Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-04-13
Tenure of Office for Teaehers.

Tor the teacher. Changes are disturb
ance to all earnest work, and the teach
or whose Office among the pupils may
be OF short duration, will not aim at a
result which can only prove itself far in
the future, and would require long con-
tinued and persistent effort to bring it
about.
The most succe ssful teachers have,
usually, been those who passed years
OF their life arOong one set of pupils
Not only was their work more earnest
because they hoped themselves to reap
the reward of it, but when the result
was seen, the world gave them the cred.
It; hence their fame.
Long continuance in Office is better
Tor the pupils. They will do more to
please teacher whose authority is like
y to endure; they can understand and
work better for one whose objects they
/ know.
The present system is an injustice to
the teacher. Any Office that requires
OF man thought, effort, attention, toll
| &C., should insure to him position and
income. In any other sphere Of life il
IS impossible to obtain man of talent
and capacity to fill position OF trust
where nc security is granted in return
for bis work.
1t is unjust to the pupil. His work,
too, should be continuous-not scatter
ed IN different directions; not wasted
IN trying to understand new teachers
manner and meaning and so half lost.
l would lmost as soon think of giving
child a new mother as a new teacher
every teri q.
Much f the training power of a
teacher L les in the love with which he
inspires his pupils. Love is of slow
growth; as slow of growth, indeed, as
the inte rest which teacher acquires in
each individual pupil.
At the end of term, perhaps at the
moment, Of separation, the teacher has
but begun TO understand some of his
pupils, and his knowledge of this kind
is of no use to his successor; it can not
| be transmitted.
Is it not an injustice to the child to
deprive it OF the interest and sympathy
1t has itself inspired to place it again
under the rule of a stranger, with whom
1t must win its way by new efforts
perhaps in new and strange direction?
Children, like adults, are so much the
creatures of habit.
DO we not pity the child who, having
lost its mother, has to begin anew and
win love from new mother? Does it
ever succeed IN interesting stranger
In its little ways and weaknesses as its
sisters and brothers are interested? Is
it not so, IN lesser degree, with teach
ersT Having achieved an interest IN
the child, and having won its conf
dence, all important obstacles in the
way of training that child, are cleared
away.
Any really good teacher is sufficient
ly in earnest to appreciate the advant-
age of such continuance of his inlu-
ence. The love of change troubles but
few OF them, and those only who are
least capable in their office
| A teacher who remains among the
same people for years, feels sense of
responsibility that can not be expected
of one who is moving from place to
place, without sojourn in any one
place of sufficient duration to prove to
himself and his employers the value and
durability of his work. Is his work
well donep Time will prove it. Is it
i'll dOne-full of error, deficient in earn
estness, based on false principles? Time
alone can demonstrate its falseness.
A boy or girl may do some teaching.
just to earn little money; but such
teaching is of no value to the taught;
and an adult, wishing to learn some
thing, would never think of going to
such a teacher for instruction.
With true teacher, teaching is an
earnest life-work; and as year by year
he gains in experience, devotion and
understanding, his results increase i'm
value. Now, such q teacher has n
right to a secure position and a suffi
Gent income for his needs-he must be
placed beyond fear of want.
How the teachers influence is in
creased when he comes before you as
the well known head of some great
school IN which he has taught for many
years. On the other hand, how little
Importance does the world attach to the
word of teacher who has spent his
years teaching, few months at time
IN say. thirty different places.
Does not the school itself lose its pres
tige by such changes and the pupil
reaps not the benefit he might Justly
claim in his intercourse with strangers.
as a pupil of school renowned for its
excellent teachers.
Who knows anything about the teach.
ers who are changed every term ? What
have they ever done ? Where is the
fruit of their efforts? You never learn
whether they are capable or incapable.
Many OF them are, doubtless, quite un-
lifted for their work; and manv of the
nnest teachers are constantly without
employment shifting about from school
to school in hope of finding work to en-
ploy their talents.
Here is a class trying toften in vain
70 learn something from girl who ha.
never learned to teach: and there is a /
valuable and experienced teacher pass,
ing weary months in enforced idleness
such system is a wrong, and the |
children are greater sufferers by it than
the teachers.
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