The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-01-31

Inc lOllOWlBS articles nave Deen re-
ceived for publication in the series:
WHO is THE BACKBONE OF THE SCHOOL?
Upon whom rests the greatest respon-
sibility for the success of our schools?
We shall try to find the answer to this
question by the method of elimination;
that is, by showing how it does not rest
upon certain individuals with the con-
clusion finally that we shall know pre-
cisely the people who do hold in their
hands the success of the school.
The responsibility does not reat upon
the teacher, striking as such a state
ment may seem. They are partly his
these responsibilities only very
small part. The teacher feels that-his
duties are to give satisfaction to the
school board. Should that body not be
pleased with his efforts the teacher
knows that he would soon be struck off
the pay roll. The school board, to the
teachers of this county, is the most i'm
portant factor in our educational sys-
TEN.
Some sanity people say that teach
er should not teach for money: some
teachers boastingly say the same These
sentiments, however, are exceedingly
hollow: they are founded upon mere
theory and not upon stern facts. Cut
off tho 60 ar,- apJ Inu. Lone iii ~
teacher teach the school? Furthermore,
to whom does the teacher look for an
example of the person who works for
nothing? Is it the farmer? the laborer?
the banker? or to the store keeper?
Nay, not to them, nor to anyone else,
for no one in this day of heavy expenses
work for nothing. On the contrary,
the teacher wants as large a salary as
it is possible for him to get. The
school board gives the salary. To
please the board, therefore, is the aim
of every teacher who is worth his hire.
Asaresultof this salary the teacher feels
some little responsibility to the school;
but the greater part of the responsible
ty is to the school board which gives
him the wherewithal to buy his food
and clothing. These thoughts may not
be the most pleasant for the parents or
others to read; nevertheless they are
facts, and facts are what make the
world GO
Next week another short article will
appear which will attempt to prove that
the responsibility of the success of the
school does not depend upon the trus-
tees. Lack Of space prevents it this
week.
CONTRIBUTION No. :.
THE FUNCTION OF BOOKS.
School text books should be servants:
to the teachers of Garrett county they
are too often masters. 1t is lamenta-
bic fact that pupils, and sometimes
teachers, are so tied to books during
recitations that only a very low degree
of success is attained in many schools.
We teachers must realize we are tray
cling a beaten road; then we should face
about to direct the propelling powers Of
the vehicle and thus lift the wheels
from the ruts which have so long re-
tarded our progress. Though the path
be old it may become one of great de
light, if we pull out Of the beaten track.
for then we shall find new flowers, and
even the old ones will present new beau
ties and bring us joys.
May briefly present two pictures?
The one shall be of school in rut,
the other of school which has pulled
out Of the beaten tracks.
If the teacher spends her evenings
reading poor, though fascinating liter
allure, or entertain some friend, or at
tend neighborhood party. then retires
at late hour, she will get up late, get
to school late, call up her classes late,
then follows a pathetic scene a dull
teacher, with dull look, before a dull
class, all of which conspires to make a
dull recitation. Should she fall upon a
proper question to some pupil, who is
servant to the text book, he will turn
to the book, and answer satisfactorily.
of course, though only to be forgotten
the next minute. If a less tactful stu
dent is called upon, he will likely be
prompted by his kind neighbor. Such
conditions are lamentable indeed, and
mark the point at which school life is a
positive evil.
In the second picture we see teach
er who loves her work and is not salts
fled until she has the consciousness that
the pupils are making hearty, solid pro-
gress in the formation of habit and
character. She rapidly, though intelli-
gently, reviews her next days lessons
each evening. The next morning she
has great physical strength and men
tai vigor. These, with her moral cour-
age, are at once, though in an uncon-
scious way, transmitted to he school.
The classes are called promptly. and
the scene is at once joyousl The teacher
has nothing in her hand except perhaps.
pencil, surely not book. The pupils
inst q c fraa bondad aoob 4oiI:.. II. =.