The Advocate and news., 1899-03-01
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When our parents and grandparents
went to school their ideal teacher was a
man who could cipher to the rule OF
three" and who had good, strong right
arm. School teachers of that day never
heard Of such a thing as child study.
Many, II not all would have thought 1t
foolishness to spend months in learning
the best methods of teaching. Normal
school training was then an unknown
thing. In the old days, as now, teachers
were Of both sexes, and ranged In age
from the girl OF sixteen to the gray
headed man. The more usual type was
the man, we'll Versed in the use Of ferule
and birch. The whip was very neces-
sary thing in those days. An elderly
friend who knows from sad experience
told me that IL was the rule to whip un-
til the pupil cried, and it was woe be-
tide the one whose weeping was too loud
and vigorous. It were better for him il
he cried not at all. Many teachers had a
pointer that was supposed to be used for
blackboard work, but in reality was used
to hit the boys. The girls did not need
such punishments.
Let us who are pupils rejoice and be
glad that we live In day when some
thing more is required of teacher than
a knowledge Of the three rules reading
riteing and rithmetic" Under the pres
ent rigid examinations only the best and
brightest pass and the examinations are a
constant sitting process. The standard
is being raised all the time and many of
the teachers of to-day are approaching
very near to the ideal.
Ohnt,IH oI
training? When a man desires to be-
come minister of the gospel he takes a
theological training. "a person who in
tends to be lawyer takes law course.
A physician attends a medical school,
Even the man who lays the foundation
stones for building has had special
training. If, then, he who lays the foun-
dation for building needs special train
ing for his work, how much more should
he who assumes the responsibility of
helping to lay the foundation of educa-
tion and character for boys and girls have
a thorough training for his work. But
we should not fail to give credit to those
who by their industry and natural ability
have become good and successful teach
ers Notwithstanding the fact that they
have been deprived Of Normal School
training. OF course there are exceptions
to all rules and we have even had a man
who filled the highest Office in this nation
with credit who had been denied the ad-
vantages of common school education.
But If Lincoln, crippled and handicapped
as he was by the lack Of school training,
was able to perform the great task set be-
fore him, what an intellectual giant he
would have been had he received thor
ough education in school and college.
Such instances only prove the natural
ability of some people and do not prove
that we should not avail ourselves OF the
best means of preparation for our work.
II is matter of congratulatiOn that our
state has made such good provisions for
the training Of teachers. In addition to
the very thorough and efficient State
Normal School, many of our colleges
have Normal courses. Our county insti-
tutes are great helps for the teachers.
Next to education and physical train
ing for the work, the ideal teacher should
possess that most necessary quality
the ability OF self-cOntrol. "He that hath
no control over his own spirit is like a
city that is broken down and without
W0Ahos uAohy QLuCA SOOu bGdCnCAO
are partial failures in this one thing.
II a teacher cannot control himself how
can he expect to control others? A
teacher should never conduct himself in
such manner as to give the pupils occa-
sion to say teacher got mad to-day"
No teacher can do justice to his pupils
unless he strives to become acquainted
with their mental and physical defects
Such defects are not so uncommon as
may be supposed. Almost any school
could furnish examples of pupils with
slight defects of sight or hearing or some
mental popularity which unless discov-
cred and understood by the teacher might |
cause untold suffering. In many in
stances the unfortunate child has to
receive punishments that are not de- !
served because the teacher does not
know that 1t is something that the child |
cannot help. 1t is cruelty to punish a
l. Iii