The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1880-11-25

should naturally be the most interest
ed, for it IL their own children whose
character, welfare and destiny are to
be made or marred by gross mis-
management or wrong methods of in
struction. II parents were what they
should be, IL the ideal of 3 family were
actually realized, then the daily
-school-work would simply be the de
velopment and expansion of home
instruction. Jsut instead of all this
we find parents, by hundreds, if pot
by thousands, ignorant and need to be
enlightened, dogmatic and need to be
libefalized, prejudiced and need to be
set right, Indifferent and need to he
aroused to earnestness, antag0nistic
and need to be treated with forbear-
ance and lOng-suffering until reason
and judgment shall assert their supre-
macy. And some are even hOgyish
and devilish! and need severe let
ting alOne.-'Cast not your pearls be-
fore swine !''-And yet there are times
when even such may be reached. As
there Is nothing crooked but what can
be made straight, so there Is no human
being, however crOss-grained, but
what may be reached by some kind of
influence The poet has expressed a
hone even for the Devil! Hear him!
AUD Nickie-ben.
Ovsd ne tax thought an men.
We aiblins might dinna ken
Still hse . stake:
I'm vac TO think upo' yon den,
Ev'n for your sake ~
Under the influences of such causes
"a we have mentioned and other cir
cumstances, it Is too evident that
parents, upon whom Nature, Provi-
dence and Revelation have placed
the chief responsibility for the edu-
cation of their children, too often
fail to comprehend their relations to
this work and manifest no disposition
to perform their duty, or use the APP
pliances within their reach, and thus
fail, or ever refAse to cooperate with
those agencies provided and designed
to accomplish the highest educational
results tor themselves and their fami-
lies, What is the remedy for this de.
fective part III the machinery of school
work.? How il this cooperation, so
desirable, to be secured?
LIST. Much may be done by the COun-
ty Superintendent, provided he Is the
fright man in the right place" The
law in reference to this office is very
defective. 1t does not with sufficient
clearness and definiteness designate
his work and duties. And if he did
his whole duty, the compensation Is
utterly inadequate. His duties are
four-fOld, arising out of his relations
to the teachers, the school district Off
GERS, the children and the parents. AS
il is now, he seldom comes in direct
contact with the latter class. He eX-
amines teachers and issues certificates;
he transacts business with school
boards-sometimes visits q school and
talks to the children-but of the par
ents he knows little or nothing. He
never comes before the people, or talks
with them, except, perhaps, when he
is u candidate! Without neglecting
his other duties, much may be done,
in an unofficial way, by mingling
with the people, by social intercourse,
and "stirring up their pure minds by
way of Remembrance" And he might,
"ex-officio," appoint public meetings.
at central points, and address the peO-
ple on some theme connected with
popular education, giving them ideas to
think about, arousing, their enthusi-
asm, and suggesting some practical
Improvement in their immediate
neighborhoOd. A competent and
earnest man can do much in this di-
rection. And all this should come
within the scope of school supervision.
I'd. School District Boards can, if
they will, accomplish great deal in
securing parental corporation.
1t may be true that there are men
holding the Office of County Superinten-
dent, totally unqualified, Intellectually
and :mOrally for the position; but it
is believed, that for every such in
stance there are scores-if not hun
dreds of men in our School Boards
that are utterly unfit for the place,
unreliable i'm character, deficient in
culture and with no business capacity.
Thus hundreds and thousands of dol
lars of the school funds are worse than
wasted by carelessness and misapplica-
ton. BY their "masterly inactivity"
or injudiciOus action, they misrepre-
sent their constituents and ALLEVIATE in
instead of invite to cooperation.
Competent men for these offices, with
u reasonable compensation for their
services, would be a long step towards
and perpetuating peace, har-
mOny, efficiency and popular interest
in our schools. 1 have some times
thought, that, besides the teachers
institute. IL might be well to have
one annually. Of week or so, for
school Officers to instruct and drill
them i'm their duties.
I'd. But the teachers relations to this
are the most vital and his
Efforts may he made the most effective.
Here we have. doubtless, the most d.
rect and practical agency for awaken
inu the feeling of personal response
biiity and securing the cooperation of
in school.Work. The relations
m a teacher TO the patrons of his school
are sOmewhat analogous to those of a
preacher To his congregation. The
observation-disclosures. one who can in
.nire his neOple with life and activity
and make them cO-laborers with him
I'M the work of evangelization, must
not only be able in the pulpit and
vood man hut he must also be a good
pastor. So with the teacher if he
would be in the highest degree. sue
must not only be an ac-
instructor. and person of
utainIess character, but he ought to
nave those personal qualities and man
ners that cSnstitute social power. In
,hort. there should be manhood and
that are larger than even
he noblest profession. This social
Element of character NAV be utilized
nv IN. teacher in exciting interest ON
T.. ,,ort 90 na rauts ,nd sac,,r;pv th.n,