Show TRUSTEES Minute the meeting for this season full text of the able address delav ered by superintendent H adderson Au derson the county teachers association met per adjournment in tho central schoolhouse may 30 1885 superintendent E II 11 anderson presiding the choir sang tarrying here and prayer was offered by mr C wright the choir then sang the jasper sea mr C wright delivered the following address on how to create an interest in the students of the school room I 1 consider interest in student the great desideratum of the duties ol 01 a teacher without interest noth ing of importance can be accomplished in any of the various pursuits of life with it the greatest may find realization the keys of success in awakening and keeping aliva an interest in the studies arc in the liand of the teacher aliese are die position candid nature kindness conscientiousness firmness self reliance agreeableness order a love of the work neatness politeness and punctuality the teacher should have an innate love for children and an insatiable thirst for knowledge without those keys and these passion if I 1 may so fernr them the interest which ahe teacher may arouse will only bo spasmodic with thesa keys and principles an inspiration permeates the aholo atmosphere of the teachers little world and they imperceptibly come t the pupils life and an interest will be created which will bo as eternal as the sun love is the grand moving power of tho universe and it must reign supreme in tho schoolroom it must show itself iu every action yea even to the almost incorrigible brute force will not accomplish the dc sired end in reforming those whom we may consider not interested iu their the T he poet says in regard to the power used by the great creator he digests aright in numerous ways kind but does not forced the human mind I 1 am of the eliat many teachers do not realize the fact that i llie mind h an agent unto itself but they think that it is a vessel that must be filled by them this idea leads to many egregious errors and causes many children to dis like all schoolwork the minds raf children are not always in condition to receive information and to all appearances under these cir they are disinterested but after a careful consideration of many cases I 1 find that rest is alie only thing needed to create an interest iu study and to indelibly insall an t are two different thing what I 1 have heretofore said if properly understood will implant a lasting desire for knowledge and wisdom in tho of tho large majority of children placed under our care if the teacher has n innate lovo for children he ty fur variety and by numerous plans eeck to obtain instruction by varied amusements all the senses may be amused and instructed developed and when the child learns that the teacher really loves it and lakes an interest in iho development every faculty how can the child be otherwise than interested volumes might be written upon this subject and yet all could be summed up a fow words hante I 1 will to create an interest iu alio student the leach cr must be deeply in earnest he must have an abiding interact iu the welfare of ho must hunger and innest for wisdom ho must possess and use all the attributes of a nobleman and consider that he haa in to his care immortal beings present and future welfare arc in his keeping ho must be like the sun diffusing life light and heat to all within tho system of his and if ap interest will abide forever is not created the soul not awakened roust be adamant the beautiful waltz bong en titled the bird that sang for me composed for the occasion by prof L D edwards was rendered by misa ellen in her usual effective and pleasing man ner tho following address on tho teacher was read by bupt supt E H anderson TEACHER the ideal teacher is not liko a in nature it is easier to see a perfect scene then it is to paint it but much easier to paint iu words a perfect teacher than to aeo one but I 1 trust it is bot expected of mo to give a description of a perfect teacher if it is then I 1 will close now and eay no more for such a person is not in existence I 1 simply mean to touch upon a few points chero many of our teachers may improve with great advantage to themselves and with lucli benefit to their pupils orio of the fundamental feces of a good teacher is a charac tor that will stand tho severest scrutiny and lightheaded ness roust be abandoned by the teacher and he must become perfect sample of all that is dignified and honest we are very particular when we choose a men to conduct our financial matters that we get men who are honest and upon whom an implicit reliance can be placed how much more careful should we be in selecting a teacher to steer the lives of our children in case of a default in the first place the cm loses a few hundred or perhaps a few thousand dollars but if the life of a child is misguided who can count the loss that a parent sustains avoid exaggeration in your dealings with children little are prone to overestimate common things and fall easily into the habit of saying one thing and believing another when you say to a class this lesson must be learned by each student be certain that it can and will be done every teacher knows the capacity and will of each child under his charge and can therefore tell today to day to a certain estert what lie may expect at a recitation tomorrow to morrow when a business man signs an acceptance which he knows becomes payable in thirty days he should in order to avoid confusion and possible bankruptcy know on the very day of signing how to the necessary money to meet the obligation A teachers word to his pupil or class is his acceptance and promptly when it becomes due a dozen faces are upturned to seethaa see that ho honors hid paper if he fails cither through neglect or through an over estimation of hia capabilities he may look bior confusion and possible bankruptcy and may rest assured that his word with that class will taken with a certain degree of allowance how comfortable it is to know that when a teacher tells us that such and such a thing will be done it is promptly accomplished some teachers with give a class a lesson be very particular to tell how far it extends enjoin it a duty upon their classes to be certain and get it and then next day comeux to the class and hunt around to find where the lesson is this will immediately cause the children to loose an interest in their studies children as well as men and women delight in promptness and strict business every teacher should know the beginning and ending of a lesson but also know more about it than any students so that ho may be able to impart some spirit and life into the very slow dry formal story of the test book I 1 sometimes think that if young teachers had no text books and could be thrown upon their own resources and bo taught to thin k lt would be far beltar for them bixl would certainly tend t make our schools institutions where thought could be awakened instead i of the mere mechanical s that they sometimes 1 art the teacher who knows how to fc overn seldom or never the word must in school can we not do this let us try arc the sentences that will brine manifold more hard studies to light than all the imperatives in the english language when you are asked what to do to avoid whipping in simply answer take a course to make your student think thought will do away with nil punishment in school i and the childrens morals will not cither the teachers int will probably bly refer me to byrons DOI juan but wo will let hu fu verte pass 1 reading mid protesting again ab ye alio teach alio ingenious youth of nations hollano Holl Rno france england german v or spain I 1 play ye aloff them upon ah occasion e hor morals never tho pain by advocating a government in school that shall be by a love of liht rather than a fear of the effects of doing we need not be over lenient in being kind we should yet be firm and always res member that when we do eay must we mean it that man has the greatest credit who uses it the least the teacher who saya must has least occasion to use the word yet use cd including youth with patched knees and bushy hair know that it means business in the school room as upon the street and in company the teacher should appear tidy and neat but not gaudy with the wages that the majority of the teachers get it Is difficult to dress style and this may be belter than if it were otherwise A ceat plain dresa of a color that will not show the dust or become rapidly soiled ls the best in a school room let order be observed in the teachers method if a teachers desk ig filled with f y si chalk paper books anda miscellaneous conglomeration of varieties liow can ho expect his class to recite before him in order if the stove is surrounded with rubbish and coal the window blinds arc in disorder the floor dirty how can you expect order from the students if order is expected order must first be observed in the teacher did you ever go into a school room and see how everything including the teacher and pupils was out of place and then have you noticed how in another room you felt at home each pen on knew his place and there was an air of ease that made you feel comfortable what is the difference order and system it is not always in alie best furnished house containing the best seata and having the most beautiful surround ings that you find this ease and order but it is in the schoolroom school room high or low where you find a teacher that has a place for averys thing and has everything in its proper place but here I 1 t continue for any length of time and neither make a beginning nor ending of the subject A teacher cannot be told except in a general way how to govern a school As every patient requires a different treatment so does every school it therefore like a doctor becomes necessary for every teacher to understand at a glance the con of the school in which he is placed to govern to read character should be one of jhc thc chief objects of study with the teacher who desires to succeed and he who does not succeed had much better leave the schoolroom the moment he ascertains this fact the teacher should enter upon his duties with i and determination to excel as does the business man upon hia labor aad in fact much more so the teacher has a reputation to make a character to establish while the merchant has only money to obtain the hired boy who is bisin terest cd in the business of his employer looks only for the day to pass his chief ambition ia to have jus weeks wages and a rest if ho over hours lie must bo paid he never docs except what he is told to do whether he sees itis necessary or not and finally he never succeed the teacher who works for pay only compares very favorably with the boy to teach one roust necessarily demote his whole time find attention to it and not only rind attention but his mind and sole ambition one must not count the extra hours the extra pains but willingly throw in all these if they shall serve a beneficial purpose and the work of the teacher is not alone in the school room he kuust devot chia attention to the community the parents the and legislators many of whom know not what his aldous labors are make the people familiar with the heeds of his school with methods and the objects of education he should especially become familiar with the trustees ill his district and if necessary in ter erest them in the cause of education or receive from them suggestions for the benefit ef his while on this subject it may not be te resting to say a few words on the relation of the teacher band trustee A trustee should be a leader not necessarily in the school room in strutting ting the teacher but in all that pertains to the welfare of the pupils afe should be familiar with all the requirements and necessities of a school and be able to tell whether from year to year any ima provement pro is made in the students intellectually and morally it is his duty and not the teachers to furnish wood see that the house is cleaned and attend to the thousand and one little things that must be carefully guarded in a school district but it is a teachers duty I 1 consider to wake the trus tees up to these facts if they are not already familiar with them it is his duty to see that nothing is left undone that lies in his power to make his school comfortable and his surroundings agreeable even if he has to labor without thanks or remuneration to do it A person who takes upon himself to teach has a greater responsibility resting apon him than a six per day it is to be hoped that the time i not far distant when those who have a talent for teaching children may find ample remuneration for their labor that we may haye u encee te achere and not be contina cont inu ally experimenting with iho chils dren until wo learn to go on to something else and leave the little ones to the mercy of another choso whoso object is the same prof L D edwards delighted the audience with the rendition of the song well meet no more misa marian made some excellent remarks on the manner of teaching primary reading following which miss nellie dana illustrated her method of teaching primary students the vowel sounds prof edwards latest composition my love is like the sweet red rose was exquisitely sung by misa annie halgren the professors latest productions are decidedly his best efforts on motion of mr W H jones it was unanimously resolved that the addresses before mentioned be submitted for publication in the HERALD it was decided tu adjourn tho meetings during the vacation months and hence after the officers of the association had been tendered a vote of thanks for their assiduous efforts in rendering the meetings interesting and instructive tive the association ad journea sine die benediction by mr W H jones NELLIE DANA secy |