Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-01
MRS. WALDEN'S ESSAY.
The Work Before the Public Schools In
diligently Discussed.

The Work Before the Public Schools In
diligently Discussed.
| The following essay was read by Mrs.
| Walden, one of the teachers in the high
school. before the Teachers institute yes
| terday, and is well worthy of careful per-
| usal by all interested in educational mat
| tiers. The subject is handled in the earnest
| style OF one who has the cause at heart,
| and the readers of The GAZETTE would do
well to paste it in their scrap books for fut-
| ure reference:
| 1t is a great privilege to the American
| child to attend the American public schools.
| One reason is because this school is the best
| representative of this nationality, of its
| purest ambitions, its most earnest efforts.
| Another is because it draws from all classes
| of citizens; thus working side by side on
equal footing, here they learn to know one
| another. a bond of sympathy is formed
| uniting all classes. This looks toward the
| complete unifcation Of our people, the ac-
| cumplishment of the broad and generous
| plan and principles of our political institu-
! tons. Educated in our public schools, one
| finds his prejudices of caste and class Civ
| ing away, and eventually strong lines of
sympathy and love radiating from his own
bosom and reaching alike into
the mansion of the capitalist and
the home of the lowliest laborer
Another advantage that the public school
has is that as an organization it is the out
growth of the combined wisdom of thou
sands OF the most earnest thinkers, philan-
thropistS and workers of this thinking and
working age. The last school census re-
ports for the public schools more than 800
0G0 teachers alone: to these must be added
the school directors, the lecturers, the leg
islators and the thousands of thoughtful
friends with no official position, who recog-
nize this institution as the hope of their
children and their country. To many such
we are all no doubt personally consciously
indebted for the most valuable counsel.
Again. the capital invested and the or
ganization made possible give opportunity
for more available disposition of forces for
better organization than under any other
arrangement.
But we are all painfully aware that our
public school system is not perfect in its
plans or in its workings. Every
thing has not been done. The
paths have not been laid out
smooth and even for US workers of this day
and hour. There is abundant room, nay,
an imperative demand for the best that is
within US. We teachers must look thought
fully, earnestly over the field before US,
and erergized by all the impulses of philan-
thropy, patriotism and humanity, address
ourselves to the work in hand. Over II, 000,-
600 children in the public schools last year!
Think of it! Imagination reels at the con-
temptation of so vast an army. They are
thronging, thronging on every side, these
children with their needs, their POSSIBLE
ties. their hunger, their thirst. Beware
that we give them not stones for bread. or
mixed and adulterated drink for the clear
water OF truth. With the child, now is the
accepted time; to-day is the golden oppor-
tunity; he can be more readily impressed
to-day than he can tomorrow.
Let US look more closely at our own par
ticular work. Here in Fort Worth there
are some 5000 children that look to US for
that guidance by which they may be led to
a noble manhood and womanhood. l was
much impressed when, eighteen months
ago, these all united IN long procession to
march to the laying of the cornerstone of
this building Especially when the long file
of little boys passed, the tears would come.
If we are fully alive to our trust what
greater reward would we ask than that we
might be permitted to lead these into the
paths of rectitude and usefulnessl What
more would a noble, aspiring soul yearn
for2 Wealth. pleasures. glory, hOnorS,
sink, sink out of sight before the glory and
happiness of such work as this. Is there
any one you would rather be than true
teacher2 Make your selection. l Will not
offend your sense Of your own dignity and
worth by asking if you would rather be a
person with mere material wealth, with
gold and silver and bank notes, with equi-
fronts-but will look little higher Is it
the artist, the sculptor, the musician, the
poetl All what sculptor ever had such
precious material as the human spirit to
chsel into forms of highest beauty What
music is like that awakened by according a
human soul to the vast music of the uni
verse, setting 1t in harmony with all its re-
lations and with the great truthl But,
ali! the poet! He it is that we APP
proach with greatest reverence of all. And |
yet the poet is ever greater than any |
of his works, and we are told that the great |
poetic heart is to him more precious pos |
session than fair poetic fame; that heart |
which shows to him in material things the |
great spirit throbbing and expressing it |
self through ali This is the poets gift, |
and the poets work is to bring to light the |
beautiful thing that he has found that man
kind may see it too; to translate into words |
the vision he has seen, that the tired |
the dusty wayfarer may behold |
and forget his WEAKNESS. And poets may I!
we be as we see through these forms of |
flesh and blood ranged before US the i'm
mortal spirit that dwells within; as we see
the folded buds capable of manifesting untold |
beauty; as we see also the parasites threat
ening the perfect development of the plant.
Poets may we be and the four walls in
which we are closed may widen into
palace of glory on which are inscribed pure
thoughts, throbbing aspirations, efforts to-
ward the higher which by and by will lead
to the highest. Poets may we be, writing
glorious things, golden truths, not with pen
and ink, not even on the fleshly tablets of
the heart, but on the ever-during tablets
Of mind and spirit.
Coming to the practical point, what are
some of the lessons most important for US
10 teachl We all say, First, truthfulness
above all things" Yes, above all things
Grades. promotions, arithmetic, geography |
md spelling shrink out of sight when CON
,idered beside this first requisite of human
character. Yet we know that this is some
lines hard to inculcate. 1t must be the
spirit of our own lives.
Thou must be true myself
II thou the truth would st teach"
We are not prepared to teach truth if we
10 not value it above reputation, above
Ease, above self in every form: and if we
ire not prepared to teach truth, would it
lot be better that milestone were hanged
,bout our necks and we were cast into the
lea than that We should thus traitorously
appear before Gods little ones2 Yet, would
,ou hear confession2 Would YOU bear
With a personal experience given by way of
to those of tender con-
;cience7 It has been many years since
ruth in all its aspects came before my con-
ciousness as that supreme object to be cul-
ivated, to be sought after, to be practiced. |
All, see the vision now, simply the word
n letters Of golden light Of supernal radi-
Ince, Illuminating the wall before me.
With that thrill of soul which comes to US
n our most exalted moments. I resolved to |
myself to that which was so beau