The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-08-26
ON VISITING THE COMMON SCHOOLS.

MEssRs. EDITORS Permit me through
your columns to stir up the minds of
the good people of Kansas, on SUBJ
ject which to my mind is not agitated
in any way, or place, by society, press,
or even pulpit, as its Importance de-
mands. Irefer to the lack of manifesto
ton of interest on the part of parents
and officers of schools. Not that every
parent, and tax payer even, does not
feel interested to a greater or less extent
in the advancement in general of the
school which his offspring attend, and
in particular of his own children, but
that in most instances he altogether fails
to show it.
Every father and mother in the land,
/ have no doubt, will acknowledge they
know it is their duty to visit their chill
dren's school, while school officers ought
to feel in duty bound to look farther af-
ter their own and their constituents in
terests than merely hiring and paying a
teacher yet how many terms will they
oftentimes let pass without so much as
making single visit.
What husbandman or dairyman will
think of entrusting wholly to the mind
or hands of his hired man the care of
his farm or focks, on the proper Guilt
walton or care of which his worldly
prospects depend? Will he not be
around inspecting, suggesting? Ger
tainly. Now, such an ones child is in
comparably dearer to him than all else
and while he knows that during his
school-days influences are being exerted
over him, that are fitting him for idle
ness or usefulness in this world-for
misery or happiness in the world to
come; yet he but seldom, if ever, per-
sonally acquaints himself with the ma
ture of those influences; forgets that
his responsibility is greater, and his ac-
countability surer and more strict in the
case of his child than of all his earthly
possessions.
If parents in general would only take
the moiety of time and trouble it would
cost them to step into the school room
not only once term, but at least once a
month, besides being a satisfaction to
themselves, duty performed always
brings its reward). and great help and
pleasure, it would do an untold amount
of good in the way of encouraging
their children. Children are in general
close observers, and if they see their pa
rents wide awake as to their advantages
and improvement, it will of course ex-
cite in them a disposition to not only
please their parents, but to excel all
others. In short it would be an incen-
tive to renewed exertion to all concern
ed; a step in the direction of much
needed reform all over the land.
have said that even in the pulpit is
there neglect of this subject by which
l mean this: How often do we hear
the common school, its officers and
teachers, mentioned in prayer or in any
other way from the sacred desk? The
preacher will pray earnestly for semin.
aries, theological schools, etc., which i:
all very we'll; but he never seems tc
think of the foundation, the ground
work, the children's school. The BEN
sapling is apt to grow to be q crooked
tree. So it is with a mind receiving
and starting out with wrong impress
sions. 1t will, ten chances to one, re
main so. Hence plead the necessity o
parents, preachers and all, doing thei
duty to the childrcn's school, and in 81
doing, to their children. DEE.