Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-10-15

CoypucrlSo ScnooLs.-Many persons
blame the teachers almost solely for
pupils being unruly at school. 1t
seems to us chat very much of this de-
ponds on Ao,s children are trained at
home. If they are allowed TO. "run
loose" without proper restraint, prop
or lrcccpt and example being given
them by their parents, they become
reckless and unruly, and in many in
stances seem to be so even with all
these brought TO bear on them in the
most apt and firm style. Tough they
may seem to be unmanageablc and en-
tirely reckless, yet when they advance
to the age Of maturity or boyhood
rather, they taiaa of these wholesome
restraints and change their base Of op-
erations. If a child is hard to govern
he will be hardened still more SO if an
over amount of "brute force is
brought to bear on his back with
the birch In our opinion, if less OF
this was used and more sound reason
used and attention given them there
would be fewer bad boys, and fewer
candidates for the gallows and State
Prison in our midst. To make them
believe they are deras by harsh treat
ment and telling them SO, seems to be
the motto of some, instead of teaching
,hem that they are intended to be
great and good men and women. and
niW be if they try to be such.
To say that children quarrel, fight
and swear at school, speaks volumes
against the parents. II they do this to
any very great extent, they were GER
tainly not impressed very thoroughly
with the idea Of the wrong Of thus act
ing by the parents at home, it shows
that parents do not pay that attention
to the moral culture Of their children
that they demand. If childreHare not
kept under proper control it may be
something the fault of the teachers,
but we apprehend it Is directly attrib-
utablc to these facts: n
First. The preceptsand example OF
the parents are not what is demanded
Of them all. Et
Second. There is not an interest
manifested for the comfort. convent
ence and ease Of the children by the
parents, as is shown. by the miserable
condition of the school rooms furnish
cd them to study III, generally.
Third. Parents do not indicate a
desire for the o vocational welfare OF
their children, because they never visit
them in their classes, nor do they ever
notice whether they are progressing
in their studies, and when the child
comes home from school he is not ask,
ed anything about his school days
or whether he was at school at all or
not. IL
Fourth. Should teacher punish a
scholar for bad conduct, the parents
will often threaten the teacher in the
presence Of the scholar, and proceed
Immediately to raise row with .;he
teacher about it. With this states OF
things children cannot be controlled Al
school, whether by the half dozen Of
by the half thousand, for it is most
generally the half dozen that make al
the trouble, nor will it be changed by
having the schools scattered in differ
ent portions Of the town.
So long as the parents hold that the
teacher has no control over the scholar
after he leaves tho school room, and
cannot call him to account for con.
duct outside the. school room, SC
long will the scholars defy the
power and authority Of the teach
crs.
-. .....,... So