The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1897-11-24
THE TEACHERS REORGANIzE.

The TEACHERS REORGANIZE.
"eC In Dawson and Revived the Terrell
County Teachers' Association.
In response to a call from Prof T
ID. WhitChard, our esteemed .conntv
! schOOl commissioner. a number Of
teachers OF the county met in the cOun-
~ court room Saturday morning at 10
CLOCK Tor the purpose of reorganiz-
inS Une Terrell County Teachers AS
soclatlon, which has unquestionabIy
oone much towards bringing the teach,
erS stlli more closely together in the
oond OF sympathy and cooperation for
Une advancement Of vhe cause of true
education. That the association has
oeen both helpful and enjoyable in the
past was substantially conceded by the
IacG that more teachers were present
IMAM were expected. While Attendance
upon the exercises of the association Is
not compulsory, yet | think that those
who really intend to make still trupr
teachers, and who want to see teach
ing a profession rather than an occu-
patton, will be present at the future
meetings unless some unavoidable
hlndrance prevents.
While meetingin this association the
teachers have more than one object in
view. The purpose of course is a prac-
tlcal one and includes within its pur-
port all those most prominent peda-
gOglcal facts, the execution of which
tend to make good scholars of our bows
ana girls. Some people may have mis-
taken our object. We seldom have a
teacher present at our associations who
tries to make himself CONSPICUOUS as a
literary man by his flights of oratory.
We usually have teachers who want
to say or do something that will aWak-
en- to activity the intellectual slumber-
lngs OF their respective and indeed the
universal communities. One of the
greatest adyantages>0f our association
is that the teacher gains encourage
ment and strength by being thus
brought in contact with others engag-
ed in the same purpose. Toiling on
alone in his isolated district, surround
ed by obstacles and discOuragements
weighed down by care, and finding
none to sympathize with him. he is al
most ready to faint in his course and
perhaps TO abandon his calling. At
this crisis he reads the notice in THE
News for the teachers association. and
he resolves to go once more to the
gathering of his friends From the
various parts of the county, and from
the byWays of the country towns like
Graves and Sasser, a g0Odly number of
teachers collect together to greet each
other. Smile answers to smile, the
blood courses more freely through the
veins, the spirits, long depressed, per-
haps, partake of the general glow, and
each feels that he is not toiling alone.
He feels that noble brotherhood of
kindred spirits are labOrihg in the
same field under trials and discourage
ments similar to those which have OBJ
pressed him. He derives new strength
from the sympathy Of his friends. A
professional feeling is engendered
winch will accompany him to his
school room; and when he gees home
it is with renewed vigOr and fresh as
plrings to be better man and better
teacher. He labors with more conf
dence in himself, and enlightened by
what he has seen and heard he is far
more successful than before. His pu-
pills, too, respond to the new life they
see enkindling in him and go to their
work more cheerfully. One difficulty
after another vanishes, and he begins
to think teaching, after all, is not the
worst employment in the world, put
that it has some flowers as we'll as
thofns; and he concludes to remain in
the profession.
Let the good work go on and soon
the staunchest manhood will crown
Georgia's history with noble deeds
which will be but the effects of proper
teaching.
The next meeting Of the teachers as
ISOLATION will be held at the court house
IN Dawson on the third Saturday il
December, and all of Terrell's teachers
are invited to attend.
j. ID. McLENDoN, Secretary.