The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-18

| was so with a teacher I had when was 14, which is just your beautiful age. You do not begin to know what l a delightful thing it Is to be 14 and in the very glow and sweetness of the morning time.
 In the school I attended then there were number of teachers, most of whom were more or less popular. There was one whom, by common con- sent, we treated with disdain. She did not appeal to any of us. We did not like the way she wore her hair We made fun of her prlm dresses, which were never in the fashion, and we did not admire anything about her. She was very near-sighted and very ner- vous. Her eyes often looked red, as if she had been crying, and she had a trick of letting books and pencils fall, and of getting ink spots on her pa pers. If she reproved a girl, she did 1t dift1dently, and we called it grossly, but now know that she suffered ago. nies of shyness and never got over be- ing afraid of the girls, When school days were over l knew her better, and found out what a heroine she was
 Her mother was a hopeless invalid, her little brother was a cripple, and she supported them both while there hung over her the terror that her eyes would give out altogether, and that she would be obliged to resign her po- sttion.
 Girls can be very cruel. They do not mean to be cruel, but because of their youth, their quick enthusiasm, their impulsiveness and the intoler- ance they have for whatever does not please them. they often cause great deal of suffering which they would be sorry for If only they knew what they 1 were doing.
 A teacher may be fighting a battle that you girls cannot in the least ap- preciate. If she has been in harness several years, her nerves are probably very much worn. If everyone tries to make the days work easy for her there will be few complaints about her crossness. l am always glad when I bear of girls who adore a teacher. The adoration may be little inconvenient to her, and 1t is sometimes a trife overdene, for girls live in the superla- tive. They are very apt to talk in Italics and use too much emphasis. But if their teacher is sweet gracious and refined, if her personal ways are dainty and her dress is neat and trim. they unconsciously initiate her. She does more for them by her attractive personality than by the instruction they receive. One sometimes sees in a town or. village successive sets of young women who have been under the moulding hand of a single charm Ing teacher They repeat her finest characteristics and she gives the key note to the community
 Many years ago, before anybody thought of germs and microbes. there was most engaging and beautiful teacher whose class Of thirty every afternoon were each dismissed with a kiss. At a signal the girls closed their desks and turned around in their chairs. Then beginning with the first and going on to the last, each girl stepped to the desk, gave her teacher her hand and was dismissed with A kiss. You may have some old friend who can remember a scene like this in her school days. We are much more careful about kisses now, and do not encourage them from rosebud lips. We have learned that even babies are bet ter without too many kisses.
 But there may be affection without much demonstration. If you do not love your teachers they can do little for you. If you dislike them, not only will you do poor work under their care, but you will not be so sweet and loVable as you might otherwise be. TO carry stone in ones pocket to throw If the chance come. is to cherish a spirit of unkindness which acts most untaVorably on the whole life.