Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-02-22
Duties of a Teacher.

Duties of a Teacher.
The first duty of a teacher Is, {
course, to teach-tO instruct, to df
velop, to train-the boys and girls j
the subject matter of the course {
study, and through it to bring ther
into the faith and works of American
citizenship. That is what the com
munity pays the teachers to do.
But the teacher may and should d,
more than to administer the curricul
um, however faithfully. There art
duties to the community outside the
school and its work. 1t is the people,
money that supports the school and
pays the teacher, and the people-the
taxpayers, the adults-have righ tful
claims upon the school for themselves,
as well as for their children. The
teacher owes service TO all, to non-pu-
pills as well as to pupils. 1t is not
right that the community should await
a generation, and the boys and girls
have grown up, before realizing fully
on its investment in schools The
present generation should get direct
benefit from the teachers presence and
WORK in the district.
The teacher should organize and lead
the Intellectual life of her district, and,
in many cases, its social life. also.
A man OF woman really fit to be a
teacher must know more than eighty
per cent. in Arithmetic, ninety per
cent. in Geography. etc. Such percen.
tages are the minimum of require
ment, but neither community nor
teacher should ever be content with a |
The teacher should know |
some Of the best (no one can hope to
know alD in literature, in history, in
art. She must know what books are
good to read and how to read them
Possessed of such knowledge, she can
make her school centre of distribu.
lion for the state circulating library, if
the state has one. She will be glad to
serve as sub-librarian, and to push
ihe books into circulation, selecting
one that will comfort the grandmother,
another that will delight the younger
children with its pictures and stories,
and still another that will interest and
quicken the young man or young wo-
nan who does not come to SCHOOL,
Each book should be suited to the one
great purpose of enriching human life.
Ii there is no state circulating libra
y. the teacher can organize q reading I
club. of which she should be-, in quiet
)ut forcetul way, the informing and
iirectipg spirit. She can gather to-
sether few men and women who are, |
n profess to be, interested in history. '
ravel, literature. She must be able |
o select books that will intensity in
crest in these subjects. form plans for i
meetings., study how to increase mem
,ership in the circle, and be ready at i
Ill times to show that the intellectual +
lfe is worth while. This does not 7
nean that teacher shall pose as ali | i
Intellectual leader, or be Extensively | f
usled about other peoples intellec
ual interests, but she should be able
tfeetively to start things, or to take
n active and helpful part if they are
lready started. e
Ii the intellectual level of the dis
rlct is not yet quite up to steady a
ook-reading, she may organize a cir
lie or club for the reading of period. d
al literature. She need not lay out the
'ork on too ambitious q plan; it is
etter to begin with three or four who |,
re In earnest, start with them in the I
sading and discussion of what thew v
an understand and enjoy, and let the t.
membership grow steadily, even il t.
owIy. h
The regular work of any club or
udy circle should be along clearly h
sfned lines, taking some department f
human knowledge or achievement G.
the Immediate field in which to
7ork.
There is no community, from the
ty slum to the sparsely settled noun
4ins or backwoods. where the teacher s.
ay not accomplish much in WAYS
re suggested, which her own ingenu
Y will adapt to her own peculiar O
,nditions. I'll
Ii there happens to be no lecture 81
'urse III the community, the teacher h
LII organize one, on small and SIM 81
e scale. If she knows any man or ty
oman who has power with an audi Z
ice, she may write to such, and will e:
I'd it easy, usually, to arrange for
opular lecture at the schoolhouse or ri
urch. If she fails to secure lee tt
rer by this direct appeal, she can q
|. some lecture bureau bear her To- fo
lity for vacant date which some te
cturer would De glad to fill at a re. u,
iced fee. ii
(Concluded next week 10