Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1899-05-05
The Moral Functions Of the Public
schools

iaiOf ". ~ Auomass a. NJ, lFluclpai
Of Charlotte Hail School. before The
Charles County Teachers Institute on
April 24th:-
W.. President, Ladies' and GenaeB,eai:
| appreciate the honor Of being invited
to participate in the exercises Of this
Ins tuition Having spent more than
twenty years il your most honorable
profession, naturally, feel bound by
strong ties Of sympathy to the great
brotherhood Of Teachers II affords
me pleasure to join with them in these
social gatherings to interchange views
nd discuss questions Of educational
policy. The derivation of this term ed
ucation (e and dUco) signifies the draw
ing out or development of the latent
forces-mental, moral. and physical
forces potentially so great, from germs
so small, that we must pause in amaze
ment at the broad scope and possibilities
Of education 1t is not, however, with
the intellectual or the physical side Of
this subject that propose to deal at this
time the former already receives al
most exclusive recognition, so much so
that most persons think Of education as
applying solely to the mind -and the
physical does not need pecial attention
at your hands, except in few cases,
since the activities of youth will insure
proper exercise, if only the opportunity
is afOred. The subject Of my remarks
is the moral functions of the public
schools. All educational institutions
should provide for the moral training Of
the pupil but it is more particularly the
function Of the public schools, since they
were established by the government and
are being maintained at the great cost
for the special purpose Of fitting the
young for tbs relations ofsociety and the
responsibilities of citizenship. Most of
those who attend the public schools
could not otherwise resolve the benefits
Of education, for want Of meaLs-and
many, whose parents are called from BY
their daily work would fail to receive
even that care and attention usually sup
piled in the family circle-besides the
law contemplates only elementary learn
ing in the public schools and the masses
of the people have no need or desire for
more than this When we consider,
therefore, the class of pupils to be dealt
with and the purposes for which the
Free School system was established. il
become evident that mental education is
aot all--nor, indeed, is it the most i'm
portant- do not mean disparage the
intellect by saying that mental culture
alone does not necessarily make either
virtuous, usefu', or law abiding citizen
nay more, | seriously question il it
increases human happiness, for the sus-
ceptibilitY to pain is multiplied in a ratio
at least equal to that Of the capacity for
pleasure. When however, culture Of
mind goes hand in hand with that of the
moral and physical nature, we have ed.
ucatioE in the full sense and this is GER
tainly the greatest boom to mankind
bless ng to the subject and through him
a blessing to the human family
Therefore. fellow Teachers, | would
emphasize the Importance of moral train
ing in the public schools as paramount
to intellectual and physical training
70 this end, beg to offer few sugges-
tons. The school room, no matters
hos plain, should always be a model Of
neatness and order All of us are in
hGenced by environments, especially the
young. The spirit apprehends through
the physical senses and so sympathetic
is this relation that the one induces :
like condition in the other. For ex.
ample, cleanly surroundings will dc
more to create a taste for cleanliness
than the wisest precepts ever uttered
and physical cleanliness, | believe, ha.
strong tendency to moral purity
Likewise, if the books, desks and othei
articles Of the room are kept in order
the child will acquire through the eve 9
sense of order that will grow and become
ruling factor Of his life. Fry to make
the school room as cheerful and inviting
as possible-it will tend to make the
pupils fond of their school and then
work. A few inexpensive pictures ma,
be tastefully ARA aged to relieve tn,
blankbess of the walls and who can tel
what wholesome thoughts and feeling
may be suggested thereby to the child
mind. Flowers which may be gathered
BY the wayside at this season, should b,
introduced to brighten the room witt
their beauty and sweeten the atmospher,
with their fragfanee-there preach
silent though impressive lesson Of good.
ness and love. which the sensitive nat
ure of childhood may be quick to re
ceive.
"Speake full well in language quain
and olden
One who dwelleth by the castlet
Rhine,
When he called flowers, so blue anc
golden,
Stars, tina. in Earth's armament d,
shine "
Another subject that deserves passin,
lnotlce is the cultivation Of good manner
which contribute so much to the grac
and social intercourse. II delightful
we're the courtly manners Of The oil
school gentlemen Of one or two genera
tons back Ia some communities. W
observe with pleasure the lifting of hat
and polite salutation BY the children
whom we meet = and we always thinl
better Of their homes and their school
Require your pupils to remove their hat
on entering the room. to move quietly
and TO speak in a tone Of courtesy anC
kindness of course Teachers exampl,
counts more than words-yet while ",
all have our shortcomings we should
constantly strive to measure up to the
true standard
The faithful Teacher will observe hi,
pupils ont of school as well as in school
We will study them in their intercourse
| Nth each okhar and sai1a arar,, o,.,.,.