The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-05-31
VISITING SCHOOLS.


"Why don't they visit the schools"
This is the title of an old song in which
parents are represented as visiting the
theatre, circus, and other places Of
amusement, but totally neglecting the
school. There may not be much poet
ry in the doggerel, but there is a great
deal of truth. People do not visit the
schools. Many men-men too who
have children in school-act as if their
whole duty in educational matters con-
sists in attending the annual school
meeting, and voting to hire cheap
teacher.
Many women send their little girls to
school term after term, and the only
knowledge they possess Of the teacher
or school is what they learn from hear
say.
don't mean to say that all patrons
act so, but [ know whereof / affirm
when [ say that the majority Of par
ents do just this and nothing more.
Teachers are hired and put in charge
Of schools, whose only recommendation
is that they hold a certificate from the
superintendent. And for whole terms
they hold undisputed sway, with none
to modest or make afraid"
The excuses given for this state Of
things are many and varied.
Il couldn't do any good if WENT"
Il can't find tjaae;" Don't know any
thing about schools" &c.
I'm not going up there" said dis
trict clerk to a teacher last winter,
when invited to visit the school; eve
hired you to run that school"
Now if it don't make any difference
how children are educated; if the char
acter Of the teacher and the kind of
school he keeps is Of no Importance; if
a parents whole duty and interest in
the matter ends in sending their chill
dren TO the school-hOUse, then these
excuses are valid, otherwise they are
not. I do not wish to be too severe in
this MATTER or TO make odiOus compar-
isons, but will say that there is not a
farmer in Kenosha county who will
turn his young cattle into the back
pasture and leave them there all sum
mer without looking after them, while
there are scores Of those same men
who will not see the inside of the room
in which their children attend school,
This, not because they do not care, but
because they do not think.
If parents would consider this sub
ject seriously, we would see more of
them in the schools. Parents, you can
do good in schools. No matter wheth-
er you "knoW anything about schools
or not, your visits will do more good
than all else to advance the welfare of
the school. The writer was engaged
to teach a school some time ago which
was badly run down. BY the solicita-
tiOns of the teacher and the earnest
efforts of the pupils, the parents were
induced to visit the school, first few,
then more and before the end of the
first term almost every parent in the
district had visited the school at least
once.
The result was astonishing. The
pupils finding that their parents were
interested, became interested them
selves; knowing that their parents
were coming, the lessons were better
prepared; pupils We'd with each other
in the preparation of their lessons
a pride in the advancement of the
school took the place of the former
apathy, and to-day the school stands in
the front rank of the county schools.
"My ma is coming to-day" "and
mine, and mine~ was the cry of The
little folks, and the register shows 277
visitors, over 100 Of whom were from
the district. No matter if some of
them did come ito see what kind of a
fellow the teacher was" the result was
just the same. Next week we will
talk about teachers visits. y.
An Honest Medicine,
Of all medicines calculated to cure