Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-11-06
TEACHERS AND INVESTIGATORS.

TO find out the truth the nature. and
the use OF things and 70 disseminate
that knowledge among the people
these are the chief functions N higher
education.
Those functions, however are of very
different kinds and are not usually en-
gagged To- by the same persons. II Is
one thing to be qualified to teach with
clearness. force, and precision: Il is
another thing 10 be able 10 investigate
truth or reality at first hand. so as TO
discover those properties of things
which adapt them to the use and profit
Of the toiling masses among mankind.
or 20 the intellectual enjoyment Of the
thinkers and students
The modern university leads in both
these lines OF beneficial and mostly
ultruistic service in behalf Of the peo-
pie
We note from the current number OF
the Utah Educational Review that
| President Kingsbury is Of the opinion
that the faculty Of a university should
consist Of two classes OF professors.
one OF these classes should be teach
ers; the other investigators whose
| first duty is TO do research work.
Referring to the well known impress
! sion that many members OF university
faculties are unfit to teach"-that is
those whose inclinations tend strongly
toward original iuvestiga -Presi-
dent Kingshury describes the teaching
member Of the faculty as one who
takes delight in impartiug knowledge
| which he has acquired no matter II
the subject he is teaching be the same
subject and Of the same grade year
after year He should be enthusiastic.
sympathetic, and capable OF inspiring
the students under him with the right
attitude toward the subject they ar,
| pursuing The students should be
aroused to such an interest IN the sub
iect that they delight in talking about
IT and in discussing the various ques-
tions tina; tho subject and the instruc-
tor suggest"
We should like to observe on this
point that there Is also "a considerable
difference IN the subjects Of instruction.
some Of which appeal more powerfully
TO the average mind than others do.
Thus, the novel. the drama. ana the
clever essay upon almost any topic Of
general interest. exert a much stronger
hold upon the Imagination and Interest
OF nine out OF ten people than do the
facts Of geology, physics chemistry. or
biology SIN fewer people are inter-
osted ln mathematical subjects. while
political and social and mental science
are fascinating TO a great many. Hence
certain branches rarely form the topics
N general conversation; and most stu
dents who pursue them at an DO SO be-
cause the subjects are prescribed in.
or az least, are essential 20, the course
of study they are following.
Dr.. Kingsburys description OF the
good teacher however. is a true and
| valuable contribution definition upon
which BE- would Dee difficult TO Improve
For che most part such teachers are
the exception rather than the rule. es-
pocialB in higher Institutions When
ever such "a one 81 found. he should
be encouraged hy the regents or trus-
tees. and. indeed. by the whole come
munlV 10 remain 10 tho teaching pro.
| fession every reasonable ana possible
induconent should be placed before mn
20 insure his doing so. There is no SUM-
cicnt method Of estimating his value
to tine people whose highest Interests
/ Doe uuuuc-tlunably serves. n only by the
enthusiasm for learning. progress. ana
the other Things that are more excel
lout' which result from hla teaching
We think. moreover that Dr. Kings
bury Dr. rght ln maintaining that no
professor should teach "vho is al
| vows glad to have tho class hour
come 20 an end and feels relieved
] from burden when the hour ends
and Dee Is rid ~ the class" Tho
sooner such "a professor is replaced by
| the Iight kind of teacher. the better
! Tor the students and the Institution.
! This is truo whether hlf failure IN
teaching results from dis
uko for teaching ana nothing
rlao. or whether on account OF
his thirst Tor creator knowledge ana
DTS love for original Investigation, he
has acquired dislike for going over
the same subject and the same facts
year after year
The result rs the same ln any case.
such persons should NOT teach
There Is, however. am important
neld OF work FOR scientific nvostiga-
tors. who desire 10 DO original re-
search work In the line u their choice.
Ia this respect our country is far be-
hind Germany or France. ana Dr.
kinssbury suggests that Two or three
hundred hrst class Investigators should