The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1894-12-15
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
Edited by
L.1o. RRUMFIELD, Lockport, La,
TEACHING, A PROFESSION.

is teaching a profession Z just as
much so as theology, law, or medicine,
though. asa protessi"p. it has been
sadiv neglected. We undertake to say |
that there is no more noble profession
than that OF in%s'lucting the yonng.
The destiny of this Nation depends on
the teachers more than any other class
of people in it. The rising generation
will he inst what they make it, and
what they make it depends npor what
they themselves are.
There are two classes of teachers
the professional teacher and the nom
professional teacher. or ''school keep
~" who keeps school just for the
draw
1t is This class. who by the way cor
the Gnack in medicine, that have been,
and are stIil, ii leproacli to the pro-
teSsion. He is not IL teacher-tle
MISUNDERSTANDING the true sense of
the word hut merely acknowledgment
and that for ''revenue only"
He has been "keepin' school" prob
ably thirty years, or perhaps only a
few. be that as i, may; he has never
thought of sucl, ii thing as studying
child nature. He believes, and acts
on The belief. thar all children are
alike and must be managed in precise
~ the same way. in order that their
minds may be filed to overlooking
with the knowledge when he attempts
to pelur into them with a funnel, from
the abundant stoie which he has on
l.ahn. II never occurs to him that
the child's mind needs exercising as
well as feeding. That without exer-
else IT will not grow and that true ed
u@cation is a growth. DR.. White says
(White's Pedagogy, p. l24) "What-
ever knowledge is taught a child
should be So taught that the act of ac-
Iuiring it shall be of greater value
tnaD the Knowledge itself.;'
Thenon professional teacher teaches
his pupils the letters Of the alphabet in
the same old way lie also gives them
IL dose Of lab abs" and if the child's
nature Ievolts and his funnel won't
work, he tries to beat it in with a fer
ule. OF course he never heard of ped
agogy nor psychology he reads no
educational journals, and abuses the
Superintendent because he must at.
tend the institute. Brother, does this
description suit You 7 if not, don't be
offended ; if it does, you have missed
your calling.
The professional teacher, like other
professional persons, prepares himself
for his calling. It is not every one
that has an opportunity OF taking IL
course in normal school, but every
one who does not, prepares himself by
studying methods and applying them,
by listening to suggestions from others
and adopting what to hin seems good.
and rejecting the rest. He doesn't
claim to know everything, even when
a normal school graduate; but is ever
ready 70 listen to any suggestion made
by a fellow teacher, however humble.
He studies the child, tor he knows
without a thorough knowledge of the
nature OF the subject to be tar ght, he
will never be able to teach successful
ly. He buys and reads educational
books. or if his salary will not permit
him to do this, he borrows from his
%neighbors. He would be only too
glad to contribute IA dollar every wear
to establish and maintain a Parish
Teachers Library. He takes and
reads educational papers, aud looks
forward to the time for the institute to
meet, with pleasure.
If we had only this kind OF teachers
in Lafourche Parish, and in Louisiana,
it would only be a question of time,
and a short time at that, when the
schools would be as good as any in the
Union, and the salaries of teachers
would De advanced so oIo. Profess
sional talent always commands IA good
salary, but cranks, quacks, and moss
backs are dear at any price.
lt will be a great day for the schools
OF Lafourche Parish when teachers are
examined in the theory and practice
OF teaching. 1t should not be so much
what a teacher knows that counts,
but rather how much he can impart to
others.