Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1896-07-22
To the Teachers Of Edgefield and
Saluda Counties:

There Will be q "IeacherS' In
stitute' held at Johnston, open
ing July 9th and ending Arg. 3rd,
and we wish every teacher to at
tend during the whole session. We
have attempted to prepare an in
teresting programme. 1t is quite
different from any We have ever
had, and we hope every teacher
will come to take part IN this
meeting of teachers.
We know that many of our
teachers, who are working hard 10
prepare themselves to do better
work in this sch ools, will be here
to spend the week with US. We
have other teachers, i'll these two
counties, however, who do not even
try to fit themselves FOR their vo-
cation, and we wish to arouse this
class Of teachers TO their duty. We
shall name them the self-satisfied
class. They seem to feel that they
have attained all that needful for
their work, and now hey distrib-
ute their great wisdom at 8 given
price. This is a very dangerous
condition for teacher to fall into.
A teacher must be alive 10 teach
successfully A dead coal can nev-
er give off heat; neither can a
dead teacher give anything to his
pupils.
In speaking in this manner we
would not have any one to think
we know it all, or that we feel su-
perior to him or her. We have la
bored much in preparing for our
life work, and yet we feel far more
incompetent than when we began
to teach. Indeed, our ignorance
impresses us more and moresas the
days go by. This feeling, however,
is thought to be wholesome.
The doctor is required to GO to
a professional school to fit himself
to do his work well, he spends sew
eral years in careful study that he
may be skillful in treating the hu-
man body. This is we'll, as it would
be hard to get along without good
doctors; more yet, the progressive
doctor does not stop his study when
he leaves collage, but he reads
much, attends medical associa-
tons, ond equips himself with
whatever Will give him high stand
ing in his profession. No one is
willing to say that the doctor errs
in doing all this. If it is reedful
full for the doctor to provide him
self with all that gives him skill
in his profession, how much more
is it essential for the teacher
to be progressive. He is in charge
not only of the child's body, but
also of his mind and soul, is not
his, then, a higher duty?
The Normal college is provided
for the teacher to prepare himself
for his work, but many of those
who teach have not the means to
spend several years in College. TO
those, especially, the Teachers
Institute offers much help. The
Institute is sometimes termed a
Normal College on wheels. "
Teachers can not always 60 to It,
so it comes 20 them.
The purpose of the "lnstitute is
fou- fold; first, teachers get a re-
view Of the text book work; the
work in text books at an "lnstl-
tute" can only he typical, however
In the second place, they get q
glimpse of the best methods OF
teaching. This is very important
Next, they should get many Of The
principles of the science Of educa,
ton, an idea of the History OF
Pedagogy. Lastly, when teachers
come together they lmblba a pro-
fessional spirit, which is of vast
Importance, indeed, a teacher cal
scarcely do eifectl7c work without
it.
Let every teacher meet us July
9th. We assure you that we shall
do the best we can to make the
meeting profitable.