Nevada County picayune., 1891-09-03
TEACHERS AS EDUCATORS.


 of our country Is rapidly advancing. For proof of this statement we have only to review the work, even within 1 the limits of Arkansas, for the past decade. It seems to be the problem facing every one expecting to make teaching a profession, "Whcther l am prepared to take upon myself this very sacred care of directing the minds of the youths who are to be the men and women of tomorrow = Yes, this is truly question of great importance. and ono which should be carefully considered by each of us; to dedicate to the throne of Minirva every talent for the proper prepara- ton of the child's mind for the cares of this life; to give that child the true ideas of his duty to himself, to his country and to his God, is the greatest duty deyolylng upon the in- structors at this time. Whether this has or has not been an cxpedient in all ages, it truly can be read Tn the problems which are now being placed on the shrine of our much boasted freedom.
 It may seem to those who would draw the curtain over the dark pano- rama of the past and take a sweep ing view of the future, that the work of the teachers is partially complet- ed. But if you, fellow-teacher, would judge such of the future of our country, 1 will invite you to give it closer inspection. Since the dawn of history we have had great crises. and problems piled back into the future for time when genius would take upon itself special work and blossom forth in some of the great inventions and objects of ma tional history, which has made this, l the nineteenth century, the Zodiac of all the past ages. With all this greatness, may we hope to remain sl- lent and let this country do it's own
 
 work in rectifving the social, pOlltl- cal and religious evils that are con- tinually being brought here among Us. These evils are here, and they have come to stay. Then does 1t not behOovc each director of the child's mind, whether teacher, preacher or parent, to advance to that higher plane of enlightenment, that these evils may be mastered and pointed out to the child while the mind is plablc, ready to take for granted whatever may be said wheth- CT right or wrong, at same time last ing. And especially is this duty de yolving upon the teacher, for by the wise provision of the laws of this State the child Is placed in the school room with his instructor, between the ages of six and twenty-one, from three to ten months in the year, and six hours each day. Think of this, friends to education. This space of time-and |. might stop to ask, "Ilow many of our teachers engaged in our public schools have properly prepared themselves to direct the mind of the child for the duties of life and for eternity? fear that too few regard the school teachers of to- day as the guardians of American safety, the conseryators of her fu- ture greatness. Therefore, thinking that the work in the school room is as changcable as the variable eXpec- tations of the child under his or her tuition, think less of the proper prep aration for the work before the un- dertaking
 1 consider one of the greatest socia evils Is that of the foreign imigra- tion to our shores. This element, often a low grade Hooking from every part of the globe, bringing with them ! the evils and vices of the mother country, must be taught to be citi- zens of an enlightened and free country. The Italian comes here, ! but not to assist in elevating human ity. He comes here with his false conceptions of American manhood and to indulge in the same customs of the mother country. Catholicism has found footing upon the Ameri- can soil, and is here concentrating all her forces for the final sabjuga- ton of our country. l here refer to an article in the Republic of recent date where the Catholics have called upon the government for a prorata share of the public funds to their ex- elusive use. Not only this, but there