Salem State University - Clipper Yearbook

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pared with their professional duties or their pleasure. Some, however, have already learned that with health they have everything at command, but without it they have nothing. The influence a teacher has on children depends to a great degree on his physical appearance. In a lesson in hygiene, the children, sometimes uncon- sciously, use the teacher as an example of the point under discussion. They are told to stand erect and develop a good chest, or to take a good position for writing, but if the teacher is round-shouldered and bends over his work at his desk, his sug- gestion will have little influence. The teacher must also for his own sake see that his throat and chest are well developed, because of his constant confinement during the day and the inhaling of bad air, chalk dust, and dirt which are ever present in the atmosphere. It is especially necessary to overcome any tendency to stoop, by exercising vigorously morning and night. A teacher is talking almost continually while school is in ses- sion so that a strong, as well as pleasing voice, is indispensable. Good health also implies freedom from diseaseg exercise and sleep will help to ward off disease. These are a few of the physical requirements to which a teacher must conform if he is to be an efiicient instructor. A teacher should also be efiicient mentally, and he must be willing to devote some time out of school hours to preparation. We often hear people say, A 'teacher has the easiest job of allg he goes to school for five or six hours and then he is free for the day. In a great many cases, this is true. A teacher comes to school just before the bell rings and leaves as soon as school is over. The people of 'the 'town know this, and it is small wonder that they are not willing to pay higher salaries to such teachers. These teachers have evidently not been trained to understand what their obligations are and what the real value of time is. It is true that they may not have received any preparation for teaching. They may even say, You don't have to go to a normal school to learn how to teachg you can learn to teach through teaching. Those who have had training know that such experience is gained at the expense of the pupils. They know, too, that even after training under supervision, a young person's courage almost leaves him when he thinks of the responsibility soon to be placed on his shoulders. Even those who have had a normal school training should realize the need of additional preparation and should he willing to spend some time after school hours in considering the problems of the next day. One of the things which a young teacher has to learn is to study individual pupils. We all know of' teachers who say, There are some children in my class whom I can't understandg they won't work, they do nothing but make trouble for the other children, and they make my life miserable. I'm glad when school is over and they are out of my way. This is a situation which every teacher will encounter at some time in his experience, hut the teacher who meets it in such a spirit has admitted that he does not know or understand childreng more than likely he never spends any time trying to find out what interests these troublesome children have. All children have some one thing which they particularly like, and it is up to the teacher to find out what it is. l.et us not make the mistake of giving attention to a few children in the class and letting the rest get what they can. We must make :I special effort to reach every child. Sometimes, by letting a child help clean the hoard or clear up the room, and at the same time engaging in conversation with him, we may learn much about him that will help us in giving him a purpose for his work. lly letting a child know that his teacher has faith in him and that he is really in the world for a purpose, we may save him from losing his self'-respect. Some of' these children may not have a home enviromnenf that is conducive to physical, mental, or Qpirilual growth. We may discourage a child hy a few disheartening words, as one X

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Editorial The country wants better teachers, and this demand will become more insistent as time goes on. The shortage of teachers of the last few years occasioned a lower- ing of the standards in some schools, since many young people who had just gradu- ated from high schools were accepted as teachers. At the beginning of this year, however, there was a large increase in the number entering the normal schools, so that superintendents and committees will be able to demand better quality. It's this matter of quality which is at present the cause for great concern. We use the word advisedly, for it fairly expresses that which we look for in the ideal teacher, who may be aptly designated as a uquality product, as conforming with the keynote of modern business. A quality productt' must measure up to a definite standard, which may be designated on the label or in other advertising by the company. Let us use as an example Hood's Grade A milk. Through advertising, this milk has attained a reputation as the only milk for babies and the best grade for adults. lt contains a nxed per cent of fat and other nutritious elementsg it is guaranteed to be fresh, clean, and properly sterilized. ln other words, it is made up of the best materials and is in the best condition possible. it is the producerfs business to see that this milk measures up to the standard at all times. There are certain standards in education to which the superintendents and committees of the diiferent towns and cities are trying to elevate the schools. The teacher as the most important factor of the schools, must see to it that he approaches these standards as nearly as possible. At the present time, a certain portion of the public realizes that these standards have not been as high as they should have been and that the coming generation must be educated to different standards. The individual, too, often realizes the inade- quacy of his knowledge of life's duties and so feels that he has been unjustly treated either because of the teacher's failure or his own, to make the most of opportunities. He Ends, for instance, that he would be able to accept a position as secretary to his employer if he had a sufhcient command of English, or perhaps he feels a desire to become an expert accountant because of a friend's success in a similar position, but because of his inability to do arithmetical combinations quickly and accurately, he must sacrifice his hope. Especially during war times, when the army tests were applied, did the man realize his lack of proper training along some line, either physical or mental. At that time, too, when some of the most efficient men were sent to war, business men tried to fill the vacancies. They soon discovered the inability of the younger generation to do this work satisfactorily. We have all heard stories similar to the following: An employer called a young girl to fill the oflice of private secretary, and was greatly astonished to learn that she was quite ignorant, she spelled incorrectly, she did not use good English in speech, and she was undigni- fied in business relations, in truth, she was far short of the ideal secretary. High standards may be considered from either the physical or mental point of view. Physical well-being is fundamental, not only for the pupil's sake but for the teacher's. Many people are apt to consider their health merely incidental, as com- 7

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teacher did. The boy in this case was active and full of fun, his mother and father constantly Whipped him for his actions and told him he was no good and never would be. He never did his lessons nor made any effort, but he rather liked the teacher, although he did not admit it to anyone but himself. One day the teacher became provoked at something he did and told him that he never would amount to anything, and probably would end in jail if he didn't settle down. That had an effect on him and he believed her, she had shown him that she had no faith in him and probably he never would amount to anything anyway. Her words had just the opposite effect from that which she wanted and might have obtained if she had studied the boy more closely. Children need to be taught many things, among them one of the most important is how to make their lives of service to mankind. There is no better place to teach service than in the schoolroom. It may be taught in different ways, but certainly if the children gain the power to see and hear what goes on about them, they will have gained something upon which to base such service. If taught to be constantly on the alert for things they might do to help in school or in the home, such as help- ing the teacher keep the erasers clean. or keeping their school or home surroundings attractive, they will have learned something which will give them a good start along the road of service. Somebody says, As a matter of fact, an intelligent person looking out of his eyes and hearkening in his ears, with a smile on his face all the time will get more true education than many another in a life of heroic vigils. Stevenson in speaking of busy people, said, As if a man's soul were not too small to begin with, some people dwarf and narrow theirs by a life of all work and no play. Perpetual devotion to what a man calls his business is only sustained by perpetual neglect of many other things. A teacher, perhaps more than any other human being, needs a change from work. When we consider that he six hours each day with children who are individual in their needs restless after sitting still, and requiring varied and definite guidance we do not ask why the teacher at the end of the day is suffering from some sort of physical or mental strain. A teacher, as soon as he has spends live or and interests, in every way, a headache or completed the necessary work in the schoolroom, needs exercise of some sort to relieve his mental condition. Just what that shall be depends greatly upon the person's interests. An hour or two spent in walking, going nowhere in particular, but sauntering along with nothing definite in view, letting nature have its own way with the heart and the imagination, will work wonders. Bradford Torrey says, The hour is not wasted that brings tranquillity of mind and an uplifting of the heart. To some a game of tennis would appeal more than walking. The mind is on the game. there is competition, and the teacher will feel greatly refreshed after such exercise. In winter the time can profitably be spent in skating, snowshoeing, or sliding. In the evening, light exercise immediately after dinner will enable the teacher to do more efficiently any necessary work. Certainly it is his duty to himself and to the children to go to bed early and to average at least eight hours of sleep. In the evening a teacher, like everyone else, often feels a desire to attend the movies While it is not good for him physically, because of the poor ventilationg or mentally, in that the appeal is chiefly to the eyeg or morally, since the pictures sometimes 'tend toward a lowering rather than an elevating of his moral ideas of lifeg yet it may be advisable that the mind should be relieved of any so1't of effort, but unless the tone of the play is elevating, the morals will suffer. There are a great many indoor recreations which are just as pleasant as the moving pictures and will prove of more value to the teacher. Before moving pic- tures came into existence, people lived and had a good time socially. Sometimes they formed a dramatic club, made up their own plays, and gave them. We all know 9