The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1894-05-31
A wnysidc Chat with Teachers
BY VELMA CALDWELL MELVILLE.

Not with college presidents and
lordly professors, because they do
not come among ue, and perhaps
do not really need the hints we
purpose dropping during this little
chat; no, not these, but with the
young sons and daughters Of Amer
lea who are engaged in teaching
country schools or the lower grades
of other schools; with those who
have to do with the first formation
of the child's character; with those
whose image must, for time and
eternity, reflect from those same
children.
A teachers position is such a
responsible one! Sometimes we
may forget this; our sensibilities
become du]led by the monotonous
routine; but the fact remains and
wo ought not to forget it,
We are astonished when we hear
teachers complaining that thoy
cannot interest their scholars; can
not control them, etc., and arc in
clined to blame tho teacher.
Not that children are not Oft
times irritating and paront's inju-
dlcious, but We know, from long
experience, that ninoty-nino out of
every one hundred pupils can be
managed, and that without resort
to the rod; and yet, right horo,
would say, if corporal punishment
really becomes necessary, apply it
coolly, but emphatically. We
have used tho ferule when we had
to turn our face aside to hide the
tears that would start; but we had
found that it must be that or ex-
pulslon; and we recognize the sa-
credness of overy child's right to
an opportunity for an education,
and would resort to expulsion on
~ in the extremity that his infiu-
ence was seriously iniuring others.
Though now "only related to the
profession by marriage" we love
to recall our not far-past expert
ence as q teacher, much as an old
soldier delights in reminiscencies :;
and sometimes when we sec mis-
chievous lads, between the ages of
ten and eighteen, going to the bad
because they cannot got along with
the teachers, we feel as if we want
cd to lend hand, or at least tell
how we managed. We remember,
for example, ON intermediate room
all who have been instructors in
this grade know that it is compos.
cd of boys and girls just at the
age hardest to manage-where we
taught for n year. We made nc
particular rules; we did not go in
rs if such a thing as enmity had
ever been known to exist between
teacher and pupils; but we gave
them to understand that we were
all there to do the best work posi-.
bic, and have tho best time posi-.
BILE. We did not hesitate to say
that we did not like all work and
monotony any better than thoy
did.
We used to say: "Now We have
just 80 much that must DO dono;
the sooner we got through the
sooner we will have a story, or q
song, or work in the plants, or GOV.
or states, or got ready for the exer
cises Friday, or something of the
Sort We always had something
going on beside routine work, and
in regard to this last, we arranged
it so there was enough good.natur.
cd competition existing to keep
everybody awake.
Once in two weeks we had q
public and invited everybody.
and they came, too; and how i'm.
portant and interested those chill.
dren worel
for another thing wo made O
speciality Of decorating and maxine
tho schoolroom homelike and bean.
tlfnl. One large, sunny corne,
was turned into green.bo,an
Somebody brought a large ruo
In tho centre of this we placed ,
stand. Hero we arranged n few
he l.