The Magnolia gazette., 1892-04-23
TEACHERS PREPARATION.
By Prof. 3. c. ouiu, osyka.

Teaching is now recognized as .
profession. The school law by its
requirements is rapidly forcing il
to rank as one of the learned pro-
fessions. This is not only the cas-.
il our own State, but it is so in
neighboring States and through
out the Union. The oil i-time prda-
gogue with limited artainments il
laid on the shelf with other arti-
clps that have outlivpd their use
fulness, and but shO t chapter is
given to him in the history of edu-
Gators. The text books that he
used aud that he chiefly expOunded
by a lavish use Of the rod are out
ot date, and in this day and time
when his antiquaied modes are
mentioned, q smile of deIisiOn may
be seen on the faces of all excep,
the old fogies anu moss backs.
DO not understand me to con-
denim all the melbods of t. aching
that were used in a former day.
There have been many excellent
teachers all along from the time OF
Socrates to the present, and even
before that ancient philosopher
stepped upon the stage of educa-
tion. Yes, in all times there have
been superior teachers, and many
OF their plans for importing in-
slruction to youth can not be SUP
planted without damaging results.
Those superior teachers in the long
ago generally belonged to high
schools ami colleges. What are
known as the rural districts, az u
general thing at that time, had
their teachers chairs fill ed with |
fashioned pedagogues of meagr
qualifications, or with young men,
who, though very well qualified,
were teaching but tempia' lily as
a makeshift for living while they
were preparing themselves fol
some other calling: such is the case
to a great extent with young pela-
gogues Of this day. The occupa-
tion of teaching was at that TIM
regarded as u kind of one horse
haf.respectable trade; now il
stands m the foremost ranks o.
honurab G voca tiOns, aud Is loudly
knorklng at IN door and demand
ing admission into thu ranks of h,
learned professions. Comparative
ly speaking it has been but few
years since the Old-fashioned pedA-
gOgnes made their bow tn he pub
lie and took their leave. In truth, =
few If these silveI-halred relics OF
the past still lmger on the extreme
COT fines Of time and threshold oi
eternity, and still have their nam :
on the teachers roll but th'. IN -
of these languishing few have so
remohelled themselves and are So
Vanished by tine requirements OF
the public school law of the pres
ent day that they would scarcely
be reco gnizd as having once been
old time pedag CUES ofihe long ag ).
The great majority oftheir veteran
brethren who are still among tht
living. and who once filled the edu
cational wants in he country dis
tlIcts, are now quietly ~ sting on
the shelf. They did not have tn
energy or the ability TO T. mode.
their education 10 suit the demands
of progI essive public aud an eX-
actiRg school law, and they would
fail a. get a certificate from an eX-
amiDing school board.
In alluding 10 the few teachers OF
the old time class vino have studied
and kept pace with the times,
spoke of them as silvtr-haired relic
of the past. / aid not mean 10y this
TO east any rep oach upon old ag-;
nor did mean to say that all ledun-
efs whose heads are frosted by tnU
winters of time, once b longing to
what is known as the class of Old
fashioned pedagogues. | know that
the days Of my own youth "a G mum
hered with the by-gone, and thai
not many years hence we Who are
OF mi,ldle age will be classed among
the old m,n of the country. We
shOu!d ever h We deep reverence
for old age. We can not hUid back
the tleetlng years. and death is the
only agent that can prevent Us from
grnwing old. But whe her old OF
young it's Incumb mt uprn every
one IL every Gazing to keep M
with all improved methods. Ii re
quires Thought and u'ly to do
this. The farmer who cul watts his
crops after the fashion OF only a
few years ago will come out behind
his ueighhur at harvest me. Tie
teacher who ciings lelY TO the
methods OF long ago will soon have
TO seek employ meut IN other ii ids.
The world is rapidly pIOgr
and it Is inc .ltable that those VIII
do not progress WI h 1t will he LEI
behind. The d fogy is one who is
welded 10 o.d methods and VIII
deSpl>es new ones, It m ltteis not
how plausible the la ter may be.
Progressive men re sari him as "A
dr0ne in the hive aud put hun out.
Teaching is now inhe i a profess
sim, anu, as a general thi g. il Cav
loIo ger be used as a III keshift
for living while one is fitting \ m
......... =. 9...s. "A ht14l