Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-06-08
Democratic Northwest.
The Teachers Vocation.

1nO ACAChCN bOCNttOus
AS chance affords me an opportunit
will write few lines which will pei
haps prove as beneficial to myself q
to others who are engaged In the hon
orable vocation of teaching. There
no person assumes such tremendou
responsibilities as the teacher. How
few of US are fitted to discharge then
properly! This can be done only b.
clearly comprehending the nature o
the duties we assume.
The schoolmaster Is dealing will
mind, not with matter. He Is con
tinually welding an influence for goot
or for bad. Those confided TO his car'
are receiving impressions by his words
acts, and even looks that will remain
as long as the susceptibility of the
mind to retain impressions shall en-
dure. Hence, how much we should
be impressed with the solemn thought
that the teachers influence will attend
through all coming time. II this be
true, fellow teacher, let us earnestly
strive for the cultivation of those quail
ties, and the acquisition of that knowl-
edge, which will enable us to labor
wisely and well.
It Is not the person who can passth
strictest examination that is fit to
manage school. 1t takes peculiar
person to be the right sort Ofa teacher.
He Is an article compounded of vari-
ous ingredients, such as can not be
bought at the drug store. His mind
should be fountain, not reservoir.
His knowledge should gush up of
itself, and not have to be drawn up as
by windlass. He should be a scholar
ofsome beneath as well "a depth; know
ing more than the mere routine ofdaily
study and not man whose half-dozen
thoughts rattle Ia his vacant head like
the shrunken kernels in bean-pod.
He should not be compelled TO draw
his illustration for tile Recitation room
from the tales of his grandfather, or
from last years almanac.
Again, he should be man of integ-
rity, of moral rectitude, and purity of
/. character. Besides this, IL he possesses
the light of christian faith it will
irradiate his scientific and literary ac'
quirements, make them shine with a
brighter luster. Let the common
school teacher possess qualifications
like these, and he can do much, yea
more for the renovation of society
than any other person.
The idea that any one can keep
school is quite common; SO that many
schools have been kept, that is they
have been from true knowledge.
Men who have no fixed views or plans
engage in excepting school, though
they never teach, because they are
untaught. 1t is not enough that a
man is good and steady 10 order to be-
come a teacher. His whole life and
character should be so pure and correct
that heshall constitute apattern worthy
of the closest imitation. Ifthe teacher
would effectually discountnance pro-
family, he must do so "by word and
deed" Ifhe would encourage frank
ness and love for truth and honesty,
his very action must be free from
guile. fhe would form true regard
forregularity and punctuality, his own
practices must be in strict accordance
with these qualities. In fact, his en-
tire conduct, his conversation, his ap-
pearance must bespeak and confirm
the propriety Of the precepts he would
inculcate. Say fellow teacher is this
asking too much?
We should we'll consider the nature
and magnitude of the duties to be as
sumed, and then strive earnestly and
constantly for the faithful perform
ance of those duties. Let us look
onward and upward remembering that
"they who SOW shall in due time reap
If they find not" Let not the per-
plexities that beset our path give us
undue trouble. These if rightly re-
garded will only quicken and improve
US. Iadmit, to require perfection in
the teacher would be to demand more
than can be attained In this life; be-
cause If we should reach our idea of
perfection a higher standard would be
revealed to us. Remember, that all