Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-08-16
The PARENTS INFLuENcE.-Th,


them, or to make sure that they have
the simplest requisite health conditions
warm feet. cool heads and q suffi-
cheney of wholesome air? How many
of those parents who fail to visit the
schoolroom-excuse themselves by say
ing, 20, can tell well enough how
school is prospecting without going
there!'-how many of those take the
trouble even to uphold the teachers in
fluence at their own firesides instead of
aiding in its overthrow? "You cannot
mean me-" says one; Il never NEEDLE
with school matters one way or anoth-
en-" If you never. "meddle,n as you
phrase it, the inference is that there is
corresponding lack of interest. If
your olive plants are of the thrifty,
growing, wide-awake kind, and are ac-
customed to have mamma interest her.
self in their affairs, then school affairs
will not form an exception to the rule.
Nor should they! That parent who as
serts complacently, Il never listen to
tales about school,, and therefore thinks
she has done all that is required of her,
comes very far short of possessing the
right kind of interest in school affairs.
If children are interested in school
work, they will prattle of this work at
home as naturally as sparrows chirp or
robins sing. Nor should it be repressed.
The mothers expressed delight at work
well done, her sorrow and regret at
failure, will often help the good work
along far more than the parent is aware.
Nor is this less the case in matters of
discipline. A gentle. II am so sorry
you should have deserved it, if your
child has been punished, it is far better
for all concerned than TRADE against
the teacher, too often prompted by that
spirit of egotism that can never see
ones own blackbirds to be anything
but white. Or if 1t is another that has
been punished, the mothers 81 hope,
my dear, it may never be you," or II
can but think it a disgrace to be punish
ed at school-it seems 10 me good boys
and girls are not likely to be, or words
of similar import, cannot fail to have
their influence upon the child's deport-
ment in school.
On the other hand, that parent who
responds to her child's enthusiastic
prattle by a pettish, Il wish you would
drop the school room when you leave
it, or who speaks in a critical or sar-
castle manner of the teacher or work
ings of the school-who gives vent be-
fore her children to expressions of
disapproval or dislike-that parent,
whether aware of it or not is demolish-
ing as fast as possible the teachers in
Auence and authority, SO far as her
own special brood is concerned. Often
far more trifing expressions on the
partof the paren are sufficient to set
pupil against teacher all through a
term of school. A knowing glance
from t he father or mother to some other
member of the family, curl of the lip
as the child's tale is told; these are quite
sufficient to give these ''little pitchers
their ''cue' and set them on the ''rebel"
side.
Go into any school-room and point
out those pupils. that seek continually
to evade the teachers rules-look upon
her as tryant rather than a helper and
friend-and instead of according her
that respectful courtesy which is her
due, treat her with contempt; and will
point out to you, without great danger
of mistake, those fresides where the
teachers authority if not traduced, at
least is not upheld. 1t is really won
derful how blind parents sometimes are
on this point-blind in not only sense
of justice, but to their own and their
children's best interest as well. How
often the really capable, scrupulous
teacher thinks, in her Utmost soul: IF /
had the children only to manage, how
easy it would be!''
If complaints come of cruelty and in
justice and neglect Gas they often will,
along with the rest of the school TALK,
too much weight must not be given
them. remembering that child's rea-
soning faculties are imperfectly deyel-
oped, and that impulse, even in older
people, is not greatly to be relied upon.
But if the parent feels that there is
reasonable ground for complaint, cen
sure must not, even then, be spoken be-
fore the child. Itcan do no good; must
inevitably do harm. If complaint must
be made, let it be privately to the
teacher herself and to none other
But in making up the judgements, let
the parent bear in mind how many days
there are when nothing goes quite as it
home. when she is nervous and out of
sorts, and they are irritable and cross,
and ask herself if she never gives a
sharp word or angry blow. She has
three or four, maybe, while doubtless
the teacher Of the school has twice or
thrice score, whose various DISPOSE
tons she has not yet but imperfectly
learned, however faithful and earnest
her efforts may have been. That
teacher must indeed be marvel of
wisdom and patience that never errsi
A School Teacher, IN Country Gentle
man.
DISCIPLINE. i do not believe thatb BOYS
can beinduced TO apply themselves with
vigcr, and, what is much more difficult,
perseverance, tn dry and irksoma st,,d