Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-10-11


schoolroom, said he THE time has
come. and it ought to have come long
ago, when we should also cultivate the
feelings, the sensibilities of the scholar.
1t would be just as absurd to say that
we should not cultivate the principle of
arithmetic as to say that we should
ignore the cultivation of the feelings
The mind should be filed with rare and
beautiful thoughts as well as sound
and valuable knowledge.
In the equipment of the teacher
there must be. first. knowledge: Sec
ond. training: and. third. experience.
And more important than all, the
teacher should have spirit. The spirit
is that which prompts the teacher to
cultivate the mind just as the farmer
cultivates the soil. The soil, the cult
Walton. the rain that falls from heaven
and the sunshine are essential for the
farmer and so likewise are they neces-
sary for the teacher.
THE teacher should know the hopes
ard aspirations of the pupil; and if
time is taken to inquire into the
thoughts that are dominant in the pu-
pills mind it will be the means of Civ
ing you an explanation of the troubles
the teacher may have with the scholar
The teacher should know the home en-
yironments of the scholar so as to have
a better sympathy with him. SYM
pathy and cheerfulness are powerful
tors in the schOolroOm. A teacher
who comes to school in the morning
with pleasant smile and Il cheerful
good morning to every scholar even
if barren OF real knowledge. can inn
part more to the children than the
sour-visaged, mechanical. dead teacher.
though gifted with the highest educa-
ton. NAV be able to do
Prof. Rogers address was i'm the ma
ture of advice to the teacher. and at
the outset he remarked that it was
quite easy to give counsel. though very
difficult to take it, He spoke of the
various kinds of teachers who essay the
task of impartihg knowledge to the
young One will be religiously inclined,
and cannot PROFOUND IA simple problem
in arithmetic without delivering a SER
monette: another is the declamatOry
teacher. who delights in reciting poetry
or prose while he compels his pupils TO
sit and listen to him: still another is
addicted to the use of slang and must
needs use the expressions of the day.
common on the ball field. on the race
track in the barroOm or the prize ring.
in order to give illustrations of that
which he wishes to convey to the minds
OF the students.
Teachers should avoid the use of
slang in the schoolrOom.' said the
speaker. and the scholar should also
abstain from its use. The school is the
only home some children ever know.
Therefore the best and only the best
should be taught them there. The
homes in these days do not teach chill
dren the morals. the tastes and the
habits as they did in the days long
gone by The old-fashioned home ia
practically no more. where the mother
teaches the children the right and the
wrong and makes the home so full OF
comfort and happiness that the men,
bers of the family would rather be there
than anywhere else in the world. The
mother | have in mind does not belong
to numerous clubs: she does not know
the distinction between the latest pro
duction Of the leading Russian novelist
and that Of Mr.. Howells but she does
know how 10 instill good morals into the
hearts of her children. The decadencc
of The home in this respect is fact:
the rescue of the home is Il missionary
obligation Since, therefore, the teach
Ell of today is obliged to inculcate good
morals as well as good knowledge into
the minds of her pupils. she must be So
constituted as to be cheerful and pleas
ant at all times and win and retain the
respect and love of her scholars.
The address of Mr.. Rogers was lis
tened TO with care and attention and