The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-02-21
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
Delivered before the Teachers Institute OF
Carroll County,
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1891.
BY HENRY vAHnERFORp.

The weather was intensely cold the mercury reg
slering 10 degrees above zero anu e III If he
l52 teachers. The speaker commenced MS hnnIeHS
by saying
Lmlies and Gentlemen Of the Institute,
and orr Distinguished Visitors:
We welcome you today in the name Of
the School Board and the Examiner, and
in the name of the citizens of Westminster
and of Carroll county. We fear that
many of YOU were severely shaken up in
your journey thither over our knobby
roads, and if any of you thought ''the
times were out of joint, or that you your
selves were likely to be out OF joint before
YOU reached Westminster, you may con-
sole Yourselves with the reflection that
these are nobby times, and everything
must be nob5y, now. 80 keep pace with the
spirit of the age.
The subject of education appears to be
engaging the attention of mankind more
than ever before The profession OF
teacher is growing to be more and more
important. The teacher sustains very
delicate and responsible relation to society
second only to that of the minister Of the
gospel. who is commissioned both to teach
and to preach, warning every man, teach-
ina every man in ALL WISDOM, that he
may present every man perfect Inc
perfect man should be the object OF all
education. That system is imperfect
which falls short of The education of the
head. the hand and the heart, the fullest
development possible of the physical, mental
and moral being. | would reverse the
order in which | have mentioned this de-
velopment, and begin with the moral, as
of the first and highest Importance.
Whatever attainments Il man may possess,
if they be not based upon good moral
character, they will avail him but little,
and he will make a wreck of life in the end.
Some of the most brilliant men that have
adorned the history of this country, have
drowned their intellect in the incbrlatlDg
bowl. 80 that man should put an enemy
in his mouth to steal away his brains
Moral education should begin in the nur-
sery. the little one bowling at the altar Of
the mothers knee, and repeating that
inimitable prayer, sour Father. But 1t
is to be feared that that altar has been
thrown down, in too many instances, and
parental duty shifted to the Sunday School,
and the Sunday School itself, it is believ-
ed, might be more efficient in training the
youth committed to its charge.
We would teach, in the public schools,
manners as well as morals; reverence for
those in authority; reverence for age;
reverence for woman; reverence for the
house of God and his ministers; respect for
ones self; respect for all men, ''preferring
one another True politeness is one OF
the crying necessities of the times Fro
wardness of youth is revolving. If the
youth be depraved the nation is on the
decline. This sentiment will not be called
in question Parents and teachers would
do well to give special attention to these
subjects, for they are vital, not only to the
wellbeing of the children, but to the we'll
being of the State.
Who among us has successfully iathoni-
ed the depth of that familiar couplet OF
Popes-
IT'S education forms the common mind.
Just as the twig is bent the trees inclined.
But many of our American twigs are not
bent at all, for although the door of the
public school is wide open before them.
they will not enter its portals. And this
brings us to the consideration of compul-
sorry education, measure which seems
harsh at first blush, but no doubt best for
the child. la the case of INDECENT parents.
whose children are at service, aiding to
earn the daily bread of the family, it
ought to be modified in so far us to allow
the child to spend part of its time at
service, and part in the school. This
would give it chance at least for educa-
ton enough to become its own accountant.
Some of us, today, can turn back the
index upon the dial-plate of memory, to
the time of our first school experience, and
although that experience is widely variant
in most respects, in one thing the expert
enees all agree, and that is our carly aver
sion to the school room S. j. Smith, the
Quaker poet of New jersey, has well de-
scribed this in his simple but sensible lines
addressed to the alphabet:
To a. B. 4. q 90.
<v..,.aa Ia orookad fI,fngxI I mind