The Irish standard., 1894-02-03
COM MON SCHOOLS.
An Interesting Address by Rev. j.
NJ. Cleary Before the Teachers
of Hennepin County.
THEIRSIS A SUBLIME CALLING
The Majority Of Catholics Would
Vote in Favor Of the Public
School System.

The Majority Of Catholics Would
Vote in Favor Of the Public
School System.
The following interesting paper on
.sThe Teachers Sublime Calling" was
read by Rev. J. M. Cleary on Saturday,
Jan. 27, before the Hennepin County
Teachers Association at their monthly
meeting in this city:
LADIES AND GENrLEMEN-1 regard it
q choice privilege to have the opportun-
ity OF addressing word OF encourage
ment to the Jealous teachers of the COM
mon schools of our county. Your du-
ties are exacting, your ]abors perplexing
and full of care, and how frequently
your best efforts and most unselfish in
tentions are not appreciated by those
who benefit most by your devoted zeal.
You have much to contend against in
your daily burden of care: the wayward-
ness and thoughtlessness OF inexperi-
enced childhood and mischievous youth,
the sluggish minds of some. and the too
active brains of many. The tempting
pleasures Of "coasting" and the exhiiar-
tion Of the skating pond often try your
patience sorely, and, fear, sometimes
almost tempt you to long for land
where ice and SHOW never allure the tru-
ant pupil from the task you would have
him love. You cannot always see the an-
gelic virtues shine forth in the conduct Of
doting mothers dimpled darlings, and
your dullnss of perception in the opinion
of these same fondly foolish mothers,
compels them to call you to severe &C
counting at their pious, christian meet
ings where the abssnt ones are we'll re-
membered, and the weary teacher is not
forgotten. Could fond parents only see
the imperfections OF the little Oh es they
love, as clearly as they can pass judg-.
ment on the teachers work, on tbs testi-
mony of these same prejudiced darlings,
how much aid the home might give You
in the training of the child! Every true
teacher is duly grateful for the efficient
help the we'll appointed home gives in
Tightening the burdens of the teachers
care. No school Can ever supply the
oruel, careless neglect Of the bad or in
different nome When the seeds of evil
have been planted il the youthful heart,
no school can ever wholly eradicate the
mischief that has been done, and no
teacher can gather sweet and attractive
fruit where noxious seed has once been
planted. No school can ever do the work
OF education and culture as we'll as the
virtuous and truly christian home. But
with all your annoyances, distractlng
cares and puzzliug anxieties, how SUBJ
lime, how grand, how noble is the work
you have chosen to perform! Yours is the
sublime task of directing the budding
thoughts of plant childhood, of quicken
ing the active brain and of leading the
little ones committed to your care to
love and reverence the better things of
hte. You are the master builders OF the
world. Mechanics who rear to the skies
majestic buildings, evidences of their
handiwork and skill, must, with all their
art, use but silent clods Of earth and
voiceless stone, to tell the story Of the
builders toll. You build with the best
OF Gods creation. The temples you will
raise will tell the story of your work in
words OF grateful love or in deeds Of no.
ole doing until the great accounting day.
Like the ripples set in motion by dis
5urhing the oceans calm, which continue
ever widening till they break on the
rock-bound shore, SO your influence in
character building will be felt and will
ever widen till it finds its home on the
eternal shore. The christian believes
that God will hold His general ludg-
ment when the work of time 10 done, for
the reason that not till then can verdict
be rendered on the deeds ct men. The
influence Of our lives remains long after
our bones have crumbled to dust. This
thought enhances the teachers RESPONSE
bility, but at the same time IS q lively
incentive to his. zeal. The saddest re-
aection in the lives Of men is that their
best work may not endure. All mon
would wish their beat to live and their
mistakes to be Entered with their
bones" Unfortunately for too many,
the words Of the poet prove true. It is
the good that is soonest forgotten and
the evil lives long after they are gone.
This fear need NOT disturb the conscien-
tious teacher, for every good seed that is
sown will yield good fruit il due season.
After the pleased influence of good.
mother, whose lessons will be remem-|
bered the longest of all, there q no
greater blessing that car. brighten the.