The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-24

The grammar lesson and its relation
to the reading lesson must be drilled
into the little heads that are now be-
ginning to turn toward the clock. Feet
begin to scrape nervously on the floor,
and it takes all the teacher 3 wonder
full power and patience to prevent a
stampede when the gong sounds and
the strenuous American "kids" are
free for the day.
The schoolroom empty and quiet, the
teacher does not take her bundles and
stroll home after the children, but be-
gins her fourth relay of work, which
is fully as important as any Of the
others. New lessons must be put on
the board, the books must be looked
over to see if there are signs Of hard
use, and all the articles used in the
industrial work must be looked over,
possibly repaired, and put away in
order. The register is checked up, and
then, perhaps, she can take a few min
utes to 60 to the principals office for
outlines Of new work.
The board of education has not in
stalled gas lights in the schoolrooms.
They know the failing of teacher for
sticking to the work, and if it didn t
get dark she might not 60 home at
all. When it gets too dark to work
she is compelled to 60 home, and even
then she is half afraid that she hash It
done all she could to make her school
success. On the way to the car-she
is not running this trip-she thinks of
dozens Of things that might have made
the days work more fruitful, so she
stores them up in her mental ency-
elopedia to be used the following day.
Recess for the teacher comes just
before the evening meal. Then she
gets her first real rest Of the day, and
altho she may be thinking of school,
she cannot be made to talk of it. For
a time she is free, and in the evening
she is the life Of any household she
may be in. The hours between dinner
and bedtime may be spent in planning
the next days work systematically and
in finishing the work of the same day.
She may also have to make a sample
for the industrial class,s but she calls
it play and sings at her work to prove
it. When her bundles are tied up and
her wraps placed where they can be
put on in hurry in the morning her
work is finished. The public thought
she was thru at $3.50 pm.
| This is a days work with the teacher
as the college girl saw it, yet there
was not complaint nor a word Of
fault to find with the system. The
teachers reward, aside from her sal
airy, is the daily result. She does not
have to work SO hard, and those who
have made the Minneapolis school sys-
tenn what it is constantly tell her to
hold down, but her pride in her own
room and her desire to have it said
that her pupils are the brightest in the
school keep her forever at work.
Teachers in the Minneapolis schools
are not allowed. to accept gifts from
pupils or patrons, but there is some
thing that is priced more than the
most costly present; that is a word
of encouragement or praise from q
pleased father or mother. She can do
more and better work and accomplish
better results when she knows that the
parents are back Of her.
~ spent day with the school
teacher" said the college girl to her
teacher-friend on another meeting.
"And you still want to teach7"
| queried the teacher.
/ ooh, yes. I shall teach if I get the
chance, but not for the reasons 1 had
before. / have learned something since
then. I have conscience, even if /
was looking for snap, and I'll be
sure of it's not worrying about not
earning my salary if I take up the
work" R. G. NJ.