Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-05
the Army OF IOWA SCHOOL mAAMs.


When more than 1900 school teach
ers gather 10 an association meeting
in Iowa that IS q most notable gather
ing of those who conduct the most
important OF ali public services. Their
work touches every home whether it
be a real home with children in it or
that other limited in usefulness and
happiness by the LACK Of them. II IS
greater gathering. that at Des Mo!nes,
In its future effect upon the world 5
business and politics and religion than
any convention OF any political party.
The school house is the beginning OF
public life for the future citizen. He
may forget the mathematics he learns
there but he never loses the impress
OF the schools in MS acts and ideas OF
citizenship. The teacher in these later
days IS exercising practically as much
influence and in many Instances more
influence than parents the school
house IS az element n national life
and individual citizenship almost as
effective as the home, The Two are
inseparabla. They are common infiu-
ences, ard it may be said in this con-
necSion that the school never fails il
is efforts to be a good and helpful
influence.
That IS an army of schoolma' ans,
that four regiments OF teachers al Des
Moines- Counted by numbers the men
are 8 small minority. To consider the
influence ana usefulness Of each IS
di1eren. ard tlcklist matter Compare
son proysrbiany odious and in this
case unnecessary: bur there seems liz
lie reason for the fear sometimes ex-
pressed Of alleged Termination o.
youth thru women teachers. Since the
women took over the teaching profess
sion IN the grades there has beeu no
alarming change in mankind. Nor Is
such change likely TO take place The
women in the schools are having very
much the same effect upon youth thai
women nave IN the homes. The manifest
and mos; masculine Of the men wha
have come thru the grades under
women and thru the high school where
women teach certain branches hold
the highest respect for the woman
teachers. The women teachers are not
spelling the boys. On the contrary
they are carrying the maternal and
sisterly cheek on natural rudeness
from The home into the schools.
The generals of an army are entitled
10 respec. and Difference but the hard
est toil and danger and the greatest
hardships fail to the rank and h.e.
And those schoolma ANS are the rank
and ale Of the educational armies,
They Ill the trenches, 60 picket duty,
march on foot and carry their o~n
equipment. II IS upon their steadtas--
ness and courage and eternal vigilance
that the result ot the battle. depends.
LeoniGas was merely oue lhIee-hun
dredth OF Thermopglae when he hg-
ures are cast He was an important
part Of the fraction but ne stood az the
right hand Of the decimal place just
the same Ard so the 1000 school
ma ans comb their hair al the passes
whe-e ignorance and bad government,
and .mrnorals attack and die as brave
y tho perhaps with less publicity than
their generals.
Des Moines should appreciate the
honor done her when the school
teachers eelect that city as meeting
place. OF. one elemental reason why
pes Moines is the dryest and decentest
city Of 100000 in the United States. is
the Iowa schoolula'an.