Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1898-11-23
THE TEACHERS INSTITUTE


THE TEACHERS INSTITUTE.
The teachers institute came in
on time on Monday, amidst the
keenest frost and brightest sun
shine that grand day in NOvem-
Der can produce. The most of the
teachers are young, but that argues
not against them, for if a young
teacher has tact and scholarly at
tainment and is capable of enforc-
ing discipline they are better than
an old teacher who has experience
and limited amount of the quail
ties mentioned. Experience, how
ever is a great thing and many a
veteran teacher, when they first
started at teaching had a limited
amount of tact, little scholastic
attainment and less yet of the
ability of bringing a school under
the restraining influence of dis
cipline, and made a success, after
years of perseverance and exper-
fence. There are few teachers
present who were present at insti
tute thirty years ago. The talks
are about the same that they were
thirty years ago, on reading, writ
ing, geography, algebra, arithme-
tic. 1t cannot be otherwise, for
all new cOmers must begin where
the veterans began and go over
the same old paths. The numer-
ais are the same they were cen
turies ago, and if the geography is
not the same it is owing to the
surging tide of human war and
human emigration. Since the
Juniata County Institute last met
one year ago, the geographical
boundary lines of the United States
of America have been changed,
and the government policy toward
foreign nations has been changed.
The boundary lines of a nation
may change but the text books do
not change the principles, and
therefore there have been few
changes in methods of learning
and teaching. The veterans are
little in advance of the new re-
cruits and yet the veterans have
the claim to the honor of a long
teaching service and that is a
glorious record. If there has not
been a fortune in it there is now
more glory in it than they ever
dreamed of when they took to the
profession of teaching. ~ have
been teacher 25 years, 30 years, ;"
is glorious declaration that few
can make. They know the books
by heart, and they can almost re-
peat by heart the speeches that are
made every institute by teachers
Oh teaching, reading, writing,
arithmetic and other text book
studies. They have trained minds,
they know how to study, but study
is study, it is work. A man may
have muscles developed, he per
haps learned to WELD the axe 80
years ago, but to WELD the axe is
work, and he wields it no easier
after 80 years experience than
when he first began. He may
now know better how to give the
axe the proper angle every stroke,
but every stroke he gives requires
as much muscular work as every
stroke required 80 years ago. So
with the veteran teacher, he may
now know better how to direct his
thoughts but every thought comes
to him with as much work as it did
80 years ago.
1t is work to think.
An invention for thinking has
not been discovered.
The only new things that have
come since the veteran teachers
were young are certain mechanical
inventions that add to the material
comforts of all, but there have
been no discoveries to lessen the
methods of thinking, and those
who come along in the future
along the lines of thought will
have to go through the same hard
work. There are no mechanica ap-
pliances of steam and electricity to
lessen the work of thinking as
there is to lessen the work of the
muscles of men.
This is the last institute that
the present incumbent, Professor
Marshall, can hold. Before another
institute can be held another sup
erintendent will have been elected.
Professor Marshall has had two
terms in succession. There are a
number of candidates talked of and
some are feeling their way along
the line of directors for the posi-
ton. Professor SulOuff, of Fay-
ette township, is in the field and has
friends for the place. Professor
Esh, is forging ahead with a good
deal of vigOr for the goal, he is
doing efficient work in Spruce Hill.
Professor Mcclure, who is highly
recommended by his friends, is an
earnest aspirant for the place
Professor Mcclure now teaches in
Walker township. Professor GOrt-
ner, principal of the Mifflintown
schools, is candidate, he is one
OF the best disciplinarians who
ever taught in this town, and his
course of studies commend them
selves to teachers and scholars far
and wide. Professor Killian, of
Port Royal, is on the list. PrOfes-
sor Ginger, of Susquehanna town
ship, has friends who urge him for
the place. So between the regular
business of the institute, and the
aspirations of professors, who are