Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-04-17
THEIR DUTY
TO CHILDREN
Some Of the Respon.
sibilities resting
on Teachers

Miles .. johnson spsaks 10 Normal
Students On What Constitutes
h Good Citizenship.
United statesDeputy District Attor-
ney Miles 9. Johnson addressed the
students Of the Lewiston Normal
school ct the regular weekly assembly
this morning. Mr.. johnson said:
THE school law Of Idaho states that
the object Of establishing Normal
schools II to train and educate teach
ers in tho art Of instruction and gov
erning In the public schools Of this
state, and among the duties prescribed
by our law Tor teachers II to keep
himself Or herself above reproach and
to endeavor 70 Impress upon the minds
Of tho pupils the principles Of truth.
justice, morality. patriotism and re-
nnement ana to avoid idleness. false
hood. profanity. vulgarity and intem-
perance.
II believe It Unnecessary to refer to
teh duty you owe to yourself and to
your state and nation to keep your-
selves above reproach regardless Of
whether you are = teacher Or not. but
the Importance Of teaching children the
virtues outlined BY our statutes II
sometirnes underestimated BY some
teachers who entertain the theory that
their sole duty ID the mere teaching Of
what ID contained In. text books.
thrusting upon the parents the entire
responsibility Of the child's training
along the lines OF morality and good
citizenship.
OF course no parent has right TO-
shirk this responsibility and leave such
training entirely to the teacher. but I
maintain that regardless Of our law
upon the subject no person has any
right to attempt to train the minds Of
the young who does not fully appre-
ciate the Importance Of intoxicating vir-
tues ana high ideals in the mind Of the
growing child.
Man Creature ct Imitation.
IL the child's training II along pro-
per lines and he knows the facts he
will reason from correct premises and
his moral sense 81 conscience win obey
the dictates Of reason. ! believe that
when = babe il ushered into the world.
with normal faculties. all the elements
OF thought are there but they are vif-
tually dormant and also believe that
were two babes, born Of intelligent
parents, to be cast upon an island UNI
Inhabited by man. ana were they to
live. the chances are that they would
diner but little from the animals which
resemble man In form. Their ideas
would be but few and they would seek
for nothing but the simplest thinss to
satisfy their wants Ia their wanderings
from rlaee II place. But II ono the
other hand they should be cast upon
island inhabited by people Of : low
order they would acquire q low order
OF thought themselves. because man II
naturally creature Of imitation and
even with ! high order Of intellectual
ity 1t II hard for him to rise above his
environments.
I'VE see illustrations Of this very fire.
quently IN those Indians who are sent
to Carlisle and graduate with honor.
return to their tribe and soon resume
the same dress, the same habits and
the same manner Of living az do the
Indians who have never been away.
And then again we see men who have
not had the advantage OF an education
-illiterate men as 1t were thrown in
to intellectual circles and acquire a
polish that IL frequently lacking IN
educated men who have not mingled In
such circles.
Let Thorn See the Good First.
"That which we most highly value
we think no pains too great to obtain
and 1t Is the duty Of a teacher to create
natural desire in the mind or the
child for things that are good and to
abhor things that are bad. Until the
child II old enough to understand the
frailties OF mankind, point ont only thu
good in the lives of the great charac-
tiers Of the past and present ana the
child will become eager to possess the
same virtue that they possess
Teach them that virtue IL q ssed
dropped from heaven to md lo1gnaent
In the hearts Of all man unless they
stubboYnly refuse to give It noufish-
ment when received. Il win be come Z
constant and delightful companion and
grow up In their hearts With Increasing
vigor. blossoming IN their livea with
heavenly beauty. for blessings svel
wait on virtuous deeds. and though
late. . sure reward succeeds.
Teach them that virtue cannot die
because It Il planted from heaven and
cultivated by divine hand. or q on,
OF the poets said:
j~sPvRmaaa lnrA nw9mlaa af41l thn,,~l