Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1922-01-31
4 PRAYER FOR TEACHERS.

We implore thy blessing, 0 God on
all men and women who teach the
children and youth of our nation, 1or
they are the potent friends and help
ers of our homes. Into their hands
we daily commit the dearest that we
have, and as they make our children,
so shall future years see them.
Grant then an abiding consciousness
that they are co-workers with thee,
thou great teacher of humanity, and
that thou hast charged them with the
holy duty of bringing forth from the
building life of the young the
mysterious stores of character and
ability which thou hast hidden in
them. Teach them to reverence the
young lives, clean and plastic, which
have newly come from thee, and to
realize that generations still unborn
shall rue their sloth or rise to higher
levels through their wisdom and
faithfulness. Grid them for their
task with thy patience and tranquil
ty, with great fatherly and mother
" love for the young and with
special tenderness for the backward
and afflicted. Save them from phys
ical exhaustion, from loneliness and
discouragement, from the numbness
of routine, and from all bitterness of
heart.
We bless thee for the free and
noble spirit that is breathing with
quickening power upon the educa-
tional life of our day, and for the
men and women of large mind and
loving heart who have made that
spirit our common possession by their
teaching and example. But grant
that higher obedience and self re-
straint may grow in the new atmo-
sphere of freedom We remember
with gratitude to thee the godly
teachers of our own youth who won
our hearts to higher purposes by the
sacred contagion of their life. May
the strength and beauty of Christ.
like service still be plainly wrought
in the lives of their successors, thai
our children may not want fol
strong models of devout manhood
on whom their characters can be
nodded.
Do thou reward thy servants with
glad sense of their own eterna
worth as teachers of the race, and il
the heat IF the day do thou show
them the spring by the wayside thai
flows from the eternal silence of Goo
and gives new light to the eyes of al
who drink of it.
Our Schools.
AT this time the people of Charles
Town are deeply concerned about the
school question, especially an ade
quate building in Ransom. Tn,
present school room is over crowd
ed and conditions very unsatisfac
tory 1t has been shown that thes'
schools will not accommodate more
children and yet there are many wht
should be reached and provided for
Every careful mother regards poo
conditions worse than no school.
\ If the School Board will consider
erecting a building large enough t,
take care of the first six grades, anC
have this building ready for use mex
October, it would meet the needs o.
the situation.
| would respectfully suggest /;
place for such school which should
be out from the town. The ole
fashioned idea of putting the schools
in the center of the town, bringing
the SCHOOL 10 IIe CnlluT0u, anu no
the children to the school, has long
since passed. Place your school or
the outskirts of the town where lane
is cheap, air is good, and noises few
where broad acres may be used fol
athletics and child be allowed tt
develop naturally, and in sufficient
space. The soul of a child may BIZ
measured by it's breathing space
Give it sunshine, and air, good water
broad acres, and sympathy, the rest
will follow.
l would place the school upon g
hill, if possible with ample play
grounds around it. Plant trees anG
protect them. | would build a broad
walkway so generous in its approach
as to invite each child to tread 1T
With an attractive school, comfort.
able conditions there would be nc
reason to pay truant officer.
May | suggest that committee OF
women be asked to pick out good
site and then go to the owner asking
him to donate this site for the sake
of the town, the cause of education,
and for his own eternal satisfaction?
If possible, | believe he will gladly
do it.
Marian P. Duval..