The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1904-10-29

new General Education Bill aS drawn,
without even the slightest amendment
and thus we are now more free to study
and forward the best interests of edu-
cation in the Commonwealth.
There is no more useful component of
the community nor one that contributes
more to the States welfare than its
teachers. We are chiefly concerned with
their qualifications. Hitherto. the teach
rrS' chief qualification has been their
ability to get II certificate and it waS
difficult on occasions, to find even this
qualification.
Too much importance had been hith-
Cltp given to mere scholarship hut while
the standard of intellectual requirement
will not be lowered scholarship alone
will not constitute the t,~t required of
teachers in future to exclusion of other
qualifications. Every teacher in the hall
had met and doubtless could meet a mere
scholarship test
Esprit de corps of the teaching body
should be more and more insisted upon
Save where attendance upon institutes.
conventions. otc.. iS mandatory. diSrlp-
pnintmrnt III the lack of interest shown
by teachers in the objects sought to be
attained often results. There is not
enough of sympathy or fellow-fceling
among teachers upon the importance of
their work. Unless ones heart is in if
his work is worthless I.ivr men and
women are wanted in our schools. The
majority of failures come mostly from
lack of sympathy. More enthusiasm is
needed Too many make teaching the
stepping stone to other callingS or other
life work. The right spirit. too. is want
ed which seeks not reward but usefu1
service to thoS,. put in our charge: that
recognizes Gods handiwolk in every
child and strives to fit him for the prop
or DISCHARGE of the. duties of life.
Teaching too. is made the dumping
ground of failures in other lines of life
work. to the dctrimcnt of the. schools
and the prrjudicc of real teachers. Only
the strength of the system of elucotion
established under the Constitution of
1867 saved il from collapse. There
should be no room for such failures" in
orr schools. The increased rcypnun now
available would permit of elevating the
teaching power standard Connection
would become more lively. Many Of our
best teachers could and would be rrtoin-
ell Ill our ltlGnllhg hUlN, I OnlttltOlS
would ap,par from other States and
home teachers would be- put uIon their
mrttlr. Trustees might show favorit.
ism fur II time and save u few who had
Reached the dead line" hut public opin-
iyD would in dine time check this abuse
| There are two CLASSES Of teachers Those
who are ulivr and rhost. who slrr dead
| but moi ready for burial. The former
would survive but thc latter are going
and soon will be gone.
Mr.. Biddlr gave the teachers some di
rrctinuS uuon making out rrunrt> lr,l.
| ing to securing promptnrSs and accuracy
and stated that truItrrS held thr foISt
| uottyn that they wrrr pI,iyiIrr,L 10
spcnd lt lrae,t 81 m,gn thc cleaning. etc
of schools. whom. in fact. thny mu.t no,
exceed that amount for that purpns,. auf
should render u bill for thr artunl cost
of the work if il fell under 1hnt om,unt
\ recess wnN then taken until 2p.m.
Al the oprniur of tbc afternoon Sos,
sion Miss Irene Foster. of North F,as,t
sang rl wittily wor,]rd solo which WEI,
we'll received Then followed ~ r1Inf
table discussion of "NIotirn Songs" lc(
hy Miss Lizzio Wells strikiurlv and Of
fectively illustrated by n class of child
| rem from thc lower primory grades al