| OCR Text |
Show TEAOHERS. Teaching in Indian schools is particularly arduous. In all boarding sehools the employBs arg necessarily oli duty for a much greater length of time for each day, and for more days, thauis requiredof teachers in the . , common schools of the country. The trainiugof I~idianp upils devolves almost wholly upon the teachers, whose work is not supplemented and , reinforced by the family, the chureh,and society. The difficulty of teaching pupils whose native language is so strange as that spoken by the major portion of Indian pupils adds largely to the work. I n reserv?tion s0ho~ltsh e teacher is far removed from the wmforts . of home and the pleasures of society, and is largely deprived of associa-tion with congenial companions. The fi~ruishingosf the teachers' qnar-ters and the school buildings are primit,ive, and the table frugal, unless it fs made expensi~e. The schools are often located at a great distance from the teacher's home, involving a loug aud expensive journey. The surroundings are not restful. To compensate for these disadvantages, the Government, in order to command good talent, ought to offer a fair compensation, never less , than that paid by the surrouudir~gc ommunities for siroilar service, and should afford opportunity for promotion, and offer a reasonably fixed tenure of office. The positions should be opened to a.11 applicants on equal terms, and should be awarded on the basis of merit. Special stress should belajd upon : (I) Good health. The privations of the lonely life and the peculiar . '~ difficulties of the work will uecessarily make a heavy draft upon the teacher's vital energies. (2) None but those of the most excellent moral eha,racter and of good repute should be sent as teachers to those who will be more influ-enced by the example of their toacl~erst hm by t,heir instruction. (3) Faith in the Indian's capacity for education and an enthusiasm for his improvement a,re needful for the highest succeus in teaching. (4) An acquaintance with the best modern methods of instruction and familiarity with the practical workings of' the hest public sehools, will be of immense advantage iu a work beset with so many difficul-ties. (5) A mastery of idiomatic Euglish is particularly essential to those who have the difficult task of breaking up the use of Indian. dialects and the substitution therefor of the English language. (6) Teachers should be selected for special grades of work. Some are specially fitted to excel in primary work, while others are better adapted to the work of higher grades. (7) A quality greatly to be desired is the power of adapting oneself to new and tryiug surroundings, andof bearing with fortitude the hard. ships and discouragerneuts incident to the service. |
