The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-10-12
COUNTY TEACHERS MEET
Election OF Oricers for the Ensuing Year---An
Interesting speech About ''Cranks"

approved, and the election of officers fol
the ensuing year was next proceeded with
After friendly rivalry between the diff
ferent candidates Prof. V. L. Alexander
principal of the Valley Center schools, wa:
elected president.
Prof Alexander was called for and in q
short but well timed speech, thanked the
! association for the favor conferred and
said that he would transact the duties OF
/ his office impartially TO all.
! II. NJ Cutter was elected vice president,
and Miss Josie Millen was elected secre-
tary. r. w. Craig was appointed report
| ing secretary by the president.
After speeches by the newly elected Of
ficers the president introduced Judge A.
r. Museller, who delivered an address
upon the subject of ''Cranks,'' which was
spicy and was well received by the teach
ers. The judge spoke as follows:
Cranks are individuals, usually men,
born before the world is ready for their re-
ception. They are nearly always, in con
sequence of that fact, entirely too pre-
viOus There is no niche in the glorious
temple of fame for them to fill. and as they
believe they are commissioned from on
high TO fill something, they proceed at
once TO hew a niche for themselves in har-
mOny with their notion of the eternal fit
ness of things They do this in a wav de-
culiarly their own. Fixed rules do not
assist them. Precept and example are
alike superfuous appendages to the order
of their going They do not take kindly
TO well-wOrn grooves, neither have thev
anv anxiety to follow in the footsteps of
some illustrious predecessor They
seldom or never have a predecessor.
Cranks are cousins of genius, and
if they but knew how TO toll as
industriously and methodically, would be
full brothers. They are often enthusiasts
gone to seed on some particular subject,
and their thoughts thereon are seldom
harvested until after they are dead. They
are possessed of but one idea at a time
and that time is lifetime, and that idea
always has complete possession of them.
They are filled with it. They are possessed
of it body and soul. 1t is their pillar of
cloud by day and their pillar of fire by
night. They have their eccentricities and
they cultivate them assiduOuSly The
world demands this of them and in this
they cater to the world. They are the adj
vance guard of all scientific research and
the field of invention Is almost entirely
their own by right of possession. They are
a law unto themselves and are not without
honor save IN their own day and genera
ton. Co.,. ....... ... .
QblLC opinion Is SS4liOIH III sympathy
with them, and it is needless to say that
they are seldom in sympathy with public
opinion. They care little for what the
world may say of them, providing always
II says something, and they care
as little for what the world does
During their lifetime public opinion never
reaches the milestone of their advance
ment. They are frequently Disguised with
the slow moving world and the slow NOV
ing world is always Disguised with them.
Being born so long before their time they
have but little in common with their inn
mediate ancestors and reap but little bene-
fit from associating with their own genera
ton. The world mocks and jeers at them
and children point significantly to their
foreheads as they pass them by: Derision
meets them on every side. They nearly
always die in obscurity. frequently in pow
erty, but subsequent generations vie with
each other often in erecting costly monu-
ments to their memory. If one succeeds
in his lifetime he Immediately becomes a
genius and the world fawns upon him, and
those who scOrned him before now, court
and flatter him with singular assiduity.
Cranks compel people to think, and
people always advance, and in
this way humanity is much benefited by
the species. If the crank be q man his hair
frequently outgrows the BARRIERS shears,
and his prince Albert lengthens uncon-
sciously until it appears almost a gown.
He courts originality of thought, fiirts
with all that is wild and weird, and he
sometimes actually joins the Salvation
Army simply because it is unpopular to do
so. If the crank be a woman her hair will |
be short and she will be husbandless for |
all time. and somewhere upon cheek or |
chin a brown mole will indicate natures |
effort to grow beard and make a man of |
her. The higher mathematics, supposed |
-.
ground, are mastered by her with laugh |
ing ease, and she sits and smiles cOmpia- |
Gently upon the herd of men below her |
fruitlessly for the self same |
prize. She becomes a standing REPUTATION I
IF established theories. She is as much .
he production of art as OF nature, and her |
position is in consequence both phenom-
snal and unique. The admOnition of st.
Paul that women should keep silent in
The churches does not apply TO her, for she
5 nothing if not spokesman.
The religious crank is the one who eX-
'ites our sympathy, cares the least for it
md can get along the best without it. He
means well. His mission on earth is 10
ave souls and he adopts his own peculiar
way of doing it. 1t would seem, too,
sometimes that his life, his words and his
association, all are more in harmony with
he principles advocated by the founder of
he religion of our country, than that of
hose who fill our beautiful churches every
sabbath morning and sing well rendered |
)eans of praise to the Most High, and who
While on their way home from worship
,ull their silken robes aside lest they come
u contact for a moment with a lOwly
ollower of the humble NaZarine. How
he sympathies of the religious crank are
reused when he sees a sinner struggling
With the burden of his wickednessi How
he wickedness of humanity seems to
Weigh him down. How his heart swels
With 10y when he sees the humble sinner
inverted and gloriously saved! How
arnestly he beats the bass drum and tam
ourine when marching in the procession
T the Salvation Army! How delightedly
e strums his guitar! How enthusiastic
lily he shouts his hallelujahsi
It Is his supreme delight to make low
III noise unto the lord. He is often honest
D his convictions and when he rises from
he street after prayer there Is seldom any
ust OF hypocrisy on his knees. His little
-orld is all in all to him. He may be
,ughed at. he may be scoffed at aud beat,
nd trampled like filth in the street.
luch after the manner of the heroine OF
eautiful Snow, yet he murmurs not. l
ike lamb before his shearers. he opened I
OF his mouth. He never talks back and I
ever INDUCES in abuse IL Is often a diff Z
1lt matter to prevent him from making a | !
lartyr OF himself he almost insists upon
cling prosecuted in order that he may
low his devotion. He still believes that I
le blood of the martyr Is the seed OF the {
lurch. He meets death without a tremor
I'd shuffies off this mortal coil with a
nile upon his lips Death has left no {
ing and the grave has gained no victory. q
The political crank j., At this particular 2
me, a conspicuous member Of the family. Y
ID. when not A candidate himself. makes :
Re a burden 70 all those misguided crea- {
Tres who may have official bees in their c
,nnets He Is an exception 70 the rule '
III ALWAYS caters 70 public opinion. To T