The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-06-16
PROF. Jones 1Alils : TO [: TIE =
TEACHERS lllAtEEEEs COUNTY Of MAluRY
CONTINUED from First Page.)

(COuQQUoQ IIOm rlTBt E2B6.J
posed to impart in the grades which
they teach.
"a teacher must have professional
training to do the best work for the
children. Often j hear the question,
Can anyone teach, If they know the
subject?' Well anyone can learn the
subject, but they must know how to
teach. Some people say that there
Is no such thing az method in teach
Ing, but this statement has been
many times refuted There Is an IN
derlying principle that governs all
teaching. In a book which the teach
ers Of this State studied three or four
years ago-McMurray's Methods Of
Recitations, the author states that
there Is formula for teaching almost
every subject known. There Is even
a method In the old Blue Back SPELL
er. for Webster did not start US out
with "b-a, ba" for nothing.
THE same general principles per
wade all the texts taught in the
schools. There is fixed plan for
presenting every subject, although
the subject matter may be presented
in a slightly different way in the va
rious text books. The science OF
teaching like every other science, is
a growing one. The oldest arithme-
tic in existence has the same princi-
pies az the most modern, for they
all will tell you that two and two
are four. The difference is in man
ner in which these facts are present
ed. You are not called upon to teach
anything in the Tennessee public
schools for which there cannot be
found a pedagogical form, except ag-
riculture But even this subject will
finally be made into a fixed formula,
and then the results achieved by the
teachers will be immeasurably bet
tsr."
''The times ought to have been
here years ago when the teachers
could have brought their pupils to
live a broader and better life. That
time Is coming soon.
Can a learned man teach school"
is a question we hear asked. No, he
cannot learn to teach school until he
learns how, no more than ia learned
man can be a successful doctor until
he studies medicine The teaching
professionain the south has been left
far behind In development Ahalf
a century ago ia young man want
ed to be a doctor, he went down to
some physicians Office and read what
be called a doctors book" It might
have been a physiology, or It might
have been something else. Then, in
three or four months he went off to
an office and hung out his single,
and began the practice Of killing or
curing and he generally killed.
With a lawyer it was much the
same way. A young fellow went to
the circuit Judge or. the chancellor
and got him to appoint d member OF
the bar who examined him as to his
legal qualifications, he was given a
license and began the practice.
With the doctors now there is not
a reputable medical school in the /
and that will give a student a diplo-
ma within four years of study. Most
.aw schools require three years (
curse, and there is not one of .
hem that will allow a pupil to grad /
tate within twelve months. /
If it is right for the lawyers to
be forced to have a certificate Of legal
qualifications; if it is right for doc
tor to have a certificate as to his
medical knowledge before he can
practice, Is it not right that a teacher
should prepare himself for the vrok
which he will take up, In the same
manner. A teacher molds the char
aeter and the manner Of living OF !