Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1922-07-21
SINCLAIR LEWIS TALKS
TEACHING PROFESSION


ty Of the teaching profession and the
necessity and value OF egotism and
pride, in every walk Of life, particular
ly in the profession Of teaching, was
the theme OF an interesting and able
address by Sinclair Lewis, author and
lecturer OF international fame, at the
State Teachers college at St. Cloud re-
Gently.
Mr.. Lewis believes the most sinful
thing in the world is to be that kind
Of a person who is not proud Of what
he is doing, and says this is an atti-
tude altogether too common among
teachers. He believes teaching to be
the most sacred profession in the
world, involving tremendous response
bility-that of moulding the minds of
the young. The teacher who is not
proud of her work is not only useless;
she is worse than useless. The teacher
enjoys an advantage over every other
human being-that Of having thirty or
forty people very day, ready and will
ing to listen to her, to take her serious
ly. He considers medicine and teach
ing the two really essential profess
sions, and thinks if the entire world
could be turned over for while to
able representatives of these two pro-
fessions-the physicians to- eliminate
disease-a proud body Of teachers to
tring up the young-this world would
be made highly desirable place.
He spoke OF the complaint of teach.
ers that they are not well paid, which
he thinks is a justifiable complaint,
but one for which the teachers them
selves are partly responsible. They
do not take sufficient pride in their
work; they do not work together; they
are too confoundly genteel.'' Any
one who is willing to take social posi-
tion in place Of money will always be
allowed to do so.
Mr.. Lewis said teacher is not
equipped to teach others until he is
able to do we'll himself that thing
which he aims to teach. Teaching
should be considered the final reward
Of excellence, not a stepping stone to
something else. He emphasized the
fact that conditions will be remedied
when teachers realize that they them
selves are the people to insist On tho
changt.
Two things should be taught by
the real teacher. The first aim should
be to teacn the pupils to respect them
selves; the second to teach them how
to think. Spending time and energy
on teaching facts is not worth while,
as facts are so rarely true. The teach
er should consider every child an in
dividual worthy of study, should look
for his possibilities, rejoice in seeing
these possibilities develop and mature
Teaching is question Of affecting
human lives through countless gener
ations. It is study Of human beings
worthy Of greatest effort. In regard tc
teaching pupils to think, Mr.. Lewis
said most human beings think only OF
themselves and those things which sur.
round them. An egotistic pride in &C.
complshment is worthy Of thought
Continual thought on petty details
which surround one is absurd.
He says there is lack of piercing
world. What seems to be abstract
thought is only meaningless phrases
He urged teachers to get rid Of phrases
and think about things; not to take a
fact as settled because they have heard
it since childhood. Books, said Mr.
Lewis, are only the beginning Of teach
ing. Pupils must learn to have dig
nifty, an interest in life, to seek the
truth and see what is its relation to
themselves. He said there was no. bet
ter way to get into trouble than to in
sist on always examining truth; that
accepting facts as they are handed out
makes much less trouble, and also
much less fun. He closed by urging
the students not to be holders Of teach
ings jobs, but "that glorious thing--a
teacher.'' -