St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1893-09-23
SCHOOL AND TEACHER.

SCHOOL AND TEACHER.
New Orleans, Sept. u, 1893.
Epefos s.. TAnnAyY FAl,asa:
Esjoying : few leisure moments,
and having read in your valuable
paper q the commendable ensrgy
displayed BY tho school board Of
your pazis6, In providing schools
q longer teams than formerly, and
. I have been . teacher in lie pub
He schools In st. Tammany for
some years, I IN prompted to
write, . few thoaghts q The school
teacher, trusting the publication Of
them In your entefpfising paper
Vim Be helpful and bene6cial to
those Who believe In The power and
honest administration q that hither-
to neglected institution. While our
college doors are open and seats
within are filed. while faculties Of
the same are doing good for the
land, elevating minds, by giving
higher learning, our public schools
are In the field accomplishing I'M
told victories. An along we have
seen the benefits derived from our
public school system with meager
help from the State. We have seen
mot only what the public schools
srs doing and have done, but We
see the many better things that It
can and viii do, backed by intel.
lieeut and public sentiment. We
have seen that the public school IL
not simply : building. rude in the
country, toleeable IN the village
and handsome In the city. Not
simply . place provided with desks,
chalrs, blackboards and maps, and
made ready for the entrance Of one
styled teacher. to visit every morn.
Ing and there meet . number Of
children, hear . number Of lessons,
without explanations) then dismiss
and 20 home or 60 OF pleasure
seeking. Such may have been the
public school system Of the past, or
. somebody has said, schooi-keep-
er, and perhaps some such impos-
tors are skulking around now, but
the awakened interest Of patron
and trustee i fast chasing them out
OF The schools. The interested
patron in on their tracks, and II
they chance to catch them, they
run them through the broken pane
and get their measure, "seven
inches BY nine" The public school,
like . public garden, i opened to
III. rich, poor, high or low. All
forms Of seed, I'll kinds Of plants
are there for cultivation. Tho
teacher = the gardener, whose duty
it b 70 watch every tender plant and
to ferilise the soil with words Of
kindness and examples Of morals.
The teacher should water the plants
with wisdom's spring, and when
weeds and tares are seen choking
The plants, pull them up and burn
them. The weeds and tares are
onkind looks, unchaste language,
angry frowns and stubborn hearts.
A. . mould the public school Is
shaping the future farmer, mechanic.
lawyer, doctor, preacher, teacher
and financier, (not the kind that
has cornered the money market. }
Then how great 10 the responsibility
Of the public school teacher, and how
careful ough: be q she 70 be; how
mindful q little things that are con-
traIy 70 ture morals and gentle
manners? Then the true teacher h
thoughtful; be must study the dis
position Of every child; think
what perhaps Tie most pooely clad
urchin - destined to Be. Think
what the country mostly needs,
good, honest, liberty loving, law
abiding citizens, and that the gov
hes prepared the public
school factory for the making Of
such, and pays the teacher . salary
- manager Of The same. In the
hands Of the public school teacher
the government trusts it, raw ma
terial, 20 that the teacher can turn
useful instruments for the country's
good. The teacher must fashion
he model daughter, the industrious
Don, The loving mother and eco0o.
nical father. Must prepare for
future years . nation proud Of
home comforts. Let us thank the
Almighty for having provided for
70 such n avenue q usefulness -
Ehe public school system, and for
,onscienaous teachers, interested
patrons and trustees. and strive TO
i've useful lives, trusting that good
Vim come from our work.
Yours for the right,
w. w. JOHNSON.
The Illinois Central tsain, en-
cute from Chicago to New Orleans,
~ attacked by robbers, last We'd |