The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-02-22
TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONS.
Moss POINT, Miss. Jan. IL, 1889.
Editor Democrat star:

my, January, 1889, is published by
request:
Teachers Associations, like all
other associations ann first, TO ele-
yate the profession, second, by jd-
dicious means 10 protect those
working IN the interest Of the pro.
fession. To advance the first, we
must discover the hindrances that
are in the way, and remove them.
To secure the last we must, by com.
bined efforts, place the subject Ol
public education before the people
in proper light. A constant clam.
or comes to The ear Tor better work
in the school room, and not without
cause we must admit.
Now. the practical question
comes, wherein does he fault lie,
and to whom are we to look TO
remedy this state of things
A very little consideration will
show that the fault lies chiefly in
the school system; that is no sys-
TEN al all, and the worst feature Of
il is, the mode of deciding on the
fitness of the applicant to teach.
AS The school law stands now,
any one can teach school. The So
called profession of teaching is no
profession at all. Those who are
teachers this year may tor want OF
better employment earn their live
lihood as fishmongers, or tin ped
dlers next year. The evils of this
accidental supply of teachers must
revert upon the scholars. And The
effects of this want of method is,
and will be disastrous to the schools
while it is continued.
The first step toward remedying
the evil mentioned, is to educate
the teachers in the theory and prac-
lice of teaching. In absence of
proper educational schools the
Teachers Associations should form
the foundation of the reformation,
Just as the medical associations are
the corner stones of the medical
schools and colleges. Look Tor IN
stance at the medical profession.
Not many years ago any one could
practice medicine, but the physi-
clans took the matter Ill hand,
medical associations sprung up,
medica! schools followed, and now
The title of physician means some
thing besides pill maker.
This is what has and is being
done in other parts of our country,
and This is what we must do if we
would keep apace with the spirit OF
the times.
Those who want 10 teach well,
and make business of it, are so
mixed up with the crowd of those
who know nothing of the business
of real teaching, and have no am
bition to oimprove, as they have no
idea of continuing in the work,
only until something more pleas
ing presents itself, that nothing but
encouragement is the result.
1t has been the want OF this sta
bility and dignity Of the profeS-
sion, that has made ii migratory
field for genius 10 experiment i'll
since the earliest foundation OF
American free schools.
The children's rights overlooked,
a suffering public paying for the
experiments and groaning "What |
can be The matter with our
schools"
President Adams gives his
views of The personal benefit he |
received while experimenting at
teaching school. He said: IL kept |
school While | studied law. ad-
wise every young man to keep
school. | acquired more knowl- |
edge of human nature, more pa
thence, more sci reliance while |
kept that school than while l was at
the bar, than while | was in the |
world of politics or at the courts |
of England"
Notice this ! He does not pre-
tend that it was a good thing for
the school his wits had been sharp
ened at the public expense. The |
children had turned the grindstone |
then as they are doing to-day in
many places What a burlesque
of leaehingl How long are such
evils to continued just as long as
the teachers of the community in
which such eYils exist will permit |
it.
FeIlow-teachers, it is your duty /
to express yourselves on existing !
evils 10 the profession You repre-
sent. Dare to do i'll Do it in a
proper way, but dare 10 do it. Ill
each one will do something to es-
tablIsh the fact that teaching Is an
art in which the possession of |
knowledge must be combined with
the possession of teaching power
TO make the teacher an artist, then
success will be sure; then the pro-
fession will assume a dignity wor-
thy the best talent then the teach
eI's-place will be filed with men
and women worthy their calling
then genius will be ioreed 10 find
some other field in which to learn
The lessons Of self reliance, pa
tience, and all things that go TO /
make mp The perfect man. The |
thing will be reversed, the chill /
arstt v-sW ~ faurhf all fh,tra les