The New York herald., 1922-05-21

" VERY worker should have ade-
r. quate pay. Adequate to what?
- AT the very least, to keeping
him, as a human being. in right con-
dition for his work. Mechanical tasks
can be accurately done by machines.
but if our so-called civilization turns
men and women into industrial ma
chimes it is preparing for itself the
social revolution. Put out the eyes OF
Samson, bind him with fetters or
brass, set him to grinding in the
prison house and the blind giant will
find his hour to lay hold of the pillars
of the temple and bring down the roof
upon the lords of the Philistines.
But with teachers. at least it is not
a question of machines. 1t is d ques-
ton of alert intelligence and friendly
hearts called to train, equip and de-
velop the childhood and youth of the
nation-a work of transcendent i'm
portance, making continuous demands
on knowledge, sympathy. ingenuity,
tact, affection. For a service TO the
State so basic and so exhausting, what
is adequate pay?
But the protest comes that the ac-
tual teacher is far from the ideal. On
these classroom platforms of unbound
ed opportunity are many dull crea-
lures of routine simply going through
the motions of education. This is no
new complaint. Success as teacher
is so high a mark that there are few
who attain it. In Euthydemus Critic
says to Socrates that he wonders at
the Indifference of parents to the right
education of their children.
"But then again when I contem-
plate any of those who pretend to edu-
cate others I am amazed. They all
seem to me to be such outrageous
beings Yet Socrates bids this
troubled father of sons be of good
cheer. for though in teaching. as in
all arts and all professions, there are
ridiculous performers" nevertheless
if Learning is good. "if she be what l
believe that she is, then follow her
and serve her, you and your house."
God Moideth Some (Not AID
For Teachers Calling
Many a teacher who has not won
| the fame of a Camden. AN Arnold, a
Hopkins, has served his pupils well.
Long ago sage Thomas Fuller wrote:
God of His goodness hath fitted sew
eral men for several callings. And
| this God moldeth some for school
masters life, undertaking it with de-
| sire and delight and discharging ii
| with dexterity and happy success. He
studieth his scholars natures as care
fully as they their books, and though
IL may seem difficult for him in large
school to descend to all particulars,
yet experienced schoolmasters may
quickly make a grammar of boys ma
lures"
AS for college professors, it is gen.
orally recognized that they fall into
two main groups-teachers and schol-
ars. The genuine teacher at his worst
is the victim of his own popularity,
catering to the easy undergraduate ap-
plause, intellectually indolent. content
to be clever; at his best he is a gem
erous, gracious friend whose emo
bling influence on young lives is be-
yond all mortal estimate. The scholar
at his worst is a cloudy -witted blum
derer who adds through the funny col
umn to the gayety of nations; or a
pedant, Casaubon, losing the wheat
as he sorts and tickets the chaff: at
his best he is the torchbearer of truth.
His flame, unheeded by the many,
kindles here and there in TIE trooping
multitude of boys. whose faces are
vague to his vision, that burning love
of wisdom which is the altar worship
OF the mind.
In their extreme types, good or bad,
these two classes are readily differen-
tiated. though in actual practice their
qualities iltermingle. Many college
professors arc torn by a continual
conflict, all the more tragic because
so silent and obscure, between the
genial yearning to know and help
their students-but how much time
friendship takes!-and the lonely pas
sion of the quest. for which eternity
could be hardly long enough.
Professors Needs Money
As Other MortaIs Do
What does the college professor who
is pre-emnently the teacher need of
money? Very much what trustees and
gentle readers do. Is it not altogether
desirable that one whose example
counts for so much should lead the
normal life, householder, citizen. hus-
band father? But taxes, rates. assess