The Leon reporter., 1900-03-08

Can a Teacher Become Great
er Social Factor Without
Injtlring Classroom
Efficiency?
Paper Read by Prof. George N. Briggs, at the


there, would attribute the result to the
personal influence of the teacher more
than TO anything or everything else.
Hence the absolute necessity of exercis.
ing this influence as much as possible.
In our opinion what is often said about
the personal influence of-teachers in col.
leges and universities is not less true in
the lower grades, including the humb.
lest country school at the ross.roads,
not less true, but even more true: We
all remember as pupils in attendance at
the sslitile red school house" or perhaps
at a school house with no paint OH it at
all, how much influence the teacher had
on our ideas Of propriety and right, how
much one craved a look ora word Of
appreciation and how our ambition was
to some time be rs great and good as the
"teacher." With this feeling existing
among the pupils, and it exists in every
school, what an immeasurable influence
for good teacher with lofty concep-
tions of his duties and responsibilities
can have.
A teacher in community in which
once lived said, OH returning from a
social gathering held in the village, 81
was disgusted with the whole affair.
have not been used to associating with
clerks, BARRIERS and day laborers."
Thank the Lord, the clerks, BARRIERS and
day laborers were not compelled to as
sociate with her very long. Such a
teacher (and beg pardon for the use of
the term here) if he feels that way
about the people among whom he
works, ought under all circumstances to
send in his resignation at once, he is in-
tended to fill some other calling. Every
one must recognize that the man is after
all more desirable than the so-called
specialist be it in whatever line it may,
that great heart is just as essential to
true success in school room as in great
learning. Youth, strength and happi.
nesssare the prevailing characteristics of
the student body, and he who cannot
meet these with youth and strength and
happiness overtlowing in his own nature
is out of place as teacher of youth.
This does not mean that he is to be
frivolous, or without true dignity, but
he must be within touch of his students
if he is to influence them and guide
them and incite them; and he cannot
get wi hin touch if he has lost the capac-
lty for enjoyment and association with
them, their brothers, sisters, and
parents. No school can afford to keep
on the corps of teachers one who has
little or no sympathy for young human
ity, who cannot be blind to great
many things he sees and patient with
great many things that are annoying.
and interested in great many things
that are really of small moment to him
self. A teacher who cannot stand out
side of himself and his school on occa.
sions and those very many, is a source
of weakness to school, and is power
less where he ought to be powerful.
Recently we had the pleasure of read.
ing beautiful letter written by young
matron to al intimate friend. In this
letter, the mother, speaking Of her six.
teeA.year. old daughter, said, "She was
always great chum Of her mothers.
This expression set us to thinking and
we have been thinking ever since.
Happy'is that mother who can hold her
daughter-yes, and her sons too-as
chums through all the days of child
hood and youth. And happy is that
daughter who remains the intimate
chum Of good mother, from babyhood
to womanhood. Nor is there much
danger to the boy or the youth who
continues TO be the gallant chum" of a
wise and loving mother till he reaches
manhood. There are wise and happy
mothers who have boys of this kind,
but their number is too few, and there
are noble boys who rejoice in such a
relation even till the cheek roughens
and the voice grows deep, utterly heed
less of any taunt about being ''tied to
mothers apron strings"
What about our rl4tions with our
boys and girls, teachers? Can We be
chuns to them without injurlng school
room efficiency? AS we look back on
our school days do we look with disre-
spect or with thought of inefficiency
upon those teachers, who, outside Of
the school room associated with us as
one Of ourselves, who talked and laugh.
ed with lis about our little undertakings
and who seemed to be interested in the
things We were? Do we feel that they
had less influence on our future lives
than that gloomy teacher, the one who
was stiff and pedantic, the one of whom
Goldsmith said:
4 A man severe he was. and stern to view,
/ knew him well and every truant knew,
4 Welt had the boding tremblers learned to
1 trace
4 The day Is disasters in his morning face.
i The teacher will find many things tc
try his patience, many things to vea
and Cross HIM, many things that vii
4 discourage and irritate him; but throust
it all let US keep cheerful countenance
let us remember that child life is joyoul
and cheerful and that no teacher has
right to throw clouds and shadow!
around it, let the effort of every teach
ers life be to avoid furnishing the tex
J for similar verse by some future Gold
smith.
And we have future "Goldsmiths'
right in our midst. That boy or cir
!, who seems to be the dullest numbskul
in your school may be the boy who il
} future years you-will be proud to say
"He was one of my pupils in that littl
old school house down there in No. 6
Rising Sun district, 25 years ago." an,
when this bad boy afterward comes t,
J you and tells you that you, when hi
teacher, by showing an interest in hi
. little undertakings, by interesting hi
i pars nts in education, by being a "mal
}. among men, in the community in whicl
you taught, gave him an inspiration an,
) an incentive to do better things and t
reach his present place in life. it will b
an ample and more than ample rewar.
f for all the apparent trouble he causes
A you while bare-footed little urchii
! under your care. Teachers are unde
: paid and made the responsible partie
for all misdeeds by their pupils and
! would seem that our mission in life