Smyrna times., 1899-01-11

should the teacher see in the unframed
chlld the possibilities of the futur,
man who will do the right for the sole
reason that it is the right. That is tC
say the teacher should have definitely
ana clearly before him the end toward
which he is aiming.
WHAT Is THIS END?
we want our pupil to become self
acting, self-gOverning. We want him
Drought into subjection to reason SO
that he may do right for rights sake
HOW CAN THIS END BE REACHED?
In the early years of childhood rea-
son. that principle of intelligence which
Is TO guide to right action in matura
life, Is in an undeveloped state. If is
the work of the teacher to mature and
strengthen this power of the mind
Pestalozzi believed in concretin {,
moral instruction to little children
just as III the case of other exercises
lie would present to their minds n reaI
case OF wrong or suffering, touch their
1eellngs, appeal to their svmpatbv
and then call for action that wonld
alleviate or bring relief.
The great aim of Pestalozzi wos 70
cause his pupils to act from an inner
impulse. For, whenever opportunity
OF choice comes to the child and he
chooses the right, he performs a moral
act and Is thereby morally strength
ened.
Every school hour of the days brings
to the teacher opportunities of leading
his pupils to make the right choice be-
tween two possible courses of action
or conduct.
1t may be that at lunch time some
pupil is not provided with food. when
few pertinent words from the teacher
brings to the other pupils the feeling
that 1T is more blessed to give than
to receive -
Awakened sympathy may become so
considerate of crippled, deformed or
otherwlse unfortunate child, as to
cause 1t to almost forget its misfortune.
Again here come the ever recurrinD
opportunities for the teacher. A child
is moral only when he lives ND TO his
ideal.
The work pupil does must at all
times and under all circumstances be
the best that pupil is capable of doing.
II his work falls below this standard
then he is immoral just to the extent
OF the failure. The teacher is immoral
Just to the extent that he fails to in
sist upon the best the pupil is capable
of doing
1t then becomes the duty of the
teacher Cd to place before the pupil
high ideals of neatness, accuracy and
excellence in all his work, and (2) to
accept nothing short of the best each
individual pupil is capable of doing.
In the change of classes both teacher
and pupil too often fall short of the
moral standard under consideration.
The recitation having been finished
and the class dismissed each pupil
should be back in his seat inside of a
half minute ready for work on the ex-
erclse. Whatever more of time is
taken must be placed to the account of |
school room waste, The laggard who |
this ideal condition should |
not he accounted an offender against
the teacher SO much as against his fell
low pupils.
Say to the idle, careless, scattering
pupil, these pupils come to school to
earn all they possibly can that they
may grow up good and useful men and |
women. If you do not make the most |
Of all your school opportunities you
will not only fail to secure that which
The school is meant to give you, but
you also become hindrance to others.
That Is to say, make each disturber of
,he quiet and the decorm of the school
'oom feel that he is SHINING his fellow
students. Right sentiment when
may be made potent factor
N securing and maintaining the
IDEALLY beautiful, self-governing, self
school. Furthermore, this
Kind of school government prepares
he pupil for this place in civil and
ocial life. For if the life of our grown
Up pupil offends not the moral sense
If the best people in his community
hen we account him moral, and this
'hase of his training has not been in
ain.
In this daily routine the teacher
must, however, often substitute his
'wn will for that of the pupil. The
eacher must command and the child
hey, and learn to bring his will into
conformity to reason in the act of
'beying.
The work then, of the teacher is to
mplant into the pupils the highest
deals possible, both in regard to his
ally tasks and his conduct, and to
reate in him desire to realize these
deals, and to see to it that this desire
asses out into action.