The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1898-06-09
TALKS TO TEACHERS.
.SUPT GRIFFITH GIVES SOME
POINTS TO TAE PROFESSION,
CLOSE STUDY BRINGS SUCCESS
Teachers Should Prepare Every Lesson
Before Appearing Before Her Students
Schools of the County in Excel
lent Condition

+" Inc uS6Q Key Is always 0FlguG'
" 1t is better to wear ouG than to rust
out. +" Thus in homely, but forcible
Saxon phrase are expressed the very
gems of thought. Such sayings are
nuggets of wisdom.
Using the above texts as basis, let
US see how they apply to the teaching
profession. If there be a golden rule in
dill teaching it is this Make thorough
preparation of every lesson. Now, why?
WE'LL let us see. The most profound
lawyer in Wisconsin always prepares a
brief of his case. He must know the
salient points and how to properly
present them The leading physician
of your town must make a careful dag
nosis. No two cases present exactly
the same symptoms. Every successful
business man must carefully think
through each case of buying and SELL
ing. He mustSstudy his customers. In
similar manner must teacher care
fully prepare every lesson in advance of
the recitation period. President Gar
fed said: 81 don't care to feed
my pupils on cold YicUuals. " DR..
Arnold, the famous English teacher,
put it thus: 81 wish my boys to drink
from running stream" Similar views
are expressed by all live educators.
1t is simply astonishing to hear some
talk let fly from few who are Z" wise
in their own conceit." Once | was
carefully making preparation for teach
ing class in the primer A man, who
thought himselfa Gladstone, sneeringly
asked: Haven't you a certifcate?"
{" | don't think you are much of a
scholar, since | notice you have to
study your lessons all the time" " The
best teacher who ever teached me
never hadsto look at his books, be had
them all in hisShead."
Realizing that you strain yourself
much worse when you kick and hit
nothing than when you land against
something, I made no reply To these
observations. What he said about his
old teacher who teached him." |
thought to be ga dead give away" on
that gentleman. l hope no teacher
will seek that sort of a recommend.
Every teacher should be at the
school house by 8 o'clock. (1) on &C
count of the fires; (2) on account of
placing supplementary work on the
board; (3) on account of looking after
the comfort and we'll being of the chill
dren givenSover to her care. 1t is al
ways an example of promptness. That
teacher who drops his school work at
four and thinks no more about it until
nine will soon retire from the profess
sion; the sooner the better for the pro-
tession.
am much pleased to find that most
of the teachers of Kenosha county are
early at their work This is one of the
many indications that the schools are
in growing state; result largely due
70 the efforts of my able and affable
predecessor.
Most people rely on authority.
Doubtless this is good thing. Let me
quote Fitch, who is one of the great
lights of the profession. He says:
I" Before undertaking matter so sim
pie as hearing class read, we should
glance over the passage and determine
. what words it is we'll to dwell by way
,f explanation and what form of illus
;ration should be brought to bear upon
it. However simple the subject of a
rsson, it is never so good when un-
premeditated as it would be with lit
le Encouragement and forethought.
1t is true that we can never know all
that is to be known, even about the
subjects which we teach in schools.
There should never be time in the
history of teacher at which he is con-
tent to say, " | know now all that needs
To be known for my purpose. | have
an ample store of facts and Illustrations
at my command and may now draw
freely upon it," And further, true
teacher never thinks his education
complete, but is always seeking to add
TO his own knowledge. The moment
any man ceases to be a systematic stu
dent he ceases to be an effective
teacher: he gets out of sympathy with
learners and loses sight of the process
by which new truths enter the mind"
| advise every teacher to provide
himself with a note book, or let US call
it book of lesson plans. During
the evening, or any other convenient
time, jot down your plans and helps for
the lessons of the coming day. Such
work is of incalculable help. You can
trace the class progress from day to
day. Such writing of pointers freshens
your knowledge and makes your mind
bright and of ready action. How can
you make a subject interesting to a
class when you have not enough inter-
est in the lesson to brighten it up be-
forehandY The public will in the COM
ing time expect every teacher to make
preparation for his work.