Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1897-02-03

CritiCiSing the work of the teacher stat
ing that tn ey were incompetent in many
ways, asserting that their children were
not progressing in their studies as they
should, that teachers were partial and
many other matters of similar import and
these assertions were made, and conf
IDENTIFY made when that same parent had
never entered that school and no actual
Knowledge of what was being done at
school, save what they had learned by
hearsay, and save what gossip had re-
peated to them who thought it about time
to create sensation in the neighborhood
and who possibly had no direct interest in
the success of the school. If the parent
will visit the school they will then in all
probability be much more com petent to
judge of the work of the teacher. Not only
that it will be an encouragement to the
children and a great encouragement to
the teacher. If teacher receives frequent
visits from the parents she will find her
work only half as burdensome. Her heart
will be light, her mind brighter. 1t will
do no parent harm to visit these work
shops of human character where human
lives are being shaped, where the desti-
mes of your child is in the balance. The
child needs some encoura cement and 1t is
in the power of the parent to give it and it
is wrong to withhold it when it is so cas-
lily given.
The duties of the teacher are many and
trying Their responsibilities are heavy
Into their charge is committed numerous
young lives to train and they to a great
extent are responsible for the future of the
child. It is delicate to train a young
e. l..
and are training not only for time but
eternity. The work of the teacher stops
not when her pupil has advanced in years
and becomes old and decrepid. Nay, not
even when he the once pupil topples into
the grave, but it goes beyond that, and
the labor and work of the teacher confronts
her in another world. 1t is the realizationt
of these grave responsibilities that causes
the teacher at times to ignore the whims
of fond parents whose love for their chill
dren too often blindtheir judgment as to
what is best for their child. Every child
has planted within itself the germs for
good and evil and it is the sacred duty of
the teacher to assist in the cultivation of
the good germ. If in field where wheat
has been sown the wheat from any cause
becomes exterminated it is very likely
that growth of weeds will take its place. |
If in a child's heart and character the
good seed becomes destroyed the foul seed
will Immediately terminate and the heart
becomes waste field.
The true teacher realizes all these great
respon sibilities and deeply realizes that
the work of her life is far reaching, The |
best part of our standing army today, that |
part which is constantly performing heroic
deeds, that part which is constantly win
ming victories, that part which is daily
overc oming the enemies of liberty in it's
pure state, are the public school teachers,
and as true and tried soldiers their com
pensation is much too small. 1t is for this
reason that it is difficult to retain for !
many years the experienced teacher. |
They find other fields where the work is !
not SO rigorous and where the compensa-
ton is commensurate with the work. Too
often, in our country schools at least, the |
measure of fitness of several applicants is
the amount of salary asked and too often
money outweighs experience, fitness and
brains and a so-cal1ed cheap teacher gets
the position simply because she may of
fer to teach a few dollars per month cheap
err. Here comes in the duty of the school
board. Teachers should be paid good
wages and then they should be required
to prepare themselves thoroughly before
upon the discharge of such inn
portant duties. There should be no such
thing as third grade certificates or per
nit" When school boards hire teachers,
or soCalled teachers with permits" they
generally permit" the pupils to remain
without proper or competent instruction
for that term, and this is about what a
permit" amounts to. If school boards
hire teachers with nothing
better than permits" as evidence of quail
lficationss they generally permit" the
pupils of that school to grow up with but
few qualifications. It behooVes every low
er of liberty to take deep interest in our
public schools. They are the workshops
Of human character, the places wherein
love of country is instilled into the minds
Of the youth of our country. They are the
pedestal upon which the spirit of liberty
rests and the patriotism and love which
any citizen has for this republic of free
dom is accurately measured by his inter
est, love and admiration in and for the
public school system.
Yours truly,
X. H. GRACE.
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