The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-19
TEACHERS AND DAILY TOPICS.

| That school teachers as q class do
not keep posted on current events is
the declaration of Superintendent
Dyche, of Oklahoma. The Wichita
| Beacon takes this statement as a text
and in the course of its comments
| concerning teachers it says:
/ They read literature including
magazines and recent fiction, and they
are well posted on the imaginary
| characters of the day, but they do not
know that Taft is running for the
presidency; that the noted Ohioan is
troubled with indigestion; that The
Hague conference opens today; that
President Roosevelt is at Oyster Bay,
surrounded by official White House
employees: that the Haywood trial is a
national event and why; that Pennsy1-
vania has presented Senator Knox
President Roosevelt's former attorney
generals its choice for the presi-
Dental candidate: that there is a con-
fiict between the federal and state
courts in Missouri on the two-cent
fare proposition: that Mayor Schmitz
of San Francisco is in jail. not con-
structively, but in reality; that a blind
man may become United States sena-
tor from Oklahoma" etc. etc.
While it may seem to some that the
Beacon is a little harsh in its criticism
of the teacher, yet there is much of
truth in its statement. The sphere of
the teacher IS of necessity somewhat
narrowed. He is supposed to be up
in all literature. besides all tech
nica1 books on the subject of edu-
cation. Then. too, the methods of
teaching his particular branch change
so often-and so completely some
times-that his extra time is taken up
with studying. He is apt to be studi-
Gus by nature, for that is a pre-reQui-
site of teaching. and as a consequence
rather exclusive in his social life. He
is supposed to be prominent in society
If he is to do his duty by the school in
which he teaches. These require
ments naturally lead him to neglect all
things but those which pertain par
ticularly to his life. Current topics
are more outside Of his sphere, and so
are neglected.
But the main cause for this neglect
of the topics of the day is mental
hobby" Each teacher usually has
particular line to follow. That line is
frequently the one he enjoys most. He
follows it with the concentration of an
old monk, shutting out one thing
after another of the distracting things
of the Outside world until he has
nothing but his hobby. Teaching puts
a premium on the research of the re-
cluse Society touches its hat in re-
spect for the calling. The student
honors the mind that is farseeing and
accurate in it's work.
Although all this is more true of the
college professor than of the high
school teacher. it is true of the high
school teacher. also, to a large extent.
The average teacher shuts himself or
herself up in the theoretical work of
his profession and lets the world go its
way. All teachers deal with theory
more or less, and hence the tendency
to leave out and ignore the practical,
even the business end of existence, as
much as modern living will allow.
OF course there are exceptions to the
rule. many of them-teachers who
make it a point to be up-to-date in
current affairs as we'll as in their re-
spective specialties. but the other is
the rule. And as an attempt to be
versatile might detract from their
powers as specialists. perhaps it is just
as we'll not to attempt too much, al
though in the very nature of things
the most active minds will keep
abreast of the times: