Page:Jesuit Education.djvu/632

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JESUIT EDUCATION

should appear in all words and actions, and his whole life should bespeak a mind thoroughly imbued with the lofty principles of Christianity. Such a teacher should remember the words of Christ: "So let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven."[1] Indeed, it is absolutely necessary for him to endeavor to gain the sincere esteem of the students, not in order to gratify his vanity, nor for any other selfish purpose, but in order to manage successfully a class of petulant and mischief-loving youths.

2. The teacher must strive to gain the affection of his pupils.[2] This he will obtain if they see him eager for their advancement, if he possesses the mastery over his own temper, if he never appears suspicious or distrustful. While kind and obliging in private, he must show himself earnest and grave before his class. Besides, being always firm, he must moreover be friendly and kind towards all, avoiding partiality, favoritism and excessive familiarity towards individuals.[3] If the teacher yield to the not uncommon weakness, and by any sort of favoritism tries to gain the special affection of a few, he should be convinced that he will estrange all the rest from him and thus inevitably undermine his authority. – In punishments he must be considerate, just, moderate, and show that he acts only from a sense of duty and genuine love, not from passion or antipathy.[4]

The affection of his pupils will be aroused by the interest the teacher shows for their health, their diffi-

  1. Matth. 5, 16.
  2. Jouvancy, Ratio Docendi, ch. 3, art. 1, no. 2.
  3. See below § 3.
  4. See below § 2.