St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-14

physical vigor we cannot long have in
tellectual force. When the MIND
encased within a frail body grows Ian.
guild educational methods may not be at
fault. Quite possible it is that the
blame may be charged to the foolish
methods of home and society.
The fact that our modern life presents
little opportunity for child labor at
home is productive Of much of that in
subordination of which the parent and
the public so much and so justly COM
plain. Formerly the boy did the chores
about the house, or assisted the father
at his work; the girl performed like
service for the mother. Both learned
more or less effectively the lessons that
labor gives. They learned obedience,
industry and thOroughneSS. The hours
then so fortunately spent are now con-
sumed in idleness. Even play becomes
too common, and loses its Zest. Bad hab-
its develop as weeds spring pin unused
land. In no respect is the public school
responsible for these, but on the con-
trary many of the failures of our work
are directly due to these conditions.
The habits of obedience, thoroughness
and persistence must precede success
i'll the work of the public school. 10
develop these is now much more than
formerly the work of the teacher, and
is serious handicap oh the work OF
the schools.
Allied to this is another impeachment
which will magnify as we continue to
think upon it. The parent, having less
call to exert a controlling influence over
the child and to require of him the per-
Torrance of certain tasks, has come to
appreciate less the benefit of severity.
Failing to use it himself, he condemns it
in others. There has developed grad
ually feeling against severity not
only of discipline, but OF work. For
merly the master was only master when
he had proved his physical superiority
Censurable as such condition
plicit and ready obedience. Body and
mind obeyed with marked alacrity.
Slouchiness was eradicated; docility
implanted. To-day the conditions are
being reversed. The school is handi-
capped in its work by foolish restric--
lions imposed upon the discipline OF
the teacher, who must spend hours In
partially acquiring that docllity which,
out for these restrictions, she might at
tain in moment of time, with no wear
upon her and infinite profit to the child.
Such conditions as are now imposed Ill
many cities have no psychological de-
Tense, and cost the school, the teacher
aud the pupil an unreasonable price.
1t would be unfair to close this paper
without reference to appointments to
the success of our work, due to our
selves. The standard of the teacher is
too low Several causes operate to make
it so. Of these their careless selection
is the most potent. School boards, COM
posed oftentimeS of men who select
with scrupulous care their clerks and
employees, consider a photograph and
the recommendation of some teachers
agency a sufficient assurance OF the
applicants ability. A notably illustra-
tive cafe of this gross carelesSnesS is
presented by the school board of GER
tain city in Minnesota. where for a
number of years a skillful superintend-
ent has been carefully collecting a corps
of teachers which has placed the schools
of the city among the very first OF the
state. That principal moves away.
The higher salaries of the more enter
prising Northwest call some of the best
teachers. Then the school board shows
its hand. An advertisement appears
stating that a public examination will
be held of applicants to fill vacancy so
anu SO. HC pOSlltOlt W III W ttSeiO'iCN''
If, under such idiotic measures, the
schools are poor and the children badly
developed, whose fault is it?
The inefficiency of the teacher is also
due to the low standard set by the com
munity. The county superintendent
licenses pupils not fit to take the studies
of our grammar grades. Such material
is cheap. Inefficient school boards will
hire it. But failure in the school room
under such circumstances can in no way
be a censure upon public school meth
DDS, but upon the business sense OF the
community. So long as the educational
interests of a community are entrusted
to Indifferent boards of education, and
the standard of a teachers powers set
by men who are hungry to live on
salary of five hundred a year, so long
may we expect inferior work; but it is
the duty of the teacher to manfully In
sst that the blame for inefficiency shall
be placed where it belongs. And may
the time soon come when we may all
work together, when teachers shall de-
mand that crit cism shall be Just; when
parents shall see what constitutes the
true interests of the child; when
school boards shall sec that strict bust
ness methods only will do their part
efficiently, and when the powers that
control shall realize that high grade OF
scholarship is requisite, even in our
country districts.