Lord Brougham.-An epitaph.-Cease repining. It is such a teacher that the eloquent and gifted Lord Brougham describes in the following beautiful language: "He meditates and prepares, in secret, the plans which are to bless mankind; he slowly gathers around him those who are to further their execution, he quietly, though firmly, advances in his humble path, laboring steadily, but calmly, till he has opened to the light all the recesses of ignorance, and torn up by the roots the weeds of vice. His progress is not to be compared with any thing like the march of the conqueror, but it leads to a far more brilliant triumph and to laurels more imperishable than the destroyer of his species, the scourge of the world, ever won. Each one of these great teachers of the world, possessing his soul in peace, performs his appointed course, awaits in patience the fulfillment of the promises, and resting from his labors, bequeaths his memory to the generation whom his works have blessed, and sleeps under the humble, but not inglorious epitaph, commemorating 'one in whom mankind lost a friend, and no man got rid of an enemy.' In view of what has been said, let the teacher cease to repine at his hard lot. Let him cast an occasional glance at the bright prospect before him. He deserves, to be sure, a higher pecuniary reward than he receives; and he should never cease to press this truth upon the com Magnify his office.-How?-Moral recompense. munity, till talent in teaching is as well compensated as talent in any other calling. But whether he gains this or not, let him dwell upon the privileges and rewards to be found in the calling itself, and take fresh encouragement. The apostle Paul exhibited great wisdom when he said, "I magnify mine office." If the foregoing views respecting the importance of the teacher's calling are correct, he may safely follow the apostle's example. This is not, however, to be done merely by boastful words. No man can elevate himself, or magnify his office in public estimation, by indulging in empty declamation, or by passing inflated resolutions. He must feel the dignity of his profession, and show that he feels it by unremitted exertions to attain to the highest excellence of which he is capable,— animated, in the midst of his toil, chiefly by the great moral recompense which every faithful teacher may hope to receive. Let every teacher, then, study to improve himself intellectually and morally; let him strive to advance in the art of teaching; let him watch the growth of mind under his culture and take the encouragement which that affords; let him consider the usefulness he may effect, and the circumstances which make his calling honorable ; let him prize the gratitude of his pupils, and of their parents and friends; and above all, let him value the approval of Heaven, and set a proper estimate upon the rewards which another world Final reward. will unfold to him,-and thus be encouraged to toil on in faithfulness and in hope,-till, having finished his course, and being gathered to the home of the righteous, he shall meet multitudes instructed by his wise precept, and profited by his pure example, who "shall rise up and call him blessed." CHAPTER XVII. NOTES ON THE TEACHER'S AUTHORITY AND TEA RIGHTS.* EACHERS are peculiarly exposed to criticism, censure, and to the annoyances and dangers of legal persecution. The relations of the teacher to school officers, pupils, parents, and the general public are so many, so delicate, so poorly defined, and so little understood, that danger from these sources is always imminent; and it should be a matter of first concern, for one so situated, to have some tolerably definite knowledge of his legal rights. What follows is a mere summary; but the references will enable any one to supplement this outline almost at will. In public school administration, the downward distribution of rights, prerogatives, and duties is made as follows: By the election of the board of *The references are to the following works by number and page: 1. The Lawyer in the School-room. By M. McN. Walsh. New York: 1867. 2. Common School Law. By C. W. Bardeen. Syracuse: 1878. 3. A Treatise on the Law of Public Schools. By Finley Burke. New York: 1880. 4. Recent School Law Decisions. Compiled by Lyndon A. Smith. Washington: 1883. 5. The Power and Authority of School Officers and Teachers. New York: 1885. Trustees.-Superintendent.-Teachers. trustees or school committee, there passes from the hands of the people that part of their sovereign power which relates to the management of the school and its resources; and the power thus transferred to such officers can not be recalled at will, nor can the people interfere with their agents save in cases of gross maladministration, which would justify impeachment. In case of dissatisfaction, the people have their remedy in the opportunity for better selections when terms of office are about to expire. The board of trustees may delegate certain duties to a superintendent or principal, and by this act they invest him with certain rights and prerogatives; and when this transfer has been made it is no more subject to recall than in the case just stated. Within his province the superintendent has just the same immunity from interference as the board has within its province. In his turn, the superintendent delegates certain duties to his subordinates, and so invests them with certain rights and prerogatives; and within their province teachers should be as free from interference as their superior is in his. A clear definition of these respective spheres of duty would relieve public school administration of many of its difficulties, and at the same time would promote a manly independence among teachers. It is a good thing to be charged with responsibilities, and at the same time allowed all proper freedom of action in working out required |