Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-25

lie Of children unless she feels able to
influence for the better. mentally ana
morally. Influence Is the most subtle
force in the world. and children are
uncorsciousIy irritated to their detri-
ment by A nervous teacher. or by a
teacher 10 whom her work is not con-
genial. If she ~ not interested. she
cannot teach the children interest.
The rights OF children in this matter
~ teaching are much too little re-
garded. ANYONE can teach Jack to
read and do arithmetic the mother
says. Wen wait until he is older to
"a send him To better school" But
when he goes To that better school he
4 takes with him set Of bad habits OF
study which the best teacher in the
: world may have to use almost super
human and WellniEh Intellectual effort
10 overcome. TIE best rs none too good
for the youngest child. IL ahould have
from the first teacher who Is a guide.
a friend. an instructor, ana, above all.
m inspiration and noble influence.
/ How many graduates fc.l the ncces-
sity 81 working ConscientiouGly toward
these requirements?
Suppose now that 4 ~. nan has
marked ability To teach. without the
t4-t~ Tor teaching Suppose Ter IN
fiuencc u be morally. as we'll rs men
4 tally good. Many such women there
are. FOR lack az inclination To tr2cn by
no means indicates lack OF ability.
What II the woman 70 m? III this
case, The matter lies practically in her
own hands. by teaching she is not re-
tarding the advancement Of the pro-
fession. Cor she rs Interested to DO her
best in whatever position in life she
may fill. II the work We're not too
irksome far hcr. there u no moral
reason why she should not cor tinue in
il. Eut If there is another line of
work which she could more rrofitably
'and plcasurably follow, she owes it to
herself to do il. She has 4 right to
consider herself. Viewed from the
other side. the side Of the school
system. the question should follow the
law Of the survival Of the fittest. The
teacher should yield place to some
woman who has ability plus inclina-
ton. If this other woman does not
need the money which teaching brings
nevertheless she should not give place
to woman less qualified and more
needy. The best woman should have
the position, for the profession of a
teacher is hardly less sacred and inn
portant than that Of Il clergyman. The
work in both cases is the instruction
and care of souls.
Suppose another case 4 woman
feels herself not entirely fitted by in
4 clination to teach. She is poor, she
has borrowed money for her coveted.
dearly priced education. and she must
| begin ut once to repay that money.
she is offered 4 good teaching position
Shall she accept it? I should say yes.
| Even though her ability to teach be
only fair. vet the spirit which made her
borrow money Will make her repay it
with interest. l. she dcvelores into
a reasonably good teacher. with an up
lifting influence let her continue the
work until she is free to choose. a
woman who has grit enough TO 30
through college on borrowed money is
going to be worth something. And
she is in honor bound to repay her
debt before she tries to find her true
place in the world When she finds
that place. She should ut once make
the effort to give UP teaching.
| If. then, the majority of women who
| think of teaching ought not to teach.
what can they do to earn their living?
The president of one o. our western col
leges for women believes. from his ex-
perience with young men and women.
that. to use his own words. college
women have moro executive ability
than college men. The girls pay their
bills and keep their college finances in
mrch better shape than the boys. |
| would have girls Stay ont of teaching.
and 80 into work that requires exec
utive ability.
on the same subject the registrar of
one Of our best Eastern colleges for
women. once said to me. why are so
many girls teaching? The supply is
greater now than the demand. And
. eighty per cent. Of the teaching alum
me of our college insist on staying
; here in New England. where there is n
surfeit of teachers. After midyear I
, put pamphlets against teaching around
, on The tables of the reading room for
the seniors To read and mediate upon.
What would you have them do?" I
incurred.
, "Oh let them so on studying and
write college monographs if they can't
do anything better"
? A negative suggestion. certainly. n
t suggestion Cor girls who can afford to
t to study indefinitely: nevertheless it
shows tho trend of educated. eyperien-
eel thought in regard to teaching.
| IL is not the object of this paper to
suggests substitutes for teaching. It's
object is merely to call attention to the