TEACHER AND SCHOLAR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 32, 1 November 1907, Page 11

TEACHER AND SCHOLAR.

Sir,—lii! Saturday's issuo of The Dominion appeared- a report;of the gathering of teachers.,. One 1 remarked, ."It was not the money, or ,the method," or the system that gave: w.education tho measure of' succcss; it was the man himself.' What was wanted was good: talent." Sir, I am of opinion that the -greatest abilities are. not only required for this office, but render 7 a feachor less fit for/it. ..Like the poet, a teacher is born, not made. He must have a natural capacity for, teaching,! and his personality ia more in favour of, his influence than any amount of learning. Good tempor is a most' essential requisite in a teacher, and a likeablo exterior, a .winning voico-and manner, a friendly expression. ' Any displays of swagger or self-

concoit operate against tho toacbor's influonco, and incite,.offorts to "take, him down." Much depends upon taofc. To bo fussy and flurried is to intoct tho class with the sairio qualities. . , t ,' So much for the teacher; now for tho scholar. Tho physical condition of tho pupil is paramount. Now physiology teaches the fact that memory dependj. upon a norvous proparty or power, sustained, like ovory othor physical power, , by nutrition, and having : its' period of' exerciseand rest. All human beings aro not constituted alike. Some are 'strong in stomach, others in muscle,; othors in brain. Now to increase the brain capacity you must nourish tho brain. You naturally expect that tho brain .will ac nourished whon the body generally ; s nourished, and so it will if thoro be no exor : bitiimV demands on tho part of other organs, giving them preference so as to leave very little' for' the ' organ .of the .'mind;- If -the child is:overworked, by home duties,.physical drill, or is undprfed,/the .brain wilt not. rpspond/to the drafts made upon it. Obversely, if;.tlio.;brain is constituted by.iNaturo so as to, absorb the lion's share,of tho nutriment tho mental functions will'bo exalted and the other interests will be impoverished. This is tho situation for an abundant display of niontal force.'- ..'■'. / '■..,,! • ■■■•: M(!mory:6r acquisition is really a series of now.- nervous- growths, and as regards the claim for nourishment,: is .tho most ! costly of all ~thc processes;.'bf the intelligence. : The physical condition then favourable to' educa-' tibn-is health , , vigour, ■and'frcshness,. The nourishment, instead of being drafted off, to strengthen the physical functions, should be allowed .to'.run. in' a'good measure to the brain.—lam; etc.,' . l " ... ■ •-,■ -.■■-,'• ■:■ . ••"- :' ;"LTJX." ? Pictonv October 28.' "• "'. ." ". . , .