SOCIAL STATUS OF THE TEACHER.

"How much should the social status of a teacher affect our judgment of her ability?" This question was sent to me from one of the smaller cities of our State with the request that I should discuss it in the MONTHLY. Knowing nothing of the circumstances which caused the question to be sent, I discuss it with an unbiased mind and fearlessly, as I should most probably do under any circumstances. And after having given my opinion upon the influence that one's social position should have upon her election to the office of a teacher and her retention in the schools, I shall state some other things that have no right in deciding the most important question connected with education, who shall teach the children? If by "social status" is meant the standing one has by birth, it should not in any way determine our judgment of a teacher's ability. And here I wish to be understood distinctly. As a young woman should not be selected simply on the ground that she belongs to a good family, on the other hand, she should not be rejected on that ground. If her family is one that is "good" in the sense that education and refinement have done much for several generations to improve the original stock, and, if in addition to her culture, she has that good sense and perfect courtesy which enables her to treat the child of the humblest origin with the same regard that is shown to any pupil in her school, and to associate with fellow teachers in all good movements with no evidence of any feeling of superiority, she is almost an invaluable acquisition to the public schools. But this does not in any way exclude worthy daughters of any honest workman, nor the daughter of the humblest widow who has denied herself in many ways that "her daughter might be educated so that she could teach school" I have myself worked to secure positions for such girls, when after watching them through a high school course, I believed that in addition to having gone through a thorough course of study adapted to their years, they had acquired a sufficient knowledge of the points of good manners which every teacher should teach her pupils by precept and example, and had grown in character so that they would work towards the most effective moral culture. When such young girls are in the schools as teachers, they should have the kindest possible treatment from superintendents, principals, and teachers who are of such standing that to be known as their friend will help towards the social and intellectual recognition of the younger teachers.

I want to say that from a wide observation I can testify that I have rarely ever seen lady teachers of high social standing lacking in kindness towards teachers from the humbler walks of life who met the good will in anything of the same spirit in which it was shown. From financial losses and from the change in public opinion in regard to a woman's supporting herself, there are many women teaching in our schools who would grace any position in society,— if it were worth filling with grace. I cannot say that as a rule superintendents or boards of education discriminate in favor of these ladies. In the majority of cases, I think they mean to be fair and honest both in the first appointment and in the re-election of teachers. But when they make mistakes, they seem to me to err from other causes. The "bread-and-butter" question has no right to come in when a teacher is to be elected unless she is in every sense the best applicant for a position. I have said more than once before, but I repeat it as

a part of my creed, "The schools are not made to support teachers but to edu. cate children." Under every circumstance do I think it the imperative duty of the board to select the best teacher irrespective of her financial or her social condition, her church or her political party, or even her relations. Before leaving the question of social position, I want to speak of the wide difference between the true and the pretended lady in our profession. I have been so happy as to have met a greater number of the former than of the latter, but I have met both classes. The former recognizes that while she has perfect freedom of choice in the selection of intimate friends, she yet owes a certain courtesy towards all her sister teachers. This debt is not lessened by the fact that she holds a position in the higher grades of the schools.

I shall never be able to forget the disagreeable impression made upon me when at one time I mentioned before a teacher, who lived at a distance, but had been teaching several years in a place of about ten thousand inhabitants, a certain worthy teacher-an impression made by an affected manner of saying, "Miss E, who's Miss E? Ah! I believe I have seen some such stout pusson at the teachers' meeting." My immediate conclusion was that there was an uncertainty about the lady's own position at home which made her uncomfortably particular when abroad. I think that superintendents, as a rale, are not apt to discriminate in favor of ladies in social standing; that sometimes, though not often, they allow themselves to be led to advance a teacher who has not yet proved herself worthy of advancement, if her relatives belong to what is termed the working class; if she, in addition to a certain deferential manner that she possesses, has a father or brothers of influence in the class of society to which she belongs. If the question sent to me meant to ask if our judgment of a teacher's ability should be affected by the fact that she is what is known as a "society girl," I would answer that it could scarcely help it. I have never known any one who was fond of general society, and who yielded to its attractions, to make a good teacher. Social dissipation is always followed by weariness. A teacher must be at her best physically to be intellectually and morally at her best. Besides I know no more fruitful source of dislike to teaching than trying to serve school and fashionable society. one of my readers will be so foolish as to misunderstand me and claim that I would cut a teacher off from all social enjoyment. I have too frequently spoken of the advantages to be gained from its best forms to speak against moderate indulgence in its pleasures. But if the position of a teacher in society should have no influence in determining her position in the schools, neither should her politics nor her church relations. It is reasonable to suppose that as a woman has not a vote, she does not often solicit a position nor expect to retain one on the ground that she has been born a 'Democrat or is a Republican. The question of politics is utterly foreign to the worth of a teacher, and we are glad that in the main-particularly in the smaller cities,— it has had little to do with the election of lady teachers.

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We regret to say that in many cases boards of education (much more frequently than superintendents) have been partial to teachers belonging to that church which had the largest representation on the board. I have been told by superintendents in different parts of our State that they were powerless to get rid of inefficient teachers because they belong to a certain church. Intelligent, honest men on boards of education have also told me that brother mem

bers would work for sisters in the church without regarding any other facts than that the applicants were "good women and wanted schools."

I have answered this question at some length, not only because I like to treat with consideration all questions that are sent to me by teachers, but because I believe that part of a teachers' business is to educate the public towards the proper judgment of what constitutes a true teacher. This is to be done not merely by exemplifying our ideal, but by expressing not obtrusively yet clearly and firmly our opinions on questions relating to our profession. MARGARET W. SUTHERLAND.

HEREDITY IN EDUCATION.

The "terrible law of heredity" maintains its sway but not in defiance of other laws. The curve of our being is the resultant, not of one but of many forces.

In a recent journey through the country my young companion said, There come two hard cracklins." Two young men were approaching, the one carrying a gun, the other leading a dog; both were slouching along with a gait that betokened physical as well as moral shiftlessness. I asked my companion to tell me their names. How strangely familiar they sounded. Had I been asked twenty-five years ago to name two of the most worthless characters in all that community, my answer would have been the same as that now given to me. Could it be that these two men had preserved their youth while time had left such traces on the rest of us? No, a vicious life had borne its fruit, but each vicious father had left a worthy representative in his sou, “a chip of the old block."

Such examples might give us hopeless views of life and make us think our labor in vain, were there no other side to the picture.

early manhood, Neither of these

Two intemperate fathers in this same community died in and each left a little son to the care of a widowed mother. boys knew aught of a father's training, yet each, as he grew older, gave painful evidence of inherited tendencies. There were sad fails and for a time the case seemed hopeless. At length a mother's prayers, a mother's tears, higher, deeper, superhuman influences wrought upon them and both have been snatched from the yawning gulf, and after many stumblings they have for years stood firmly on the rock. We do not ignore the existence of inherited tendencies to good or evil when we labor for the moral and spiritual advancement of the race. We recognize in it a force sometimes opposing, sometimes aiding our efforts, but we also see in it a conservation of energy which may re-appear when the toiler has gone to rest. If the combined effort of many teachers has lifted a people to a higher plane of thinking and living, it may be truly said to that people, "The promise is unto you and to your children." If then, that "terrible law" seems to impede our progress, we have this consolation, that where we lift a race to a higher life we are setting in motion a great balance wheel which will not retard, but rather accelerate the upward M. R. A.

movement.

UTILIZE THE LOCAL PAPERS.

For three or four years past, the local newspapers of Barnesville, Belmont County, have given space each week to "School Notes." The "Notes" are prepared by the superintendent usually, and consist of brief statements of facts of interest to the patrons of the schools; enrollment, tardiness, truancy, names of pupils who have done especially meritorious work, specimens of language and composition work, names of visitors to the schools, accounts of work done in teachers' meetings, &c., &c. No department of the papers is more generally read than the "School Notes." The leading papers of Bellaire also pursue the same plan, publishing "School Notes" weekly, which give the patrons of the schools a large amount of information in regard to the work of the schools and the purposes of the superintendent and teachers. The Shreve News also keeps up a similar department. Not one paper in fifty in the State but would gladly give space to "School Notes" prepared by the superintendent of the schools of the town or city in which the paper is published. Why should not superintendents avail themselves of this easy and efficient method of putting themselves in weekly communication with their patrons? Let the notes communicate matters which patrons wish to know, and they will be read --and it will not be at all difficult for a superintendent to sandwich in things which he wishes them to know. Notes should not run largely to "100 per cents." That method of deceiving and flattering parents and advertising a superintendent or teacher is becoming stale. In the language of a recent editorial in the Journal of Education, "Use the local paper, but never for selfadvancement. Never ask or desire the printing of a thing to please or profit yourself.”

H. L. P.

EDUCATIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

—The annual meeting of school examiners was held at Columbus, Dec. 28 and 29.

-An "Educational Round Table" will be ing and Saturday, January 13 and 14, 1888. invited and the caterers engaged.

spread at Warren, Friday even

We believe the guests have been

—A meeting of the Highland County teachers' association was held at Rainsboro, Dec. 17. The names on the program are R. B. Barrett, W. A. Rodgers, Samuel Major and N. H. Chaney.

-The Richland County institute was held at Mansfield for four days beginning Dec. 27, with E. A. Jones, of Massillon, Miss M. W. Sutherland, of Mansfield, and Miss Nellie Moore, of Defiance, as instructors.

-The nineteenth annual session of the Northwestern Ohio Teachers' Association was held at Fostoria, Dec. 26-28, 1887. A very full and strong program was provided. We hope to receive a report for our next issue.

-The schools of Cambridge, Ohio, under the superintendence of O. T. Corson, had an enrollment for the month of November of 841 pupils, with an average daily attendance of 97.4 percent and only 14 cases of tardiness.

-The Piqua High School has a very successful literary organization known as the Photozetian Society. It has been in operation since 1879, and has steadily grown in interest. A marked feature of its public entertainment given on the evening of December 2d was a debate on woman suffrage.

-The Bath Township (Summit county) Board of Education has waked up A course of study for all the schools of the township has been adopted, and a resolution in favor of township supervision passed without a dissenting voice. The teachers and the board are working together and the good work goes on.

-The Columbiana County institute was held at Hanover during the week beginning Oct. 24. The instructors were G. W. Henry, of Leetonia; M. Manly, of Galion; C. C. Miller, of Ottowa; Miss Mary Sinclair, of Leetonia, and E. H. Stanley, of Mount Union College. There was a fair attendance and a good interest.

-Referring to sundry newspaper paragraphs, stating that a new edition of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, revised by President Porter of Yale College and a corps of assistants, is about to be published, the publishers, Messrs. G. & C. Merriam & Co., announce that they will publish no revised edition of the Unabridged for some years.

-A meeting of the Trumbull County teachers' association was held at Warren, on Saturday, Dec. 10. The exercises consisted of an inaugural address by the president elect, W. N. Wight, of Niles, "The Progress of Civilization and Liberty," by Miss Lillian Works, of Cortland, and "The Responsibility of the Teacher," by A. A. Prentice of Mineral Ridge.

-A very successful meeting of the Summit County teachers' association was held at Akron, Dec. 17. The following program was carried out: "Combining History with Geography," by F. M. Plank; "Are We the Architects of our own Fortunes?' by C. M. Knight; "Has the Time Come to Dispense with the Rod in the Governing of a School?" by F. E Miller; "First Schools of Summit County," by J. J. Bogers; "Savonarola," by Rev. E. K. Young, D. D. Music and recitations were interspersed.

-The second quarterly meeting of the Hancock county teachers' association was held at Rawson, Dec. 3. E M. Mills set forth "Some Things not generally Known in Arithmetic," Miss Almeda Sheldon presented the subject of Primary and Intermediate Geography, D. D. Dukes discussed the Verb, and C. W. Dickey told how to teach Compound Denominate Numbers. At the evening session, M. V. Smith read a paper on "Psychology for Teachers," and J. W. Zeller delivered an address on "The Needs of Our Country Schools." Our informant says the meeting was a "decided success."

-Under an act of the last Legislature of Pennsylvania, Governor Beaver of that state has appointed an industrial education commission, consisting of five prominent citizens, to make inquiry and report concerning the progress of industrial education in this and other countries with a view to future legislation on the subject. Supt. Luckey, of Pittsburg, is a member of the commission. A meeting for organization was held at Harrisburg recently, and the work has been undertaken. The act under which this appointment has been made gives the commission large discretion, and important results may be expected.