The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-01-04
The Parents Influence.


The schools are in session in country
and town and the natural supposition
would be that every parent is carr estly
interested in the success of at least the
one particular school of which his chill
dren form part. But how many par
ents actually possess sufficient interest
in their own school to impel them to
visit it, we will say once every school
term, to see for themselves how their
children are advancing in knowledge,
what moral influence is surrounding
them, or to make sure that they have the
simplest requisite health conditions
warm feet, cool heads and a sufficiency
of wholesome air? How many of those
parents who fail to visit the schoolroom
-excusing themselves by saying, 80,
can tell well enough how school is pros
pering withous going therer'-how
many of these take the trouble even to
uphold the teachers influence at their
own fresides instead of aiding in its
says one; 81 never meddle with school
matters one way or another ''If you
never "meddle," 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 accustomed to have mamma
interest herself in their affairs, then
school affairs will not form an exception
to the rule. Nor should they! That
parent who asserts complacently, 81
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
ua .,,%o I'd
in school work, they will prattle
of this work ut home as natur-
ally as sparrows chirp or robins sing.
Nor should it be repressed. The moth
er's 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, - am SO sorry you should have
deserved it" if your child has been pun
ished, 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 it is another
that has been punished, the mothers II
hope, my dear, it may never be yon,"
or, 's I can but think it disgrace to be
punished at school-it seems to 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 de-
pertinent in school.
On the other hand, that parent who
responds to her child enthusiastic pratt
tie by pettish, 81 wish you would drop
the school room when you leave it." or
who speaks in critical or sarcastic
manner of the teacher or workings of
the school-who gives vent before her
children to expressions of disapproval or
dislike-that parent, whether aware of
it or not, is demolishing as fast as posi-
BILE the teacher influence and authority,
SO far as her own special brood is con-
cerned.- Often far more trifing express
sions on the part of the parent are suffi-
cient to set pupil against teacher all
through term of school. A knowing
glance from the father or mother to
! some other meanber of the family. a curl
of the lip as the child's tale is told; these
are quite sufficient to give these ''little
pitchers their sscue'' and set them on
the 'sreber' side.
Go into any school-room and point out
those pupils that seek continually to
evade the teacher rules-look upon her
as a tyrant rather than a helper and
friend-and instead of according her that
respectful courtesy which Is her due,
treat her with contempt; and l will point
out to you, without great danger of mis-
take, those firesides where the teacher S
authority, if not traduced, at least is not
upheld. tits really wonderful how blind
parents sometimes are on this point
blind not only to sense of justice, but
| to their own and their children's best
interests as well. How often the really
capable, sornpulous teacher thinks. in
her inmost soul: "If L had the children
only to manage, how easy it would bel"
If complaints come of cruelty and in
justice and neglect Gas they often will,
along with the rest of the school TALK g,
too much weight must not be given
them, remembering that child's reason
ing faculties are imperfectly developed,
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, censure must not,
even then, be spoken before the child.
1t can 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
judgments, let the parent bear in mind
how many days there are when nothing
goes quite as it ought with her and her
little ones at home, when she is nervous
and out of sorts, and they are irritable
and cross, and ask herself if she never
gives sharp word or angry blow. She
has three or four, maybe. while doubt
less the teacher of the school has twice
or thrice a score, whose various dispo-
sitions she has 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 errs!-A School
Teacher, in Country Gentleman.