The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1905-04-28


ditions". Thing Of the Past
Teachers Should Avoid Undue Fa-
miliaritX Between One Another.
BY KATE UPSON CLARK.
(Author Of Bringing Up Boys" etc, Pros
ideEt OF the Wheaton Club. New YorkO
Copyright. 1906, by Joseph Il. Bowloa.)
A mother who was discussing lcr
beautiful young daughter, only recently
graduated from college, remarked that
for many reasons she was "sorry
Grace had selected teaching for her
profession"
But teaching seems to me- to be
the noblest work in the world" OK
postulated the intimate friend with
whom the mother was talking,
Very true" she assented. but
teachers get to be SO dogmattc ana
arbitrary!' My son. who has studied
economics for years, and is considered
to be quite an authority III educational
circles where he is known. was seated
at dinner last evening beside woman
teacher. in certain high school. She
propounded the most startling thco-
ries and made the most sweeping
statements. Several men and women
present tried to protest feebly-but
she would not hear a word on the
other side. She knew. There was no
use in mentioning any other views.
We have looked up some of her statis-
CT
to be utterly wrong-but there would
probably be no result from telling her
so. My son remarked that there was
no profession like teaching for maxi
ing people dogmatic, especially
women
THAT may be So conceded the
friend, thoughtfully. Still, I have
met a good many people. not teach
ers. who made tlatfooted statements
and were impatient of any opposi-
ton
But since classes have to accept
their instruction, no matter what,
there is special danger in teach
ing. And teachers get into habit
of ordering others around and being
obeyed. So many teachers have an air
which might be described as majorly."
"a good many married women have
that" laughed the friend.
AFTER marriage, it may not be quite
SO damaging. But there is nothing
which initiates more against girls
social success, short of actual moral
obliquity. Modesty in intellectual
intercourse is almost as beautiful and
necessary as the other modesty. |
detest the positiveness and curtness
which so many teachers seem to have
and even to cultivate, as they grow
older"
"Grace will never have it," suggest
ed the friend, comfortingly. 'She is
too gentle and too sensible
But you see she cannot be too
gentle in teaching-especially in the
public schools, where her career seems
to lie. And in overcoming this gen.
tleness she will Lave to acquire the
other manner, and that may take her
too far. You know the poet tells
about the one who lost all gentle
ness in might And then her voice!
How few teachers have pleasant
voices! They either become nasal in
the effort to obtain strength at the
least expense, or else they get a
harshness which is even worse
Graces delicious voice is one of her
greatest charms. 1t seems as if l
could not have it spoiled"
The friend tried to reassure the
worried mother. But hundreds of
other mothers have had similar appre-
tensions when their young daughters
have entered the noble and honorable
profession Of teaching. The pitfalls
which Grace's mother described are
very real ones. Every calling has its
own peculiar perils. The over-posi-
tive manner and the harsh voice are
no doubt two of the most likely to
beset the teachers.
There are others which did not &C.
cur, to the mother who has been men
toned, because her own daughter
happened to be more than commonly
fastidious and correct. in her dress
and manner. But many girls, espe-
cially the more intellectual, become
so much carried away with the things
of the spirit that they neglect the
perhaps less weighty, but still impor-
tant, matters of the body. They may
not endanger their health, but they
fall into a habit of wearing their
clothes to positive shabbiness, and
putting them on carelessly.
There is often excuse to be made
for them. They are not seldom over
worked or underpaid, or both. Some
times they have to dress in cold
rooms Sometimes they are half-sick
and if they could just take time to
pet themselves little, they could
more quickly recover, than they can
in the incessant struggle of school,
life. ION the other hand, they may
have better health than if they had
l 80 A. IL