The Saint Paul globe., 1899-05-28
THE ASPERITIES OF PEDAGOGY

There prevails an impression that teachers bed
is Of roses without thorus that her drink is of the
gods nectar and that she gets her food does the
hummlng bird 1t is not expressed quite that way but
the Orentalsm becomes, in the Occident the state
ment that ''She has soft snap" Only six hours y
day for work, and only five of the work days in the
week, and nothing under the to do for the re-
naming eighteen hours Of the day but to plan how
to spend her munifcent salary That is about the
way the average person sums up the teachers yo-
cation. Let them ask for increase in salary or pro-
test against reduction and the average mem
Der of school board will act upon the commonly
held concept though he be too gallant to say it aloud
To some extent the school ma'ams are responsible
for this notion. They dress WELL and that implies
surplus of income. 4hey have smile and pleasant
face not the standard Kindergarten smile" that ia
merely the effect of trained facial muscles but the
smile that lights the eye and that beokens the peace
of mind which from leisurely life and ample
income. They go off in their vacations to the wafer
ing places or the coast the mountains and some
OF them just to keep up appearances go off to meet
lngs OF the educational association to some sum-
mer school All Of which carries conclusion to the
unintated that the vocation is an easy one and the
compensation extravagantly liberal
But there are thorns in plenty among the roses
and the nectar has its drops of gall The school
ma'ams lfe-for the schoomaster is fast disappear.
ing-has it's troubles and this is the season of the
year when they are rather thicker than ever for now
her next years fate hangs in the balance and ber
sleep IS haunted with fearsome dreams of what the
principal or superintendent may recommend in her
case, and what the board will do with the recommep
daton, and whether she will have again to summon,
her array for contest with the head of the schools
OF not VIII she be dropped. transferred or re-
duced or pomoted? Of this material her looseo
imagination constructs the nightmares which she Is
cOmDolled nd da in
OF May when sleep should be to her tired nature,s
sweet restorer."
But there are other asperities that make her life
not one unalloyed dream Of happiness If the car..
OF nVe or SIX children sends the mother to bed tagged
III body and mind. the Of seven or eight times
that number during the day the nerves of the
teacher, and she goes with tagged energies to the
evening, portion OF which must be given to plan
ming the next days work Behind her constantly 70
the spur OF the system that expects of her that she
carry hef room from one to another point in eacn
STUDY during the stated period and on the perform
ance OF which her standing with her principal will
somewhat rest but with her superintendent much
more. ana While she crowds and pushes with her
conscience rebelllng at the Sights she must perforc
put upon her work. her heart aches for the little
VINO cannot keep the pace as well for those abIar
ones VINO chafe at the sowness of the moveman,
WIN ths she feels that the parents of both are dis
sauSned the one thinking she neglects theirs for
laVored ones the other accusing her of needlessIv
holding back their children
Then, rarely, it is true, but occasionally navar-
tneess comes the humiliation of being obliged to
SHOW oeIerence to superior in station some nrin
cip'i Oh superintendent. who Is inferior in endow-