The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-03-29
VISITING SCHOOLS.

T6acner. BuC even after the duty IS
recognized, such visits are too often de-
layed until the last day of term, or
never made at all.
So others not particularly interested,
curiosity often acts as prompter, and
schools are systematically visited. For
it is sad fact, that let a teacher reach
a critical period in the management of
a school, from an unusual combination
of circumstances, or the Introduction |
of some new element, just in proper
ton as the crisis is made public, the
number of visits is multiplied, and the
school judged accordingly. Such Wis
it's of course are confined to certain
class, and yet if there were a few
others in times Of quiet work to offset,
how one sided does the reputation of
the school become.
What housekeeper would wish the
general order Of her house to be judged
by house-cleaning days? Or what
mother the general conduct of her lit
tie ones by the strange freaks which
sometimes possess them, when compa-
ny is in the parlor?
The most perfect machinery may get
out of order, and when it is so, is no
time to test it's work. The most care
full and Watchful of experienced teach
ers will find daye in school by which
he would not wish the work of years
to be Judged
The carelessness and thoughtless I'M
kindness with which many report their
school visits have led me to write a
few words in behalf of teachers
and a few suggestions to the
real friends of teachers. [ have
more than once heard such an eX-
perience as the following related: Il
called to see certain teacher, and
while she was at the door talking with
me her scholars were very disorderly."
And who was to blame? Should this
same visitor call her servant from the
Kitchen when she knew there was
bread in the oven, whom should she
blame,if the bread were burned? That
very moment to the teacher, as to the
cook might be the one most needed with
her work. The motive from which
visitors enter the school room will con-
troll far more than is often realized the
conduct of the children there. If it be
an errand Of discovery, Of curiosity, the
intuitions of the children will not be
slow in detecting it, and they will find
some way Of responding to the desire
for sightseeing. If it be a visit of
pleasure merely, the indifference of Wis
itOrs to the work of the pupils will Gre
ate an Indifference on their part, or a
desire to do something which will at
tract attention
Another sad fact in the experience
of many teachers, is, that the introduce
ton to some patron Of the school comes
sometimes through very informal Wis
it, and in the form Of unqualified fault
finding and rebuke. After MANY
months of patient forbearance and
earnest effort on the part of the teach
ea to lead Alright the Willful, unframed. !
uncultured child, without a word or
sign of appreciation, or sympathy from
the parent, at the first necessity of Sc
verer treatment of that child, the pa
rent even cOnfessing himself powerless
to control is sometimes ready to de-
priye if possible, the teacher of that
power. Let us be grateful that such
are the exceptions. How much better
would it be for the schools, if visitors
were more frequently parents of the
pupils.
Let the mother tried to death" with
her noisy, almost or quite unmanagea
ole boy at home, or grieved by the
thoughtless, willful conduct of her
daughter, spend half day at leas once
IN while, in the school-room with
them. Let her see that her trial, with
out her natural affection, is multiplied
by ten, fifteen or twenty on the teach
er's part, and she may have an oppotu-
nifty Of learning a lesson of patience
and forbearance. Until after she has
done this, let her not judge too hastily ]
of teachers shortcomings, from the
necessarily one-sided reports which
reach her through her children.
The true teacher, loving her work, {