The Penn's Grove record., 1904-12-30

PROFESSIONAL promoters OF education
and friends Of the schools outside Of
the ranks of professional orkers are
occasionally moved to exploit views
which are at least noyeI If not radical.
The idea behind these views is that a
shaking ur is a good thing for teach
ers, to keep them from getting into
ruts Recently it was affirmed that
uomen are less competent than men to
train boys IN manliness and courage.
The pios and cons In this discussion
were suggestive and doubtless helpful,
IKE most discussions undertaken in
good faith. Recently the ideal for a
model modern teacher has been out
lined. He must be up to date in every
thing, we are told-a good mixer, able
to dance, play pool, billiards and other
games, must be a church member, In
terest himself in local public affairs,
be magnetic, a society man and gen.
orally get out Of the beaten tracks of
old time pedagogism and at the same
time command respect and obedience in
the class room.
The idea of what a school education
should do for the pupil has changed
with the times. Drilling in the three
RS is no longer the sine qua non.
Perhaps the increase of college bred
men and women in the community Gre
ates a demand for school training
which shall mold character and man
ners as well as drill the mind In book
lore. A teacher Yields a vast infu-
ence and stands next to the parent, if
not ahead, in the young and growing
mind. Up to date ideas and manners
are essentials If the teacher would
hold the lasting respect Of those whom
authority places under his or her lead
ership. AT the same time the primary
idea of a school is a place for lessons,
have an Influence upon the mass.
These scholars demand that the teach
er shall be capable at the desk and
never at a loss In up to date knowi-
edge. The teacher must be a peda-
gogue or lose ground. To hold the
teacher of the past up to ridicule in
comparing the old school with the new
is unfair in the sense that formerly
the compensation was too low to in
duce the best talent to devote a life
time to teaching. This phase has hap
PLY changed. The profession is fairly
well paid. Recently four employees in
the civil service of a metropolitan city
resigned their places, ranging in salary
from $1,000 to $500 a year, to take
positions in schools. Perhaps they had
natural aptitude for school work, but
the incident shows that the profession
of teaching is no longer used as a
stepping stone merely, but is a field for
ambition and enterprise. This is as it
should be, to hold In the ranks the fully
| up to date man especially. The more
up to date he is the higher will be his
aspirations for his own welfare. He
must be human, we are told, If he
would become q factor in the commune
ty, and If he is that he will reflect the
characteristics Of the people among
whom he labors. The teacher of the
past was to a certain extent a martyr
to the cause Of education, a situation
that would be unfair with the modern
idea Of the school.
| r.. A.. Snnsa uu~o, nriu~ O,,%O
Because we have no Thackeray, Dick
ar,, ,f,s rtResmgs Marcd todsyx no mod
inference is sometimes drawn that the
sense of humor is declining. 1t is
true that the public is not running
wild after n one authors works be
cause they raise a laugh. Many works
have a distinctive If not a saving ele-
ment of humor to recommend them.
But the fact is the public has no occa-
sion to be hungering after humor be-
yond what ome along in the ordinary
course of things. There are brightness
and jollity everywhere-on the stage,
in the general press, in society and on
change. The somber, gloomy soul is
the exception. The whole philosophy
Of modern life is cheerful, hopeful, in
spring.
In the age Of Thackeray, Dickens
and Ward and also In the boyhood
Of Mark Twain life was serious be
cause of the outlook, not because ii
was more earnest. To relieve. serious
ness in others or perhaps to break
away from inward gloom now and
then a gifted mind created humor,
made an imaginative world to brighten
the sad world all about. If modern
humor appears strained and farfetched
and fails of a wide audience 1t is not
because the spirit of laughter is lack
ing in the world, but because people
are more contented and more critical,
Why should a happy person laugh al
every joker When people are well
pleased with real life it takes a very
strong contrast in the imaginative
sphere to stir up humor. One can
laugh loudest when saddest, and one
can be happy, yet not easily moved to
laughter.
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