The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1890-05-08


Some Questions and Answers
Touching Teachers and
the school Law.
WHY SHOULD TEACHERS BE ExAMln
ed? In other professions--theolog
medicine, law etc., . standard o
qualifications Is fixed, and It 10 re
CURED Of the applicant that hi
abilities be submitted to examina
ton, and attested by the propel
authorities before he can establish
himself In either calling. This part
Of our subject disposed Of let us take
up those which naturally follow.
Who SHOULD DETERMINE THE PRO
TIcIENcY OF TEACHERS?
BY the very same line Of reason
ing, most assuredly, it should b.
done by teachers. As the preachel
before engaging in his line OF worh
10 examined > committee Of preach
ers, the medical student by . board
Of physicians, the legal aspirant BY
lawyers, it follows that he who ex
poets TO engage In teaching should
be examined by teachers.
We could hardly expect mechan
ic 70 sit in judgement on the ability
Of . physician, nor on the othel
hand are We to suppose the medica
man able to judge Of the mechanic
capabilities in constructing . 10
connective, therefore 1t 10 an absurd
ity to expect that . man Of another
calling than teaching lie . flt judge
OF those qualities which belong Is
sentially to the teacher.
SHOULD THE EXAMINATION BE RE
PEArED?
We think it should, not however,
without exceptions. Young persons
engage In this work before they have
any fixed habits, before their minds
are fully developed. or they have
shown Of what capabilities they are
possessed. Examinations tend to
lead them into . more general chan
mel OF study and research, bringing
their best, deepest thoughts into full
activity, until they are perfectly in.
fused with the vital points Of the
profession, these becoming . part OF
them--"s second nature" 90 to
speak. Again, 1t 10 . means Of fully
testing to what extent they real
ly are interested in this vocation, IS
no one 10 worthy thu name Of teach
er, unless he is studious and thought
full in the highest degree, and is
willing and anxious to sacrifice any
thing reasonable to be known as a
and faithful one.
To WHAT EXTENT SHOULD TEACHERS
BE rxAMINEDf
Merely knowledge OF the text.
books they are required to use
would prove q very poor proficiency.
Do not understand ds to undervalue
scholarly attainmsnts, for such is far
from our design. We fully appreci-
ate the truth that "the ripper the
scholar the better the teacher"
Here Is the idea that We mean to
there should be something
sought besides mere scholarly At
tainments. They should be exam
ined on common sense things that
every we'll informed person 10 sup.
posed to know, on their power to
impart the vital points of . subject
on their ability to infuse into the
souls Of their pupils thirst for
knowledge, an ambition to excel,
desire TO cultivate that which is
good and noble and pure; and q pa
triotism that shall cease only with
existence. In other words create IN
Them the idea that education means
more than q repetition,
parrot like" Of something some.
body else has said or done; teach
hem independence of thought and
The children have q
light TO expect this OF q teacher, and
heir parents, the directors and ex-
Iminers must see that II 10 compli.
ID with. 1t is 3 gross Injustice for
innocent children to be used as prac
icing material for those wLo have
10 object In view except self aggran.
|lzement. ~
WHAT SHALL TEACHERS IIE koxAL-
m
Let us simply copy Whit the School
Jaw says on this point, and we think |
20 one can fail to dis.inctly under
tand our meaning
Latter part of'1Sec. $751;" "He'
the examiner shall not license any |
'erson to teseh, who 10 given TO pro-
anity Drunkenness. gambling. licen.
iouspSsss, or other demoralizing vice,
r who does not believe In the exist
nee OF q Supreme Being" =
Now what can be palmer than
his2 We see that teachers unlike
ther professions, have had q stand.
I'd OF morality fixed by which each
pplicant must submit to have his
ioral character tested. A man may
Q very immoral and devoid OF princi-
lie, yet who can gAinsaY his right to
ractice in any other profession,
royided his mental qualifications