Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-01-25

n.
ars when she was teacher in Dux-
bury, Mass. She did not 60 into her
class room and say, "Now, children.
you must go to work and work hard
and have just as miserable time as
you can" Oh, no. She made play out
Of work. When she was teaching bot
any she gathered the beautiful flowers
out of the fields and took them into the
class rooms. Then on certain Satur-
days she took her class out into the
woods to find the flowers and to study
them in their home retreats. Then, in
stead Of studying the stars by books
alone she would meet her class on
clear night, and together they would
roam through stellar worlds. Then, in
stead Of making music bore, she
formed her scholars into singing
classes, and ever and anon the teachers
and scholars would go off on picnics,
taking their games and their violins
along. Do you wonder that Mary A.
| Livermore worked her way into the
hearts Of her scholars and inspired
them with the love of the beautiful?
Love of the Bsnutifu1.
| While, on the other hand, have not all
Of us had teachers of history or of Eng
lish literature or of oratory or Of bot
any or of art 30 dead to their themes
that we never entered their classes un-
less it was with leaden feet? Even
or Ruskin we felt 1t was drudgery,
because our teacher himself was stolid
and unresponsive to the harmonies Of
the beautiful. Oh, the teacher who does
not inspire his people with n love for
the beautiful has lost half of his or her
mission. Some time ago I was IN the
home Of very intelligent lady. During
the conversation she said to me, "My
little daughter has read nearly all the
standard works." as that so" I an
swered. do you pay her for reading
those books" Never" answered this
lady "That was the great mistake my
mother made. In order to get me to
read good books she used to pay me.
The result was unless was paid money
1 never read good literature. Years
after my mothers death I found out
my mistake. Then l commenced to
read good books for the Joy that got
out Of them. try to inspire my daugh-
ter to naturally seel, the beautiful and
love the beautiful In literature because
love the beautiful there" As teachers
have you not higher mission in life
than simply hammering the multiplied.
ton table into your pupils minds? Do
II. k~4n -,
found in the curve Of a rainbow or
about the symmetrical hiendings Of the
leaves of little violet or about the per-
feet design of snowflake?
But the schooteacher has still a
higher mission than that Of examining
q students brain full of few facts
and teaching him to love the aesthetic.
Art and nature did not make Athens q
city of vrtuous people Some of the
most loathsome examples Of immoral
and social RIGHTEOUSNESS were prac-
ticed under the shadow Of the Parthe.
non. Some of The greatest writer's OF
the ages walked the streets Of Rome
But Rome in its day was what Sodom
and Gomorrah We're in their days, and
in modern times the most popular lover
of the aesthetic who ever stepped upon
our shores was himself so stepped In
immortality that he was not only exiled
from oil decent society but was in
generated in a London Jail and passed
away despised of men to meet his Goo
and to render an account for his mis-
spent life. Thus, my friend, as 9
teacher you have something more to de
than to tsach your scholars TO love tht
books, and the trees, and tile noun
tans, and the blossoms, and the har
vest fields.
Importance Of Example.
How can teacher lead his pupils
to he pure and true and noble ani
good? In the first place, by giving then
the example of teacher who is goot
and true and pure and noble Only ;
short time ago l was talking to lady
who for years was a successful teach
err in one of our western cities. l said
"What is the greatest essential for 6
successful teachers life?" She TN
hesitatingly answered: Example. Sht
herself must be good woman if sh,
wants her scholars to be good"
A few days ago the principal OF one
of the Los Angeles public schools sait
to me: Il cannot expect anything bet
!, ter from my students than l am my
self. For the last two weeks l have
been trying especially to be kind ant
gentle and forgiving. Why? l know
if am kind and gentle l will max,
my children kind and gentle also.
There Is magnetic connection be
tween the pupils seat and the teach
ers desk. You know it. o teacher
am going to ask you one blunt ques
ton. Is there any way easier Cor
teacher to be true and noble and goot
than by surrendering his life int
, Christs hands? Friedrich Froebel him
self said, "All education not founded
, on religion is unproductive." All
schoolteacher, I think l can put m.
: finger upon the weak spot Of you
! schoolteaching! You are spiritually {
! blind man trying to lead the blind
2 You want your scholars to be lik'
3 Christ, and yet you yourself have no
: surrendered your own heart to the Saw
, Jour. VIII you do it now in order t
. give the right kind Of an example t.
D your children?