Year: 1877

eTs Association, I think a word or
two at this time would not be amiss.


In Highland county there are up
wards of two hundred Teachers, and
for the purpose of advancing the
cause of Education throughout the
county, they have an organization
for their advancement. Now, it is
the duty of every teacher TO attend
these Institutes, and make them a
success. Last year there were en-
rolled one hundred and thirty names,
with an average daily attendance Of
about forty per cent. Now, I ask,
why is this? Is it because you think
you know enough already, and care
not to exert yourselves farther? Is
it because you think you do not get
value received? Is it because you
think it will cost you dollar or two?
Or aohat is it?


| I attribute many excuses. A Ger
tain class of teachers will tell you
they do not like the way onr Insti-
tute is managed. Now, if this excuse
debars any from attending, I would
implOre you to come up this year
and help us manage it in a proper
way, and in a way that the greatest
benefit may be derived therefrom.
You have just as much say-so as any
body else, and it is your own fault
if you stand back.


Others say, "Ill not go to the In
stitute because I'm afraid they will
call on me to answer some question,
or solve some problem, &c. Is this
the language of the true teacher?
One whose whole soul is interested
in the good work? My co-laborers,
| it is not that which WI know that we
wish to learn, but it is that which
we do not know. It is an easy mat
ter to answer a question if we know
the answer, but if we do not know
it, the live, energetic, wide awake
teacher is ever anxious to find it out.
Some say: sob! it will do no
good. I cant get certificate any
how" If any teacher thinks that be
or she has not received his or her
| Just deserts at the hands of the
County Examiners, the Institute is
the very place lie or she wuuts TO
meet them, and in the presence Of
the teachers of the county, let his or
her grievances be made known there,
instead of to ''Tom, Dick and Harry, "
outside of the profession.


If you were in Clinton county you
could only get one six months certi-
fcate. lam afraid if that were the
rule in Highland, many teachers
would be cut off and have to make
their living in some other way. But
I tell you the teachers in Clinton
county arc in dead earnest. A ccrti-
fcate, when once gotten in this
county, is highly priced. 1t is expect
ed that egery teacher Will attend the
Institute. And whenever they en-
roll their names as members of the
Association, they have to pay two
dollars, and are compelled to attend
so many days regularly, unless they
! have some reasonable excuse. They
are required to announce the time
they expect to be in the Institute
when they register. The whole thing
is svstematized. The Examiners
hold, that if q teacher does not at


tend the Institute, or some school,
or take an interest in education,
then that teacher is going "bacl;-
wards, and they do not propose to
| license such to teach school in their
county. You see, in one sense Of the
word, that tits rather compulsory
upon teachers in Clinton to attend
the Institute.


Now, my fellow-teachers of High
land county, if you were to come up
to the Institute and become ac-
quainted with the Examiners, do you
not think, by being associated to-
gether for two weeks, that they (the
Examiners) could form a better esti-
mate as regards your fitness for
teaching, than they can in one days
examination when you are scared
half to death? Certainly they can.


When a pupil first enters school,
is he not very much confused and
embarrassed when first called upon
to recite? Does he not blunder and
stammer and make many errors?
And why? Because those around
him are strangers, the teachers are


strangers. He seems to think that
all eyes are turned upon him; he be-


comes confused, bewilderod; he loses


confidence in himself; his mind be-
comes divided and loses its power to
concentrate upon its work. But
, how different when he becomes &C.
ouainted with those around him.
He regains his self confidence. He
feels free and easy. The mind is


once more clothed in its strength
, and can perform the work assigned
it.


So it is with you, teachers. You
; como up to be examined, You
! ,,,.1rl,, IDO,v bolF n dozen faces in