The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-02-06

school course should preCede THAI OF
normal or training school. Experience
counts in two directions: it confirms bad
habits as we'll as good habits. Profess
sional training is a factor that counts for
success in teaching.
Attention to ones own business is a
condition Of success. The history of the
world abounds IN such examples as
Peter Cooper. who, by attending strictly
to his own affairs and letting other peo-
pie manage theirs, became a rich man
died in old age the best loved man in
America. The person who NEEDLES in
the affairs of others does SO to the ne
eject of his own; he is frequently con-
sidered poisonous gossip whose mind
resembles sewer to which foul partl-
cles adhere. The teacher vino makes
the greatest progress in his profession,
other things being equal, is the one who,
by example saws: Winding your own
business and minding it we'll counts for
success in teaching" The teacher
should be a man among men or woman
among women. The person who knows
what society is realizes what to do to
foster and protect it. The one who
mlngles with the world to the extent of
knowing it, may be in sympathetic
touch with the forces that move society.
He may be in the front rank and not in
danger of getting so far away from the
affairs of life as to be cut off from its
forces, and, isolated, lose its benefits,
or of going so slow that ever-moving.
ever-changing social conditions will roll
Influence for good is greatly advanced
if people believe in him. The more of
confidence the community reposes in
an honest person who knows its lights
can do to elevate humanity and better
his own condition. \ knowledge of af-
fairs counts for success IN teaching.
Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear;
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,
And waste its sweetness in the desert air
The consistent man or woman, whose
purposes are straightforward and SYM
pathles warm, RECEIVERS from mistakes
more easily than the one under whose
garb OF civility are found blo:ches of
jealousy, deceit, and selfisEness. There
is a peculiar instinct in childho that
soon detects the things that "chill the
genial current of the soul" no matter
how mucl of the semblance of love or
humanity the Uriah Heap of the school
room may put on. There is a peculiar
responsibility about the loyal teacher,
who never resembles the Black Elfberg
in the Prisoner of Zenda when he adds
the poison to the wine Of hospitality;
but who, ever true, warns against the
approach of towards and eavesdroppers
and helps honest purposes to regain
what wrong information or faulty judg-
ment lost. " An honest mans the noD-
lest work of God" His persistence
counts for everything. When growth
ceases, decay begins. The mental world
is no exception to the rule. The teacher
never reaches time when he is safe in
assuming he has attained the limit of
properly related information in subject
matters or methods. When one rests
upon his reputation or previous success,
it is high time to look for evidences of
"dry rot" No more hopeful sign of
a bright future can be found than exists
in the term growing teacher" Evil
dence Of growth are easily discovered
and readily recognized.
NV --A-A -4.---r.~ ~f.-tu
knowledge with past conceptions, to
find old faces in new subjects, to make
application of new laws to what the
| mind has assimilated under other lines
OF investigation. and to keep along with
the best spirit of the age are good signs
| OF growth. Daily preparation oflcssOns
Is necessary to pointed work. Pupils
| need the encouragement which comes
| from the study they have done in ODE
dlence to the previous assignment
Each time the trained mind of the
teacher goes to subject something
| fresh and new, elements always needed
IN inspiration come and suggest more
| pointed questioning or a deeper insight
into the things considered. Books and
teachers are good for little if they do
not inspire. The fresh preparation by
the teacher affords the pupils an oppor-
tunlty to drink from a running stream
| and not from ftagnant pool. Few
teachers care to admit that they have
failed to become familiar with the re-
port OF the recent committee Of Fifteen
or that they have not read the "Cul-
ture Epoch Theory" The elementary
teacher who is content to teach
the symbol before the idea IN primary
| numbers, who Is not endeavoring to Sc
cure connected and consecutive ex-
pressions in elementary language. or
who appeals to memory before percep-
ton Is reached in early steps in geog-
| raphy shows signs of degeneration in
teaching. Old age is not a sign of men,
tai decepitude. Gladstone has made a
mental and moral growth each year of
his long and vigorous life. Growing is
a condition that counts for success in
teaching. mind cramp," or, as DR..
Harris calls it, ARRESTED Development
results from not giving the soul an OPP
portunlty IN recitation and work TO
reach It's widest swing or 90 to the bot
tom of things. Many boy has grown
TO dislike school because of the extreme
detail of patent method. System which
! relates facts and has them come in
proper sequence affords the opportun
tiles of avoiding mind cramp" or Ear
rested Development" Scrappv work,
teaching little of this thing and a little
of that, is quite liable to bring about
well defined cases of mental indigestion
, IN children and make them dislike
school and teachers. Consecutiveness,
h1th builds ~, cnl;l