Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-21
TEACHERS AND THE NORMAL.
New and Defnate Adherence to the
Womanly Traits.

Comparatively few teachers now
adays belong to the former conven-
tionalized type, observes woman
widely familiar with educational in
situations. The schoolmarm Of nom
descript, colorless costume. tight twist
ed hair, steel spectacles and frosty ex-
preston has vanished. In her place
is a woman youthful rather than old
in appearance, well gowned; hair,
complexion, hands, all showing evil
dence Of care; manners agreeable in
general, if somewhat over-assured and
self-satisfied.
A teacher type still exists. however,
and if any trait dominates today it is
this one of intellectual assurance and
satisfaction. Mankind is wont to call
this aggressiveness and to fight rather
shy of the possessor-unless he is a
teacher himself, and even the man
teacher has been known to prefer a
woman of sprightly manner. attractive
personality and unframed mind to her
pronouncedly Intellectual sister.
But a new trait is being developed
in the modern type of teacher-that of
a definite adherence to the womanly;
in other words. the normal. For in
stance, there comes to mind-says the
observer-one large college for women
where the faculty corps numbers a
hundred women. OF these hundred
women fully one-quarter live from
preference outside the college build
ings, groups Of two or three teachers
in suites Of rooms or keeping house by
themselves, or individual teachers in
small families where there is agreeable
home life to be had. Many of them
concoct one or more of their daily
meals; they have charmingly furn-
ished rooms: they have tea tables.
where the tired fellow worker, who
would sell ner soul for a cup Of tea"
may drop around of an afternoon and
be refreshed; they have possibilities
for small suppcr parties, under due
prOprieties with their male friends; in
short, they are able to escape from the
schoolroom atmosphere into nom
academic ways of living, and to main
tain themselves as normal women OF
tempered knowledge, sweet serenity
and sense of humor.
From the self-satisfied woman teach
er there is little to be hoped OF change.
Content with the four walls of her en-
vironment with her intellectual out
look-narrow, though it be ever 50
deep, with her own Interpretation of
womanhood-even if it be wholly in
artistic and Independent, she is SEEM
ingly Stunned of the gods and of man.
Such women are of the type, found
elsewhere as we'll as in the teachers
profession, who think it lightens the
h,,v Of Hfo n fhrnu tho
amenities.
A teacher who herself strives for and
successfully keeps a sane balance told
the observer just the other day Of an
almost pathetic instance Of the desire |
to be normal. A young teacher friend
Of hers discovered in the recent long
vacation spent at a pleasant and rather |
lively summer place that she hadn't a |
becoming gown, or any capacity for
being lust entertaining" Her APP
peals, 'What shall I wear? What shall |
do and say?" showed a self-revelation |
not without it's saddar side. Another |
woman, Southerner, and a most effec |
tive public school teacher, said recent |
ly: My work in college as teacher has |
DETECTED me from any strong minded, |
sef-sufficient tendencies I might ever |
have cherished; every day of my life l |
appreciate more fully the value of |
clothes and conduct"
1.-THE worst dressed people," said DR.. |
S. Weir Mitchell, ARE the people who |
are overvaluers of learning. In the |
effort to dress the mind, pray you not |
to forget the body" Teaching is a |
great science. which requires the mob
lest, broadcast effort. The richer forms
of personality, the creative lives that
can inspire and inhame others with
thoughts of nobleness are the outcome
of deep thinking and conscious striving
after we'll balanced normal modes of
living.