Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-09-22
For the Monitor.
CAUSES OF FAILURE IN TEACH
ING.
No. 8.

tlOHeQ as causes OF Cne failure OF SCHOOLS. |
Another class Of these causes will now
be dwelt upon, viz: faults in parents.
1t is too true that the low conditions
of our common schools is owing in a
large degree to the Indifference and in
discretion of their patrons No teacher
can do justice to himself, his pupils, or
the cause he represents, without the CO.
operation of the parents whose children
are under his care. No pupil can re-
ceive his full share of the benefits of
the school he attends. unless the good
influences of that school are seconded at
home And it is not enough for the pa
rents merely to send their children to
the school, and take no further interest
in the matter. 1t is not enough for the
father to provide books for the little
ones, and see that they arrive safely at
the school house every morning of the
session; he takes more interest than
this in his horse or his cows, though as
in the case of his children he commits
the care Of them to other hands for the
season he visits them often at the barn
or in the pasture, to see that the groom
or the dairyman does his duty faithful
ly, and tells him his wishes with regard
to the care of his stock; why should he
not do as much for those who have the
care of his children? Nor is it enough
for the mother to see her little ones start
for school each morning with clean
clothes and we'll filled dinner basket;
she does more than this to help along
her baking and her ironing, though per-
haps she has the best of "help'' to do
her household work she is no unfre-
quent visitor in kitchen and pantry, and
by her presence and cheerful example
gives more encouragement than she
knows to those who serve her; why
should she not do as much for the teach
er of her children? There is lament
able lack of interest of this kind mani
tested on the part of parents. There
are many families among us in which
not even as much as this is done; no
regular provision is made for books or
tidiness of appearance. The children are
sent to school as matter of course, or
to be out of the parents way. and at
their return not aquestion is asked about
the lessons of the day; no interest is
shown in the progress of their learning.
You have seen such families; they are
found in all parts of the land They
occupy all the low. dirty houses in our
villages, and "carry on all the worn
out, worthless farms in the country.
And what better proof Of total depravi.
ty or of the need Of good teachers car
be asked for, than the existence of such
families +? The children of these fami.
lies constitute large proportion of the
scholars who attend. or should attend
our schools; and the children must b.
better trained than their parents were
or the next generation will be much
worse than this. But among those whc
|
call themselves the better class thi
same fault prevails to a fearful extent
Parents do not visit the schools wher
their children are taught; do not en-
courage the teacher by their presence
by words of merited praise or kind ant
private criticism, or by looks and deed
which in themselves manifest deep in
terest, cost little, and do vast amour
of good do not encourage the childre
by helping them about their lessons, re
peating and enforcing the teachers ii
2 structions, and showing ina thousan
; ways that interest in the training of i'm
? mortal souls which every parent as tn
author of existence to such a soul ougf
to feel and will be held responsible fo
J. Another way in which the infuenc
e of parents injure our schools is by tc
: free criticism of the teachers doings
e the presence of their children. This
e usually fault of mere thoughtfulness
e and perhaps it will be enough simply
L call attention to it. Children ha'
% quick ears and instincts and the child
W opinion of any person or matter is 8
u most always that heard from its paren
at home. Let the parents find fau
n with the teacher in the presence of the
IS children, and it inevitably diminish
II the children's respect for the teache
a. and if such fault finding is habitual
IN INDUCED in, the term of school is su
Oh to be worthless one, or nearly SO,
y those children. Parents should encou
+ age in their children respect and 10
f. for their teacher; and the cases
d. which this cannot be done in some
MS gree, even though the teacher may ha
ID many faults, are very rare. The We
OF fact that such a person is considered
n the proper officers of the district wort
IS to fill the position of teacher is presun
ne tive evidence that every parent in I
ST. district ought to respect that person, a
en- encourage his children to do SO.
re Another fault often seen in parents
L. too sensitive regard for their own Oh
lie dren. This shows itself usually in fe
IL that their children will not be held
rs due honor by the teacher, receive su