The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-06-25
SOME RAMBLING THOUGHTS.
BY MEMO.
flOnyrtCinfa,t

NopyTRntc0)
These Thoughts" represent the
utilization of the spare moments in
the Ii 10 OF busy layman. The aim
Is to lead in an optimistic way to "a
better understanding of life, its
grandeur and its responsibilities.)
Most Of us are apt to underesti-
mate the power Of the silent influ-
ences in tho world. We exclaim
! with wonder at some enguliing land
slides and overlook the fact that the
sluggish Mississippi is carrying
away vastly more solid material than
all the land.slides of year put to-
gether. We marvel ut the destruc-
tive force OF lightning and of waves
and give hardly moments thought
to the immensely greater power of
bioplast, the iniinitesimal transpa-
rent speck OF Jelly that can compel
the inert elements of nature into
living forms. Elijah had to learn
that the real power was in neither
roaring flame nor howling tempest,
but i'll the still, small voice and so
must we, il we are to gain proper
estimate of things. The trumping
may arise from the band.wagon till
the Heavens spit, and the speakers
may lash themselves into fury un-
til the voice fails and mouth foams,
but neither music nor mouthing
have over a mans mind n fraction of
the influence that dwells in the good
clear argument of II printed page,
appealing to him in the quietude of
the evening hour. We too often as
sociate hustle and noise with inhu-
ence, whereas it may be entirely alb
sent from both.
The members of an unobstructive
class OF the community, who make
no great stir nor pose for the ad-
us catch words OF Iss whJss york
.'' the " ,,fa,e OF our nation 1t ire
queDtly left entirely unnoticed by
the general public, have already or
will soon quietly drop the duties
of the school year and silently steal
away to rest during the long vaca-
tiop. Some of them will return to
the place they filed, no more for
ever and it is not only fitting but
urgent that we should give these
silent public servants and the work
they do, more than II passing
thought
Whether you choose to regard
teaching either as II trade, calling
for Just so much effort for so many
dollars or Il profession, demanding
years of preparation and mental
enthusiasm as well, it is, in either
case, line of work particularly
adapted to women because of their
functional tenderness and yearning
towards children, and because of
the intuitional sympathy which be-
longs to them so much more de-
cidedly than to men. Men are being
crowded more and more out of the
teaching field. In 1851 out of a
total OF 293, $3.50 teachers only 1885,
81 were males, and in 1928 when
the teaching force had increased to
3S3,0l0, the male teachers had de-
creased to l22,O5G. Teaching is an
eminently respectable employment
for women and the money reward
attached to it is even better than
that arising from clerical work, or
tending counter. 1t also leaves the
worker number of hours of leisure,
the work being usually condensed
into seven, and Saturday is entirely
free. So, are we not apt occasional
ly to think of the teacher as rather
pleasantly situated, with an almost
pre-empted field of ork, fair sal.
airy and some leisure? Then we
have not looked fairly beneath the
surface of this career.
Viewed as a profession teaching is
the most unsatisfactory Of them all.
It's rewards, except to the inner
sense of duty faithfully done, are
too remote. Neither physician, nor
lawyer, nor even minister, would be
entirely content to wait a whole
generation for results of his labors
and he would be a most emphatic
protestant il he found that increas-
cd experience and ability did not
carry with them decided increase of
earning capacity. Yet for the teach
or. though she has studiously pre-
pared for years, there is nothing
but Sowing in order that others may
reap. and the tread-mill recurrence