M. J. KENDALL, ESQ., M.A., ON THE TEACHEk's VOCATION. 89 



a practical not a theoretical life, as he himself used and some- 

 times abused his own great gifts and manly pen in the service 

 of the State. 



Hitherto I have carefully avoided any sectional reference to 

 a special branch of education. The whole trend of recent opinion 

 and legislation makes for the sohdarity of the profession. But 

 from this point I shall be speaking and thinking chiefly, but not 

 exclusively, of the type of Secondary School with which I am 

 myself concerned. Moreover, the content of the teacher's 

 vocation is too wide a theme to admit of full or adequate treat- 

 ment. I propose to dwell upon a few points only and make a 

 few suggestions. 



In examining Milton's picture one thing strikes us at once : we 

 see set forth all the quahties which we have found beyond our 

 utmost surmise in the boys who have during the Great War 

 saved Europe and Liberty : brave men and worthy patriots, 

 dear to God and famous to all ages "— " such an ingenuous and 

 noble ardour as would not fail to make many of them renowned 

 and matchless men." These words were ^v^itten amid the early 

 struggles of the Civil War, and this perhaps enables us to under- 

 stand them now : they are no fantastic dream of a poet ; they 

 are words of sober, practical truth, written by a schoolmaster, 

 who descends in the very next clause to the rules of arithmetic 

 and to that ancient pastime — for Milton so regards it — ^the 

 elements of geometry. 



Meanwhile the teacher will note one phrase — not without 

 some anxiety — " chiefly by his oivn example.'' Milton is content 

 to ignore for the moment potent influences of heredity and home 

 — with school traditions he is not concerned ; but the fact remains 

 that in all these matters (courage, patriotism, diligence, ardour) 

 he does regard the example of the teacher as an important, if not 

 a cardinal factor. 



We may whittle the statement down as far as we Hke : the 

 world will smile at our pretensions. They may suggest, as Mr. 

 Gwynne does, in his Second Reeding, that to interpolate our 

 personahty into the life of another human being " is always a 

 liberty, it may be an impertinence." No schoolmaster desires 

 to impose his personahty on any human being : it would be 

 criminal and fooUsh to court imitation. Indeed, with regard 

 to many of his own characteristics he will hope to " develop 

 character by instinctive rebelUon." But what is a Hberty or an 

 impertinence in others is in a sense his proper function. It is 



