The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-22
The Responsibility of the Teacher.

In few weeks wa, the teachers OF
our pubic schools, shall be controntiGg g
those whose destiny we shall in a
measure control.
With this heavy responsibility rest
ing upon us, is it not wise that we
turn the light Of scrutiny upon our
selves and see whether We have a just
appreciation of our position? Should
We rnt iGok within, and see whether
our ideal Of education measures up 20 a
uerftct standard? What do we mean
by eiucat.pn? What is our aim
What part falls to the lot of the teacher
in this work? Education consists in
the drawing out and developing the
innate mental, moral, and physical
for' : of man. The chief end of this is
the .JrmatiOn of character. The scope
of the teachers activity is so we'll ex-
pressed by Rhinehart in his "Prin
ciples Of Education" that I give his
words: "rhe teacher is the stimulator
of the child's activities, the director of
the child's unfolding powers, the su-
perintendent Of the hearing process.
TO teach, therefore, is to assist one in
hearing; to present occasions, to de-
termine the extent and the degree of
the child's activity.n
1t is fearful responsibility that we
assume when We undertake to lead
these youthful minds in the pathways
that shall lead them to the goal oftheir
greatest good.
Have we prepared ourselves for the
accomplishing of the great work? 1t
is not sufficient that we say we do the
best we can. Isl fact that we do the
best we can? I fear not. To do the
best we can we must have taken ad-
vantage of every opportunity open to
US to improve ourselves. Have we
done so? Have we regularly attended
odr county associations when we have
the opportunity to exchange expert
ences with our fellow-teachers and to
give and receive encouragement? Did
we attend our county institute, where
the opportunity to listen to talks from
orr foremost teachers was given? IF
we did not, then we can not say we
have done our best.
How many of US subscribe to school
journals? trust they are few who do
not take at least one. A first class
school journal is a Normal School with
in itself. We can not conceive how a
teacher who desires to rise in the pro-
fession, and who wishes to keep abreast
the times in all that pertains to Peda-
gogics and Pedagogy. can do so with
out good school journal.
One might just as reasonably expect
l. physician to do without his medical
journals or lawyer his reports.
One may be throughly competent so
far as knowledge Of the course to be
taught is concerned, and still be an
utter failure as teacher. 4 know
ledge Of the best methods of presenting
facts is of paramount importance. a
certain method may present fact
with MONDAY clearness to one child,
and have it enveloped in Egyptian
darkness to another.
Hence the necessity of attending as
sociations and institutes; Of subscribing
to educational journals, that we may
learn the most advanced and approved
methods of teaching.
The teachers of Newberry County
have most enviable reputation. Let
US Strive to KEEP it. To do so it is
necessary that each teacher in the
county should think that upon his
shoulders rests the esponsibility of
holding our position.
Let every one attend the associa-
tion's meetings. One day in every
month is full little time to give to so
important work, and great and last
ing benefits will result from constant
attendance.
Let US begin this scholastic year
with full realization of our response
bility, and an -unalterable deter nina
ton to take advantage of every oppor-
tunitv offered US to convert our
into power. r. w. K.