Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-05-19

Miss ". A. Holionl supervisor OF
primary instruction in the salt Lake
CITY public schools, read the following
paper at the closing meeting OF The CITY
teachers on Saturday lasts
How uany Teachers Improve Their
Qualification
The question lust stated is of indiyid.
ual interest to each Of the three hun
bred and sixty.hve thousand teachers OF
the United States. because upon them
rests the great responsibility of keeping
our public schools In touch with the liie
Of the people. and making them meet
the needs OF the future.
our schools arc worth what the men
and women who officer them are
worth; not a penny more AS they
develop into grand men aud women our
schools are lifted to their level
The estimate David Page placed upon
teaching helps us to see is Importance.
lie said. eft IS the highest and noblcst
profession. a cooperation with God Boo
The education Of the American people.
and Horace Mann wrote In his diary
1.-THE path Of usefulness Is now opened
before me. Few undertakings. accord
ing TO my appreciation OF u, have been
greater | know OF none which may De
more fruitful Boz beuclccnt results. God
grant me anuihiiaiion OF sclhshucss,
mind OF wisdom and a heart OF bcnvvO.
lence. let me strive to direct iis cur.
rent 10 such a manner, that. when ]
have departed from life, ! may still be
permitted to witness u course. ] may
behold ID broadening and deepening
an everlasting progression OF virtue dnd
happiness"
ID q with this broadening and deepen.
ing that we must deal today. Life Is
not what Il used to be. II IS greater in
volume, and the current Is swiiicr than
IN the days Of our forciathcfs.
Eighteenth century schools will not
M twentieth century life. Progress in
one line demands Il In another. We
cannot ride In electric cars and be salts.
fed with the A b { method Of teaching.
The schools and teachers OF fifty years
ago we're very different from those Of
today.
These evidences Of advancement are
very gratifying, and they furnish proof
that the old watchwofd, Education is
the hope OF the child Is still Inscribed
on our banner OF course, we are not
yet at the sunrise Of the millennium
morning, but we are making hcadway
In that direction
Progressive teachers everywhere now
realize that they must be broadly cdu'
cational-must accept the good no
matter from what source Il comes
They must be educatiye In heart and
soul, In spirit and inspiration, kccnly
alive TO the responsibility implied IN the
very name OF educator, and proud be.
You'd measure Of the glorious privilege
Of bearing Il. They must not throw
away their birthrghi. which IS Nd
Nancemcnt,' and wander back 10 bow
down before the alien gods, whom their
iofelathers iorsoOk. They must not
build permanent structures upon the
present plane Of thought, because there
Is no standsu1 In education.
The educational field Is only a camp
ing ground, where We may pitch our
tents today, aud tomorrow move on TO
the higher discovery or plane OF thought.
Were this not clearly sure, We should
never reach the lofty ideals which the
founders and prescryers Of our great
educational system have set before MS.
The first step toward reaching those
ideals or improving our qualification. Is
determination. We must not foolishly
overlook or conceal the mistakes We are
making, for that IS not the way 10 i'm.
prove On the contrary, we must sObetly
set TO work to find out all we can about
the cause and extent Of these mistakes;
must acknowledge them to be such and
then attack them with unyielding reso-
luton.
There arc many such evils 10 meet,
aud each must be fought ailer "a separate
fashion. Yet there Is one thing that
must be brought 10 the solution OF every
problem. That Is an intense and ieryid
desire for improvement, because the
end desired must be known before the
way.
The second round Of our ladder Is
study In some special line 20 meet the
individual need Or deficiency discovered
by the critical eye that has been search
ing Tor mistakes or detects by this
special work, old difficulties soon DIS
appear. and neglected subjects fairly
glow with interest and meaning. This
inward glance has clearly shown that
since the teacher is the lite OF the
school, he must have within him the
means OF sustaining life.
The next necessity IS one that ha'
within a few years seemed 10 ASSUME
enormous proportions. ltis professional
reading and study. The time has com,
when the conscientious teacher feels he
must know something OF the great
teachers OF the past aud present and OF
their principles and methods, lie can
10 longer be ignorant Of matters relat
iug to his profession.
Learn TO do by doing Is now changed
into learn to do by knowing Teachers
who have been first to realize this need
and most earnest IN meeting it, have ai
yancud In their work, and their school
Observation-Disclosures as ihcmsc'ye.
Experience does not necessarily max,
better teachers. II the classroom work
be not directed by wise thought. by
right principles, Il may soon become
mere routine, with less Of good than OF
evil in 10,
The teacher who daily grows mon,
skllmll is the Que who better under
stands the conditions OF mental develop,
ment and who has a distinct and iute.lI
gent model before him. This model 0
ideal must be Of bis own creation
formed after large research among th,
records Of the past Those who have
this information 10 guide them are no
likely to be deceived by appearances
and their new ideals are hgulds %
progress
our best teachers owe much of thci
value 20 the development that has beer
stimulated by professional reading an,
study; this reading gives balance am,