Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-19
AN ABLE ADDRESS
BY Prof. Cunningham Before the.Teach
ers' Meeting-sThe Trainer Teach
er the Best Teacher"


Mr. Superintendent and Fellow Educa-
tors:
The nineteenth century has been a
graver of new channels. 1t is impossible
now for medicine and hair dressing to
combine in the same person, or for teach
ing and ministry to be performed by the
same man. 1t is not that men are less
resourceful, but that more is demanded OF
them. Especially is this so of teaching.
While the race made progress in indus
tries, arts. sciences, inventions; in politl-
cal, social and religious freedom, 4tsWas
necessary that progress in educauonal
methods resulted. But while admitting
that progress in every other activity OF
the race, there are many who yet pro-
fess, at least, the belief that the teaching
methods of Greek, Roman or MedaeVai
times are appropriate to the ciyihzatlon
of today. TO avow such doctrine Is 10
deny racial progress; for il the race adj
vance, such change Will affect soonest
and most markedly the brain and mental
status; for all other progress is the re-
suit of mental advancement.
- Recently in the columns OF the state
Herald there has b@sn a surfeit OF pleas
afor our return in matters educational TO
: the practice of the ancients The an
clients were good fellows, but they did
not i've III our lliuS-6ACSPl the lSW WIZ
by transmigration of soul returned oc-
casionally to us. But let those of our
time speak.
DR.. Joseph Payne, College of Precept.
ors, London, Eng, says: Men, many OF
them distinguished. profcients in the art
of teaching, if you venture to suggest to
them that there must be a correlated
science which Recommendations they.
are conscious of 1t or not-the laws or
their practice, generally by significant
cpoila az know their OniniOn both of
the subject and of yourself. II they
deign to open their lips at all, 1t is to NUT
ter something about pedagogy, frothy
stuff, mere quackery, or to tell you
point blank that If there is such science
it is no business of theirs; they do very
we'll without it. This opinion, which they
no doubt sincerely entertain, is, however,
simply the product of thoughtlessness on
their part. If they had carefully con-
sidered the subject in rela ton to them
selves-if they had known the fact that
the science which they disclaim or de-
nounce has long engaged the attention or
hundreds of the profoundeSt thinkers IN
Germany-many of them teachers OF at
least equal standard to their own-who
have reverentHy admitted it's pretensions,
and devoted their great powers OF mind
to the investigation of its laws, they
would at least have given you respect
full hearing. But great is the power of
ignorance, and it will prevail-for time:
There was another difficulty or
scarcely less Importance with which we
had to contend and this is the convic-
ton entertained by the general body OF
teachers that they have nothing to learn
about education To what others
had written on the principles of educa-
tion-to what these had reduced to sue
cessful practice-they were, for the most
part, profoundly Indifferent. To move
onward in the grooves to which they had
been accustomed in their school days or.
if more intelligent. to devise methods of
their own, without respect to the expert
ence however enlightened, of others, was
and is the general practice among teach
ers. For them, indeed, the great educa-
tiona1 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. writer's or
workers-might as well never have exist
ed at all The fallacy, not yet
displaced from the mind of the public, on
which this superstructure of conceit Is
raised, is that He who knows subject
can teach it. Q1ow this must make the
State Herald correspondence winceO
IS He (the teacher) must know the
subject of instruction thoroughly, be-
cause, although 1t is not he but the child
who is to learn, his knowledge VIII en-
able him to suggest the points to which
the learners attention is to be directed;
and beside as his proper function is to act
as guide, it is important that he should
have previously taken the journey him
self. But we discountenance the notion
usually entertained that the teacher is to
know because he has to communicate his
knowledge to the learner; and maintain,
on the contrary, that his proper function
as teacher does not consist In the COM
munica ton of his own knowledge to the
learner, but rather in such action as ends
in the learners acquisition of knowledge
for himself"
Dr. r. H. Quick, noted English edu-
Gator and author, says: There are coun-
cries where it would be considered a
-ruism that a teacher in order to exercise
ais profession intelllgently should know
something about the chief authorities in
it. Here, however, l suppose such an
assertion will seem paradoxical; but there
is a good deal to be said In defense of 1t.
De Quincy has pointed out that man
who takes up any pursuit without know
ing what advances others have made in
it, works at great disadvantage. He
does not apply his strength in the right
direction he troubles himself about small
matters and neglects great, he falls into
errors that have hong been exploded. An
educator is, l think, liable to these dan
gers If he brings to his task no knowl-
edge but that Which he learned for the
tripos, and no skill but that which he &C
quired in the cricket ground or on the
river. If his pupils are placed entirely in
his hands, his work is one of great diff
ficulty, with heavy penalties attached to
all laundering in it; though here, as in
the case of the ignorant doctor and care
less architect, the penalties unfortunate
ly are paid by his victims.
venture to think therefore, that practical
men (nOte, they must De pfactlcal) IN eau
cation as in most other things, may de-
rive benefit from the knowledge of what
has already been said and done by the
leading men engaged in 1t, both past and
present"
Compare, the chief educator of France.
says: There is u science of education,
practical and an applied science, which
now has it's PRINCIPLES and laws, which
gives proof of it's vitality by great num-
Der of publications, both in France and
abroad and which has also its peculiar
designation, pedagogy, although there is
still hesitation in adopting it,
Her majestys inspector, j. j. Findley.
Toronto, Canada, says: 1.-The general
principle that the study of education is
desirable for a university man who in
tends to teach is now everywhere adj
mtted. There still, no doubt, are profess
sors in the older universities who have no
faith in this novel study, but the univer-
slty opinion has gone against them"
CThey don't care If 1t hasD
Dr. W. T. Harris, United States COM
missioner of education and recognized ed
ucational philosopher of the world, says