Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-30
TEACHERS Assoc1As1oN.
Caustio Words From a Conscientious
Teacher Get RID of Indifferents.

]
Mr.. Editor, if you will please be SO
kind as to give me small space in
your paper, which has all along
taken such an interest in the schools
of the county, | would like to make
known to the people more definitely
the critical condition of some OF their
teachers.
After our annual or regular ex-
animation and profitable institute,
held in GAINESVILLE last July, most OF
the teachers agreed to organize a
Teachers Association" This was
done, and to meet monthly at Clarks-
vile. Has it been q failure? No,
by no means. Though not single
program was rendered, the result
was not failure. We have learned
more than we would like 20 know,
We have found out how many
worthless teachers there are in the
county and the material out OF which
the most are made. Three times
have a few of us met at the appoint
ed place and time to attend the asso
citation, but at no one time were
there ever as many as dozen teach
ers present, usually about three or
four. This meeting has closed be-
cause a sufficient number of teachers
would not come out. Was it the
fault of the county superintendent
that it closed? Not by any means.
| know, under the circumstances, he
has done all in his power TO pro,
mote this interest. 1t was the fault
of unworthy teachers, fogies, and
know all normal teachers, who are
50 inflated that we've Solomon in all
his wisdom to return they would not
be willing to exchange knowledge
with him, much less ideas.
No man knows it all. The best
teacher can learn, profit and draw
valuable lessons from the poorest
teachers. His broken thoughts and
fogy methods may furnish material
with which the ideal teacher is to
build his foundation, the tools with
which he is to fit the stone in the
walls, or the polish with which he is
to brighten and beautify his magniti-
cent structure.
If the county has teachers who do
not endorse associations or in.
stitutes, or are so Indifferent
as not to keep up with the
meetings-and she doubtless has
them if we let actions speak-she
should not be slow in Kidding herself
Of them. They ought to go, they
will go; they must go, sooner OF
later.
OF course this DOES not refer to
those who were and are anxious to
come and whose circumstances were
such that their presence was impOs-
sible, but those who can 90 and simp
Iy will not because they fear they
will have to say or do something ;
spend few cents of their 50 called
honestly earned money, or think no
body can teach them anything and
that tdey know all that is to be
learned about school teaching,
These are the ones / mean. DO you
feel bad over it? Are you insulted ?
hope you are. Now can't you re-
form?
The press and city teachers have
indeed manifested a deep interest in
our behalf, doing all they could to
help Us, but we would not act. 1t is
not their fault, but ours.
We have young men and women
teachers who have no earthly excuse
for not attending associations, and
their lack of doing this has shown
the county the material of which
they are composed, the stand
which they take educalionally
and the channel in which
they are drifting. We do not want
such composition in the school-room;
other places of less importance may
be found for them.
Patrons and directors, let me as a
teacher ola few years experiences, as
one who feels interested in the work =,
as one who believes in progress and
educational changes, warn you
against all such indifferent, worth
less teachers. They have done our
country much harm, and poisoned
and dWarfed the minds of boys and
girls, who in the hands of cOnscien
tious teachers would have been orna
meuts to church, state and society.
Why not have your children brought
up in the right way? You employ
the very best men you can get TO
train your horses and raise your
dogs. Are not your children more
valuable to you than these? Are
they not nearer and dearer to you?
Then secure the very best teachers
you can get, for they are to train
something more than livestoek-your
precious children, from whom you
seek all happiness, the sparkling
gems that are to light up the uni
verse, comfort mankind and rule the