Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1903-01-10
INCOMPETENT TEACHERS
THE SUBJECT IL DISCUSSED WELL
BY acaITIc."
some Pertinent Suggestions made by
which Our Public schools s1py
be Naturally Referred.

ne Naturally BetEeseu.
Jones Spring. Jan 9th. Editor Of
The Herald, thinking it would interest
some Of the many readers Of your
valuable paper to hear occasionally
from this section Of the country. as to
what is going on, / will endeavor to
inform them for q while, and also to
make some suggestions and offer some
criticisms on matters of public interest.
| Now. on this latter, ] take as a text
The whole need, not a physician but
they that arc sick / hope that the
text viii always be remembered BIZ
every reader, 50 that they may not take
anything as personal unless they are
actually s'sick, then remember that
III means you. I think it would be
well to have an educational column IN
each of the County papers where COM
munications from teachers and from
patrons might be admitted to the
lettering condition Of schools.
"Orestes" perhapes has sounded the
keynote, when he says I'VE have not
a few incompetent teachers. Why
do we have the incompetent teacher?
First, beca use the competent did too
much aattering and did not do enough
| thorough work. second, the County
Superintendent was too age for the
dollar and also too anxious 70 secure
the good viii of all who applied and
lastly the trustees too often look after
the interest of some teacher, instead
Of looking after the good of the chill
dren aud YOU may depend upon it thar,
SO long as these eneouragenents f'a
given, there will be incomplete g es-
ers in our schools. What is tif4 e
DIV? Mould public sentiment against it
and stop the encouragement. But now
thev have charge Of the schools and
are likely to have for quite a bit vet.
The best thing to do is to help them
all we can for the sake of the children.
ivou know it is the children thst are
~loosing and not the incomDetent teach
er. The children are loosing directly,
the community. the State, the Nation
are loosing Indirectly. Well. how are
we going to help? Why, suggest to
them to a about less. and read more
Spend more time with the competent
teacher and not so much time with
the boys or girls as the case NAV be.
Every teacher, whether competent or
incompetent. should have q complete
set of all the text books used in the
schools and instead of spending tine
entertaining or making frequent and
rather imprudent calls and engaging
in useless conversation about the state
of the weather, the idle report, the
tale of scandle, it should be spent on
that portion Of the text books which
the classes ate TO pass over on the
following day or the following week.
so as to be able to give TO the school
the best.service possible. Every rule
should be calculated and every ques-
ticn and principle so demonstrated
that the most stupid NAV understand !:
This can be done only by careful study
and a thorough understanding of each
subject. The manner and words sof
children should receive some attention.
To this end a good example should be
set by the teachers. Certainly some at
teutiou should be given TO the time
and manner in which the children take
their lunch. II children are permitted
to do SO. they will take the vituals
from the lunch basket into their
hands. rush to the play ground or
Ian about the school while eat
ing. at the risk of having it knocked
from their hands into the dirt or to
swallow it without chewing, and 9TH
er objectoual features. all of which
cam be avoided by having all spend
the first ten or fifteen minutes Of the
noon hour in taking diunee. More
to follow.
Critic.