Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1893-05-11

The extract below IS IN contlnua-
ton of the plan suggested two weeks
since-that teachers should read more
concerning their work. This is from
the New York School Journal, one
of the best educational journals pub
lished. We hope every teacher will
read it and act accordingly:
There came to the editors, in De-
cember, letter from teacher IN
Missouri, which contained the follow
ing lines: q doubt whether | had
better think of remaining in the
school-room; my pay is small, s23
per nonth;and thereis but five months
school. l can canvass for books and
make twice or three times that. AS
l like teaching it will be hard for me
TO give it up. This is my second
effort to make start in life in the
school room and / have had very good
success The reply to this letter
did not attempt to urge the writer to
remain in the school-room. 1t was
substantially rs follows:
Whether you continue to teach IS
a matter to be settled by considering
far more than the fact that you
receive only s23 per month. You
must consider whether you have natu-
raj adaptation to the work to be done
in the school-room. Do you love to
be useful to mankind? Do you feel
happy in beneftlng young people !?
Do you have good deal of satlsfac-
ton in reading, studying, learning in
general:
Let me suppose that you answer
these questions in the affirmative.
That fact would seem to indicate
that YOU had the natural fitness the
teacher requires. Now there are sew
eral things more, two especially: Cd
Have you good scholarship? (2)
. Have you kno', ledge of education
do not ask about your experience.
that will come in time (you will learn
to teach by teaching); nor about your
personal appearance, nor as to your
manners, nor as to your habiliments
nor as to your knowledge of the ways
of the world. All these have a bear
inc on your success in the school
room. / will confne myself wholly
to the first two points-your scholar
ship and your pedagogical knowledge
You will allow one 10 suppose tina
Your scholarship is only medium, be
cause that is the case with mos
, teachers. Ninety-nine per cent o
the teaching force know but littl'
more than their older pupils, unles
, we except primary teachers; nor dc
tnev care to. But the best teacher
t are good thinkers. You cannot be
come a good thinker without havln!
{ something to think upon, and so tn
:, best teachers have good scholarship
!, Hence, to be a good teacher yo'
, must advance in eight lines 0
thought, Mathematics, Earth, Peo
pie, Things (Physics), Self (Bod
S and Mind), Ethics, Language an
n Doing (nrawing, Penmanship, Pant
e ing, Constructing, etc. The bes
y way for you is to take up two Q
l. three subjects and study them on
i hour a day at least. Suppose 70
f take the first three, Arithmetic, Ge
e ography Botany, Minerals, Zoology
6 and History, and work twenty mlr
n utes every day in each for year
! you will be surprised at your pre-
is gress; you will not be ;he same PEI
p son.
N You will allow me to suppose thu
d your knowledge of Pedagogy
j. small, for the fact is that scarcel
,r any one understands the Science
IS Education. a good many ha,
IL made very extensive attalnments
II the Practice of Education, but the
cannot reduce their knowledge
accurate statements. For most
these have got hold Of the great prl7
"a ~ ciples, as l may say, through the
lg fingers ends. Such men rise
n lI positions where they obtain We
ID good salaries. You can get hold
ne ne these principles in better and easl
ms ms way by studying Education; as y.
q study it you must practice 1t : t
w y. school-room.
81 For example, suppose you a
al "a, studying the educational princlpl
oh aConnect the truth of the lesson
ne to-day with that gained from sor
'ct other lesson.'' You should app
ng this in every recitation and not
es' low yourself not to apply it.
eir / have taken it for granted tn
nd you cannot attend normal schoe
An take it Also for granted that y
ch are willing to attend sort of no,
OF normal school. Join with one
more teachers, and meet to stu
education at regular times. | firm
nj believe that if you begin to-day,
,ut reading this letter, in three years y
will Oe receiving s75 per month