The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-08
TEACHERS PAST AND PRESENT
Some Of His Disadvantages ana some
ofHis CompcnSations.

''Ichabod Crane. says Southern
Education, taught school in Sleepy
Hollow. but he was forced to give
singing lessons and board around with
bis pupils in order to keep from starr-
ing. In a community in Lincoln
county, North Carolina, in the early
HOS the public school trustees had a
custom OF advertising the need OF a
teacher and also informing the public
az the same time that the school
would be let out" on a certain day
to the lowest bidder. For several
years the teacher of that school
received eight dollars per month and
boarded himself. His qualifications,
as stated by himself, were ability to
read and write and TO cipher to the
Rule OF Two in Fowler'S arithmetic. !"
Crates Of MalloS taught grammar
at Rome Indeed, he was the very
first teacher on that subject in that
city, if we are to believe the records.
This man had the misfortune to break
his leg by falling into sewer. From
tlat time un he was considered good
lor nothing else 0ut to be a teacher.
Nero, the Roman emperor, had
Thrasea put to death because he had
sour cast Of countenauce and resem-
bled a school teacher. In the early
days of America the school teachers
always had some other occupation.
They were grave oiggers. or horse
traders or farmers, as well as teachers.
In the south the preacher was often a
teacher and was thereby person OF
more importance than the teacher in
other sections Of the country.
But how is it now? The teacher
of rural school, if he is a man.. is
looked. on more than otherwise with
pity and contempt, especially if be is
along toward middle or old age. Ii
ne is a Young man, he is likely pre-
pairing to te a lawyer or doctor or a
preacher. Ii the teacher is Il young
woman she is ready to forSake her
work the moment a desirable offer Of
marriage is ade TO her Too often
the public does not respect the teach
ers calling. and the teachers look
upon their work in much the same
light.
In many communities the teacher
Goes not have much social standing.
neither has be any financial standing.
He is not usually noted for great in
teNectual and moral qualities. There
is not enough remuneration in the
work to attract the men and the wo-
men OF the best brains. Such persons
enter other callingS Even in the
southern cities. where tie remunera-
Lion is better, teachers are often the
footballs Of politicians, and their ten
ure Of office IS uncertain. Only the
best can stand up in the face of such
blighting influences and retain their
Inanliness and self respect. In addI-
tion to all these things, the average
intelligent citizen looks patronizingly
upon teachers. In fact. teachers would
not be teachers. in their eye. if they
could possibly be anything else. And,
then. oftentimes the very highest
teachers position 10 the state, the
office Of the state perlntendent, is
given away to some politician or in
competent teacher because he has
some pull.
II he Great Teacher was despiSed.
and rejected of men. but the best men
and women nowadays will not suffer
themselves to be SO despised and re-
iected while other yocatlonS as honor
able stand open to them. In the
spirit OF the missionary and the
matyr. some may give their lives TO
teaching. But what man, real, man
wants his children doomed to aScetic-
ism, celibacy and social degradation?
Men and woman who are the chill
dren's social equals ought to be their
teachers-virile men and strong wo-
men whom parents would like to meet
often.
The teacher who lacks ambition,
red blood, manly strength, social
standing, cannot be a real teacher and
a real leader. Mere goodness, the
political pull" the badge Of charity
must disregarded and the selection OF
the children's models and leaders put
on professional basis, ii we are to
have democracy realizing the highest
and best development Of the race.
u <.nnS Plan
What the Philadelphia Public
Ledger declares to be the most impor-
tant act OF the Pennsylvania legisla-
rDra is that providing for the SvStema-