Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-01-27

self said. IAN education not founded
OH religion is unproductive." All.
schooltcachcr think | can put my
finger upon the weak spot of your
schOoltcaching. You are spiritually a
blind man trying 10 lead the blind.
You want your scholars 10 be like
christ. and yet you yourself have not
surrendered your own heart to the Saw
lour. VIII you do ii now In order to
give the right kind OF an example to
your children?
The next way 10 make your scholars
true and noble Is to appeal to their
best manhood and womanhood. A
sneaking and dishonest band OF stu
dents IL teacher will place his stu
dents upon their honor they will be
honorable young men and women. II
he watches them as Il spy would try
to ferret out the actions Of an enemy
lie will find his scholars dishonest. and
there Is no exception 10 the rule.
Thomas ArnoId's PInn.
This truth has been well demonstrate
ed by the history of the greatest teach
crs who ever lived When Thomas
Arnold went To Rugby there were more
rules there than days in the year. Ev
cry teacher was expected 10 be u spy.
No teacher trusted Il boy any more
than warden In Sing Sing peniten
tiary would trust Il life convict outside
the pcnitcntiary walls. All these rules
We're written upon board and nailed
up in Rugby chapel No sooner did
Thomas Arnold take charge than lie
cut down that board OF rules and threw
IL into the tire. He then had the boys
assemble before him. and he said:
Young gentlemen. expect every one
Of You to he an honorable young man.
This school hereafter Is to he run on
the honor of its pupils" BY that
course Thomas Arnold turned Il lot of
decciving pupils into band of honest
boys.
The same fact was true in reference
TO the life of Mary \. Livernore ut
DuXbury. This il her TESTIMONY: II
iillOi lli'fl my lfNllfliH VIZ pi'ttA4A7 H"s
that the school was To bc self governed.
There were TO Ice no punishmcnts for
offenseS. no rewards for we'll doing.
Each one must conform TO the rules of
the school MS II matter of honor or
leave IL. Every young man was To be
gentleman, every one of the young
girls Il lady" DO you wonder when
MARY 4. I.ivermorc started her school
upon such n basis ms this that she had
young gentlemen and young ladies for
her scholars: How was il. o teacher,
with your past life? If you had Il
teacher who never trusted you and
was trying TO catch you in dishonest
act. did you not cheat under his very
eyes; You did. and you know II. on
the other hand. were not all the boys
and girls honest and true In dealing
with that teacher who used To leave
the room on the day of examinations
ana put the members OF your class on
their honor II always pays 10 appeal
tO the honor of your students. Treat
your class ny honest boys and girls.
AMI they will Ice honest. Spy on their
tracks. and they will cheat you and
deceive you nj every step Thus the
two great means by which teacher Is
to mold his classes for Christ Is. first,
to be Christian himself. and. second.
to appeal to the Christian instincts Of
the scholars by whom he is surrounded.
And now come 10 one closing plea
for the teacher 20 give his heart to
Christ. OF all professions in the world
where IL person needs the grace Of God
TO sustain him the pedagogical profess
sion Is the foremost. OF all classes Of
men and women toward whom the
world is most blatantly and cruelty I'M
grateful that class is to be found among
the teachers do you know" said
teacher To me the other day. that OF
all Intelligent workmcn teacher Is
paid the least? \ father pays more TO
the carpenter who shingles his house
than he does TO the schooltcachcr who
moldS the brains and the character of
his child. He pays more 10 the work
man who puts in his plumbing or the
mason who rcars his walls or TO the
plastcrer who mixes his lime for his
inside walls than he does TO the school
teacher who is forming the life OF his
child for time and for eternity" Yes"
| said. II know II. Shame on the com
munity which does it,
But. Christian teachers. though your
pay Is small. though the world may be
ungrnteful for the good that you can
do. remember the greatest opportunl-
ties Of life are yours You are the
great protectors OF society II is you
who can prevent In the twentieth cen
fury such m outbreak rs the French
revolution Of the eighteenth century.
You are the great conServators OF so
cial order Your work Is infinite,
though the pay is mcager. Christ was
never paid dollar for the work he
did for mankind except Ia he present
al with "A cross for Il dying bed. But
Christ saved the world 10y his sacrifices.
You are not building for time. but for
eternity You are molding boys and
girls Tor the future. And II you do
your work well there will come time
when you shall have your reward.