The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1907-01-05


pectations will be realized. The schools
in which the children of nation are nur-
tured must not be a disappointment to
their founders, their supporters, their
patrons. All the teachers work should
tend to Strengthening character. 1t is
the central point in school work and
everything bears directly to this point.
Character is the sum of all the qualities
of completed education 1t isa structure
not made by hands, a harmonious Whole,
symmetrical in all its parts. 1t is the
loftiest ideal OF manhood and woman
hood. Genuine character is the most i'm
portant qualification of the teacher. 1t
would be vain to attempt to make good
teacher without good material to start
with. 1t has been said that of piece of
steel you can make almost anything you
please from plow share to watch
spring; the essential thing is that it first
be good steel. The teachers work in the
long run will be measured by what he is.
The true teachers best teaching is an un-
conscious emanation from the undermost
substance of his character.
An element of character is personality
the qualities OF which are sincerity and
conscientiousness. Sincerity in trying
to do the best against all odds counts
for much. A teacher may be homely,
freckled, red head, with wizened face and
sallow complexion. but if duty is his
watchword, if he prepare himself to the
best of his ability, every day to discharge
his duty toward his pupils; if he forgets
himself, forgets his personal disadvan-
tage, forgets everything but his earnest
desire to perform faithfully the work
given him to do, he will succeed against
all odds. have in mind teacher who
was firm but not arbitrary; enthusiastic,
but not noisy; exacting, but not cranky;
imaginative but not visionary; industri-
ous but not drudge; scholarly, but not
conceited; refined, but not, etc. Wher-
ever she was there was order. The lazy
boy went to work. The careless boy
shined his shoes. The frivolous girl be-
came in earnest. Her schoolroom was a
Joy because she was enthusiastic and
had the ability to inspire. And say, don't
you know that one important qualiica-
ton for teaching is ability to inspire
Can you awaken that latent cell in the
child mind that makes him want, first q!
all, to be a worthy character, and then to
be something worth while? Can you dc
that? Yes, then you are all right. You
may be little, or deformed, or crippled,
or ugly or old, or what not, but if you are
teacher and have this power of inspir.
ing the young, you have the right kind Of
personality, you are a true teacher, and
God will reward you if the school board
does not. "Results the stuff
was the motto Carnegie had printed in
large letters and copy sent to each Of
his foremen.
These then consider the essentials in
the teachers equipment good scholar.
ship, growth in scholarship, method in
instruction, and character If these are
happily combined in the teachers o.
North Dakota we can train race o1
men and women which can bear the
stress and strain of life and meet its
emergencies; warm heart and deer
feeling stimulating powerful will set or
righteousness; life governed by higt
ideals and attained by right living. L
we can train such men and women we Sc
cure the great purposes we have in view
in the work of education.