The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1912-03-01
THE TEACHER
What Is Expected by Patrons
By MI. FAILS

years she has been one of the busiest
women in America. She visits towns
aud cities to investigate them and
lind out the faults and weak spots for
the purpose Of helping them. She
has investigated fifty towns and cities
North and South, East and West
Her position Is unofficial. and she
never assumes a task without first
being asked to do so by one or more
representative organizations. BY the
Chicago newspaper she has been
called q doctor OF Cities. "
| The program committee Of the
Panhandle Educational Association
has called upon at least half dozen
specialists, Doctors of Teachers to
point out some OF the faults and may.
be some OF the good qualities OF the
teacher, to show what Is expected by
us Of the teacher.
Doctors Feather and Thompson
have just given out their prescrip-
lions from the view OF the members
Of the School Boards, and l am
now expected to prescribe as pa
iron spent thirteen years in the
school room myself as a teacher and
am fully aware that there are two
sides to this question, While teach
Ing | often wished that i could get
the patrons OF the school In school
to themselves that | might teach
them and have often said that the
children would be all right II the
parents were right.
have now been patron Of schools
for about the same period Of time |
spent in teaching and | am free to
confess that at times have observed
things in the conduct of teachers
that | felt weae not altogether right,
We patrons are not agreed as TO
what we expect Of the teacher In
regard to his right to prescribe rules
regarding absence and hardness OF
pupils; to take notice of of their con.
uct on their way to and from school
to prevent pulling of fences and other
misconduct: to retain them after
school for needed assistance or tC
complete neglected work; to require
them to be supplied with necessary
books, etc; to require them to CONF
TO school with clean hands and faces
and otherwise tidy; and other likC
matter, and so | will not say whaI
we expect along these lines. How
, ever there are few things which al
patrons are fully agreed upon, ant
among them are the following:
We believe that the best teacher
is the person who has to the highest
degree the disposal ,of intellectual
and moral qualities She on the ont
hand has the most knowledge, meth
cd, clearneSs of exposition, and on
the other hand Is most energetic, the
most DEVOTED 10 her task, the most
attached to her duties, and at the
same time has most affection for hel
pupils. We expect these qualities OF
virtues in a teacher and each OF them
is an element Of discipline. We
therefore expect her knowledge TO be
unquestiOned, thorough and accurate
that she may speak with exactness.
For at least Two reasons daily prepa-
ration Of each lesson Is necessary,
that time may be saved and that the
the pupils may be able to drink at
running stream instead Of stagnant
pool, as was said by DR.. Arnold OF
Rugby, Such teacher will be lis.
tened to with respect and will not
have much thoube In discipline.
We expect teachers every act to
be inspired by love Of pupils and to
show 1t conscientiously toward those
who need it most. The teacher should
love the worst boy and the most
troublesome girl. Some teachers have
love for the lovable and hate for the
hateTul.
We expect the teacher to be firm,
but also kind Such a teacher will
inspire the pupils with salutaryTe'
spect which will make 1t impossible
for them TO fail in their tasks.
We also expect teacher to possess
certain physical qualifications. No
dispepric or consumptive shonld at
tempt TO teach school. An earnest
purpose can also csntrOl the general
bearing of the body, the appearance
Of the face and gestures.
We do not expect that the teacher
should always have a smiling face,
but we do expect the teacher TO be
generally amiaOle and af'ectionate
and to shun desp0tic ways.
We also expect a teacher to set q
good example. Before Lever Taught
attended high school about twelve
miles from home and often weni
home on Friday after school accom-
panied by the principal of the higf
school. On one Of these trips HI
, gave me a broad conception OF wha
teacher shonld be. We we're pas