The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-08-18
PROF. THAOKSTON's ADDRESS
Delivered Before the County Tras-
tees Association Aug, z, 1905.
Rablishd By Requst of the association
The RELATION OF TIE TEACHER T O
SCHOOL AND TO lie COMMUNITY.

Before l will say anything about the
hrst relation thct IL 80 be considered, l
Will try to define as best | can the school.
The school as is generally considered
today Is quite a complex organism. 1t
Is composed OF teacher, pupils. parents,
o~rhcers, taxpayers. funds, buildings, APP.
Paratus, etc. All Of these are united
and pressed on by one idea and tor one
purpose. Yet these external things as
united arc not the real school. but in
u stepping stones that bring
II up to Its highest development. The
real school, and this is what we wish to
speak OF on this occasion, is mind in eff
tort to unfold mind 1t is wholly a men.
tai organism. The CO operation OF all
these things assist in bringing about the
IDEAL sought alter, but the teacher and
pupil united tor the end for which the
school exists constitute the school. Any
special appliance may assist in bringing
about his mental unfolding. but It with
any other appliance cannot make the
school. The school can exist without a
blackboard, globe or map. Without a
taxpayer, schoo! commissioner or even
a parent, Tor these are but agents cons
Dined to helD the two all.important tao
tors (teacher and pupiD in their teaching
process. Nor does the school house, as
some seem to think. make the school,
Tor a school can exist with a Mark Hop.
kins on one end OF a log and a Garfield
ON the other. Any or all OF these very
beneficial agents may be dropped mi
me teaching or unfolding process con
tinue, but the process vanishes if either
teacher or pupil be dropped.
Therefore, the school, as l shall think
OF it. is the lifting Of the child by the
teacher from its present condition into
the condition OF an ideal child-the uni-
ting OF the pupils real and ideal self.
with his definition before us, we are
forced to see and realize the vital rcla-
ton that exists or should exist between
the teacher and his or her school.
Knowing this-and he should know it
with what spirit should the teacher
accept his school ? No question can be
more important. "a spirit" says Page
that seeks not alone pccuniary emolu,
ment, but desires to be in the highest
degree useful TO those who are to be
taught a spirit that e%lcvatcs above
everything else the natur and capabili
ties OF the human soul, and that trcm
bles under the responsibilities OF attemp
ting to be an educator a spirit thai
looKs upon gold as the contemplate
dross OF earth, when compared with that
lmperlshaDle gem which is to be polish
cd and brought out into heavens light
to shine forever; a spirit that scorns all
the rewards OF earth and seeks that
highest Of all rewards, an approving
conscience and al approving God a
spirit that can see God in the child and
that burns with a desire to upllit it,
such a spirit is the first thing to be
sought by the teacher,
Much OF rhe failure that has come to
the school system Of our state and others
was occasioned by the teacher assuming
the duties OF the school without any
thought OF its responsibilities, and often
times they engage in 1t as a secondary
object. appearing to be a teacher while
they were stepping and standing on the
school to rise into another profession.
NO other. profession allows this, why
should our schools ?
"Oh! let not unskilled hands attemnt