some
teachers seemed prone to fall. The first
part of his remarks were directed to show
ing up some of the follies incident to I'M
thinking teachers, and the last part to
encouraging and directing those who
Were seeking to improve. The following
are the closing remarks OF the superintend-
ent:
How long. Oh, how long will it be ere
We learn that one of the indispensa bic
qualifications of the successful teacher is a
genuine, hearty sympathy with the child
liies That pedantry and seif-agrandiZe-
ment are two things utterly incompati bic
with devoted, successful work? That no
amount of learning, even in all the
branches, can take the place of honest,
soul-awakened interest in the diminutive
humanity whose destinies are to be so
largely under the teachers influenced That
the only discipline which is worthy the
name is that which is the result
of the earnest desire on the part of the
teacher to benefit the pupil. That this de-
sire must be the result of a sincere sympa-
thy between the teacher and the child, and
that instead of holding the truth contiu-
ually out OF the child's reach, or surround
ing it with an impregnable covering of
indigestible terms she is to crack the nut
aud show the children how to pick out
the kernels.
Children know their friends much bet
ter than many good people suppose, and a
teacher who coldly holds them at arms
length-who is wanting in hearty good
will for the pupils will not long deceive
them. he school should feel that the
teacher is friend TO each pupil, and then
if the teacher have any tact at all the
problem of discipline is three-quarters
solved
The ideal teacher will carry into the
school room an inspiration born of a gen
erous faith in human nature-in the eternal
rectitude of things-and the possibilities
wrapped up within her pupils. She will
believe in the natural goodness of child
rem, and the children having an distinctive
sensitiveness will not be slow to divine her
belief and to be drawn toward her. Her
teaching will not consist in piatitudes and
exhibitions OF pedantry, but she Will lead
to the truth by the most direct and the
plainest route, and il is my opinion that
when a teacher has within her these ele-
ments and loses sight of herself in her
love for and interest in her pupils, she
will not only find her work most success
full, but most appreciated, and when she
seems least DESTROYS Of exercising authori-
ty. then viii the school be promptest to
recognize her position aud yield to her SOW
ereigu sway. Let her work be animated
by justice, cheerfulness, kindness and
all these are virtues-but
net less than these let her cultivate
the virtue of simplicity, for this is the key
after all that unlocks the children's hearts
and allows the teacher TO commune with
them.