The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-05-29

We received the following COM
muuieaion last week, but it was
unayoidably crowded out The ar
ticio offers some practical sugges-
tions to the school teachers of the
county, and its mild criticisms are
worthy of consideration by those
who have enlisted in the great work
Of training aud educating our chill
dren.
Mr. Editor,
BY way Of endorsing the movement
made by our efficient county superin-
tendent, Il. w. Cuff, to hold a normal
training school at Big Sandy, beginning
June ID, i beg to submit this paper to
the teachers OF Benton County for their
| close consideration.
We're O close observer 20 make q tour
of inspection among the schools of She
county, it is certain that he would meet
with many conditions that would alarm
him, and indeed he would learn perhaps
the greatest faults rest with the teachers.
Their inability in matters Of discipline,
failure to command the proper respect
Of pupils, or perhaps the greatest of all
their inetlicieucy rests upon their failure
to properly improve their advantages
and talent. These and especially the
last, are the greatest hinderances to our
common school education.
We have too many men and women to
whom the training Of our children arc
entrusted who are keeping school rather
than teaching school. To better the
conditions Of life by training children tc
correct living is the chief aim Of educa.
ton; and such teachers, if indeed they
be teachers, as those who keep instead
Of teach school, justly have no place il
the world Of education, nor should they
be recognized.
a teacher who does not fully realize
the grave responsibilities resting upor
him, or who does not recognize that hii
, precepts and examples, both as an in
, structor and citizen, will be deeply i'm
pressed upon the minds of his pupils anC
thus reproduced in after years, has M
conception of his work. There is moth
ing more clearly guides a nations desti
ny nor demands greater support RnC
more intelligent consideration than d,
our schools.
2 Now, are we as teachers equipped fo
) the responsibility incumbent upon us
Have we used hours to prepare our
selves? What means this awful wall o
crying, Hard examinations Too diff
cult for common school teachers" TIL
answer is patent. Not only is it q lacl
? interestin our work but Incompetence
! q failure to improve our methods to ed
Ucate ourselves and thus keep abreas
with the times sufficient to send thrill
through the heart of even the most wear
ried student that will abate only witt
the wee hours.
: Shall we pray the State to favor u
with list Of easy examination question
, that we may hold our places and thu
! keep the standard of literary training a
its present stage of advancement? Shal
we, incompetent, thus clog the wheel
Of education while those Of commerc
= and science roll on in endless progress
= Ear from it, Educational advancement
{ must go hand and hand with other grea
interests, else our great nation chat nov
maintains its equal footing with tn
, proudest and most powerful shall los
its prestige of which it now boasts.
la order to better ft ourselves for th
great duties and the responsibilities O
t teaching we shoGla Bake advantage O
: the golden opportunity which now pre-
sents itself. Not only has Superintend
ent Cuff arranged tohold a summer noI
NAL, but he has succeeded in securing
cheap and econonomical method of con
Quoting it, The people Of Big Sand
s open their doors and welcome all VIII
. may attend
3 Now, let US grow more enthusiastic /
our work. and realize that we can an
must raise the people to a higher plan
ofintelligence aud usefulness The pee
= pleare proud of their schools and teacl
+ ers, and are determined to continue thei
l cooperation when teachers put forth
4 commendable effort. Work harmon
ously, and diseord will be dispelled an
2 purity and progress viii charaeteriz
our efforts and work.
!, Very sincerely
o A TEACHER.
j. Big Sandy, May 10, 1896.