THE TEACHER IN MODERN LIFE [To the Editor of the
SPECTATOR.]
Sns,—As a clergyman who was once a schoolmaster, and before that an Indian civilian, may I break a lance with the writer of the article, " The Teacher in Modern Life " 4 Mr. Hammond mistakes his geese for swans. The teacher, it seems, can claim to be the most important person in the community, bemuse his function is to train people for a right use of leisure. But does he P In the villages of North Hampshire rational con- versation is hardly heard, no serious reading is done, and a shilling spent on a good book instead of a whist-drive would be reckoned wasted money. Zeal for social service dwindles, since the self-sacrifice it involves is seldom taught in our elementary schools. Hence even among the cottagers the teacher fails to command much respect. Many exceptions there may be, but the status of the profession is dragged down by its uninspired and uninspiring members. It will be a great day for England when the training colleges arc rescued from their present rut and absorbed in the universities.
Parsons to-day have neither time nor wish to patronize the teacher. They are too busy repairing his errors. The clergy- man is, after all, himself a teacher, with perhaps a clearer notion of the way to supreme happiness than that possessed by most of the professional instructors of rustic youth.—I am,
Sir, &c., E. J. Boats. Monk Sherborne Rectory, Basingstoke.
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