Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1903-12-11


only give tone and color to the mind
and character of the child but which
tr9HsInitted by and through its life
will leave an impress and result on
its generation and perhaps ON gene.
ralions TO come. The pebble tossed
carelessly into the pond sends out
little wavelets ever widening until
they reach the distant shore. go a
word spoken, an act done, an idea
Implanted may send out impulses
which viii extend to the end OF life.
and possibly far beyond.
1t is said that the teacher occupies
the place Of the parent. To him or
TO her is entrusted the training of
he child It's morals, its manners
IFS habits of Thought, perhaps even
its religious Impressions as we'll as
its education in the ordinary studies
depend largely on the character and
ability Of the teacher employed by
you directors. 1t is a matter Of little
moment, comparatively, that You
can levy taxes, draw and pay
vouchers, buy coal or wood, keep
the buildings in proper condition
and attend TO the business details of
your office. These are important in
their way and necessary to the
proper and entire performances Of
your duties, but they sink into
insignificance compared with that
higher duty of providing competent,
capable, faithful and conscientious
teachers for instrnoting and training
the tender minds committed to their
care. On you devolves this duty
You cannot shirk or evadeit. When
you assume your Office the presump.
tion is that you are amply qualified
to fulfill its requirements. BY seek.
ing the position, or accepting it
unsought, you promise that you are
not only able but willing to exercise
its important functions with fidelity
to the vast interests at stake, the
welfare and education of the youth
Of your district. This duty you
assume and promise to intelligently
and faithfully perform. You are
examples in the community. You
are presumed to represent it's in
.telligenee, ITS sobriety and its
morality. The people eutrust you
With grave responsibilities, the
future welfare and happiness of
their children depend to large
extent on the training they receive
in the public schools and on you
depends the character and ability of
the persons employed TO undertake
that care and the shaping and
molding of those immature minds.
Do you realize the responsibility?
Do you to the best of your Judgment
and ability honestly and conscien-
tiously endeavor without fear or
favor to perform the delicate and
duty Of selecting the teacher
best adapted to give that care and
training to the child, upon which
may be built the superstructure OF
happy, useful aud active life?
Pennsylvania boasts of her vast
resources. Were she en-
closed and shut off from communica.
ton with the world she could
furnish her inhabitants with many
Of the luxuries and all the necessities
Of life She is self dependent and
to large extent independent of her
sister states. She boasts also of her
common school system and of her
towards its support. and |
yet according to the census Of 1900
Pennsylvania stands goth down the
list Of states in point Of illiteracy of
her population above the age of ten
years 6 per cent. Only two north
ern states, Rhode Island S.4 and |
New Hampshire 6.2, exceed her in
his respect. Pennsylvania with
her 6,3O2, ,ll5 population has a total |
1f 299. 376 illiterates above the age Of /
10, of whom 157. .027 are males aud |
L42, $40. showing that the males are
ess inclined to education than their
sisters. New York. with a total /
population of 7,26s,e9 Of whom
/, 900, 425 are foreign born, has a
otal Of illiterate, while Pennsyl
7ania with a total 9s5, 25O foreign I
BORN population has 6l. Now, why
Ihould New York, with a total
population of only 900, 10 aud an
lliterate population Of els, IT'S great
n than Pennsylvania, stand 6 per
'ent below Pennsylvania in illiteracy.
surely it cannot be attributed to the
oreign born population because in
New York IA per cent and in
'enusylvania 1913 per cent are
lliterate. Can it be after an that
he system in New York is conducive
o a higher grade Of intelligence in
he population or are the school
directors in Pennsylvania remiss in