Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-03-29
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FoR
TEACHERS.
Read beGIre the rri-rownship Teach
ers' Ass lciation. at Rtdgeville,
March IL, by w. I. Chapman.

cellence in their profession, should
make dilligent inquiry after the
means; and one OF those means is to
look diligently to the sources Of per
sonal influence. Every thoughtful
teacher is already aware that this is,
to him, specially needful Command
ing talents may be chief reliance for
success at the bar; superior natural
ingenuity may be a necessary prereq-
uisite in a mechanic, or a surgeon;
fine natural tastes may give eminence
to an artist; or mathematical genius
give crowning success to an astrono-
mer; but to all other acquisitions, the
teacher must be able to touch the
very springs of human action. Here
the question very naturally comes in.
Upon what does this power depend?
and can personal influence be
strengthened where it is at first very
feeble ~
In the first place, an easy and
natural ascendency dis acquired over
the minds of pupils by prof essing and
exhibiting a thorough knowledge of
the subjects taught. Nothing can be
more destructive of teachers influ-
ence than a manifest ignorance of i'm
parting facts and prineiples,-a reli-
ance upon text books, or hesitation
even, before a school or class. The
pupils personal respect for the teach
ers character, decreases in the direct
ratio of their loss of confidence in his
scholarship. And, again, extensive
requirements in knowledge of oil
kinds has direct tendency to increase
the teachers personal authority.
Then how important for us to add
continually to our stock Of knowledge,
not simply by mastering the difficult
ties in our text books, but by treasur-
ing up a large amount of collateral
information, valuable always in q
professional life as a source of intel
lectual power, but in our profession
valuable in two respects-both as a
source of mental strength, and Of
personal influence. In the accom-
plishment of this the teacher should
not only be close reader OF the po-
litical, scientific, and religious htera-
ture of the day, but he must familiar
ize himself somewhat with the ancient
and modern classics. II he has not
already done so, he should commence
the formation of library, into
which he should introduce as he may
be able, such standard works as Ban
croft, McCauley and Gibbon-Shak-
spear, Tennyson and Longfellow--
Robinson Crusue, Arabian knights,
and Don Quixote, Dickens, Scott and
Thackeray.
But we should not only take good
care of our literary and scientific at
tainments, but we should be able to
teach well any given subject connect
ed with our regular work, for this al
so contributes directly and certainly
to personal influence for older per-
sons, as well as children, yield almost
unreserved submission to the teacher,
winter or speaker, who possesses the
requisite knowledge and ability to
impart valuable truths in an in
teresting manner.
Another factor which gives prompt
and positive ascendency over the
minds of Young America is found in
gentleness and kindness of manner
for all hours, all duties, and all oc-
casions, which should of course be
blended with discretion, and decision
of,purpose. Every child values per-
sonal sympathy from a superior,
especially from teacher, and other
things being equal, the stronger the
affection of the teacher for his pupils
the more controlling will be his infiu-
ence over them
One of the most difficult things for
a teacher to do is to maintain, under
all circumstances, habitual self con-
troll, and unaffected serenity of temp
er, and yet these will command
among pupils, involuntary respect.
Disobedience and mutinous conduct
stand rebuked and abashed in the
presence of these qualifications.
The foregoing sources of influence,
are referred to simply as relating to
ordinary schooldiscipline, and as in
dispensible to fair success in school
government. Is there anything more
required of teacher than to teach
well and govern well. Is there any
tribunal that will ever hold him in
any way responsible for the moral
culture of his pupils? If SO then there
are deeper and mightier influences to
be sought by the teacher.
DR.. Hancock, of Cincinnati, one of
our most prominent educators once
made the following remarks in dis
cussing this subject before an as
sembly of fteachers:-"I do not believe
in frequent appeals to the conscience
of children; do not think it any part
of a teachers duty to impart special
moral instruction. I have no patience
with the system of lecturing good
ness into children. Children are sent
to school for the purpose of receiving
intellectual culture, and nothing else.
| believe that thorough mental dici-
pline are the chief requisites in the
formation of character. If l had
twenty sons l would have their NOR
al characters formed by the study of
Plutarch's Lives"
This gentleman was, also, exceed
ingly emphatic in his denunciation of
sectarianism, religious cant and
"Pecksniffian whining" We too,
fellow teachers, should have no
patience with sectarian bigotry, or
religious cant but there is cant of in
fidelity, and sneering of irreligion,
which are a thousand times more hurt
full and detestable, than all the relig-
ious bigotry that ever cursed Christen-
dom. | do not believe that learning,
mere mental dicipline, has power to
make pure heart, and a righteous
life. Indeed common observation
teaches us that many of the greatest
scoundrels that have ever cursed the
world, have been men Of thorough
intellectual culture, and not the Cos
| pei of Christ aloue, but all human
history teaches the necessity of-care-
full moral training. The chief aim of
education should be to make good
citizens. The generation of children
in our schools must be lifted up to
that which is noble, and true in life,
but we must be careful not to substi-
tute dry formulas, for the living spirit.
Children are influenced little by
creeds but mighty by example. Then