The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1893-07-28

CONDUCTED BY PROF. REoAS.


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the teachers county institute Law,
as ii has been SO very prominent
before the public for more than
year.
Therefore let us consider, in the
first place, some of the reasons for
which IL was established.
As this age Of progress is rapidly
Passing eld things by and bringing
into existence new and better things,
iti is reasonable TO suppose that our
leading school officials saw that, a.
mong other things, the old methods
of teaching had been repudiated
and new and skilIIuI methods found
for the teacher of to-day. Or, IN
other words, the times had raised
the teaching profession, in the esli-
nation of our educational leaders,
to an equal of any other profession.
And a preparation was just as in
dispensable to success for the teach
or in his profession as 1t was for the
lawyer, physician and minister in
their professions.
The fact was also plain that the
old instruments of teaching bad
been laid aside and new instruments
placed in store for the teacher. But
IL was just as useless 10 place them
in the hands Of an educated person
who was unprepared for the service
of a teacher as required nowadays
as it would have been to have
placed the proper set of tools in the
hands of an ignoramus 10 do the
duty of dentist or a surgeon.
As none but the skilled, enter
prising and progressive dentist can
use his tools advantageously and
succeed in his work, so none but
the teacher who places himself in
the swim and is carried along by
the current of time can use the
methods of teaching successfully as
required nowadays.
think ii safe to say, in the Sec
ond place, that our educators saw
that the public school teachers were
divided into three general classes,
the first composed of the live, pro
gressive, enterprising teachers, who
were preserving the reputation of
their high profession by pro-
viding themselves with educa-
tional journals and teachers insti-
tutes and keeping themselves post
ed.
The second class, composed Of
students of our high schools and
colleges, who, although they had
accumulated sufficient stock of in
formation TO admit them 10
this high and sacred profession, yet
had only a faint conception of what
to do, why to do and how to do sue
cessfully. And the third class, COM
posed of the old sort of teachers,
who had forgotten the opportuni-
lies in their school days Of fitting
themselves to teach, instead oil tell
ing, and TO train the young minds,
instead of examining them. Hence
they were adhering strictly 10 the
old methods. But they could no
more measure with the require
ments oil this age than the old stage
coach OF the past could measure
with the yestibule train OF the pres
ent.
The fact was also apparent that
every year raised the teaching pro-
fession to some extent. III meant
more to be teacher in 1892 than
ever before. Hence there was an
increased obligation resting upon
every teacher to raise the education
al fraternity to an equality with any
other profession.
1t was not enough that a teacher
be from this or that college. Tt re-
quired more than to hold this or
that grade of license, or TO stand up
on an equality with other represen-
tatives in representing the brain OF
community. But to be able
to apply the proper condi-
sions of development and growth
successfully depends upon the teach
er's comprehension of The capacity
and need OF the child and her un-
derstanding Of the child's intellect
and how to guide 1t in its work.
In view of these facts and many
others which / have not lime to
mention, our educators saw that q
better state Of affairs might exist ii
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