The teacher should labor in his
profession because he loves it, because he does good in it, and because
he can in that sphere answer a high purpose of existence. These being
the motives of the teacher, he should educate, draw out, corresponding
ones in his pupils.
The teacher is not to create--he is to draw out. Every child has the
germs of many, and, it may be, quite different qualities of character.
Look at the infant. It is so constituted that it may have a stalwart
arm, broad chest, and well-rounded, vigorous muscles; but yet it may
come to adult age destitute of these physical excellences. Yet you will
not say that the elements did not exist in the child. They were there;
but, being neglected, they followed a law of our nature, that the
development of a faculty depends upon its exercise. Nature will develop
some quality in every man; for our existence demands the exercise of a
part of our faculties. The faculty used will be developed in excess as
compared with other faculties. It is the business of the teacher to aid
nature. For the most part, he must stimulate, encourage, draw out,
develop, though it may happen that he will be required occasionally to
check a tendency which threatens to absorb or overshadow all the others.
He must, at any rate, prevent the growth of those powers which tend
towards the savage state.
While the teacher creates nothing, he must so draw out the qualities of
the child that it may attain to perfect manhood.
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