Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-07-30
Sron County gegister
The Duties of Patrons to Schools.

There is a duty which patrons owe TO a
school collectively and which they must
perform individually, and that is visit
ing the school. If We employ an agent
to attend to an important work for us,
and his shop is within easy reach, we
will be likely to call in frequently to
see how the work is progressing, and
the frequency of our visits will be in
proportion to the interest we feel. II
the interest felt is i'm proportion to the
Importance of the work, the visits OF
patrons tn the schools will be frequent,
aud no visit should be less than one
hour and half, OF extending from one
recess to another, and they should not
all be at the same hour. This will pre-
vent the getting up particular scholars
on dress parade, and will enable the
visitors to see the mode i'm which differ
ent branches are taught. Il the teach
er is at all qualified these visits will
remove objections. The average dis
tiict ScHooi is iihe the lbibit anu tiis
Constitution of the United States:
those who know most about them
have the fewest objections to them.
We now come to another class of du-
ties, viz: Those which the patron owes
to the school collectively, but which
he is not expected to perform individ-
ually.
This brings us to consider the rela-
tons I'm which the common school
stands to the families of the district.
These relations may be described: First,
negatively, the district school is not
intended to supplant the family: that is
to do those things which the parents
can do without books. Neither can
the teacher be reasonably required to
manage and reform those things which
have gone past the control of parents
at home. This would require the
teacher to control the combined disor-
der of the district triumphant at home.
The real design of all teaching is to
enable the scholar to think 'independ-
emily, correctly, and promptly. The
collection of scholars in a school is first
q matter of convenience. In suitable
room competent teacher can instruct
thirty scholars better than he can one,
owing to the influence of spirit of
emulation which can be set up among
them. Again the scholars being as
sembled with special view to educa-
ton, and having fixed hours for works,
are freed from drawbacks to which
they would be exposed at home.
When the practice of asking ques-
tons is encouraged by the teacher,
scholars will learn great deal and
should be encouraged to discuss points
among themselves to be referred to the
teacher.
But on the suppositiOn that every
parent taught his child all the branch
is taught in common school, the dis
trict would still pay, if under a compe-
tent teacher. Each parent could have
peculiarities in his teaching The dis
trict school can combine all that is good
IN all of them and add something. 1t
can harmonic discrepancies in parent
al teaching, and, through emulation,
lead to higher attainment than each
family can reach at home.
And, lastly, the common school acts
as q social and mental bond of fellow
ship in a neighborhood.
We now come fully to the questions:
What are the duties which a patron
owes to school taken collectively
which he cannot perform individually?
And here a word of caution. The
faithful performance of his duty as a
member of a corporation cannot release
any patron of a school from his obliga-
ton to individual exertion.
The duties of the district to the
school are performed by Board of
Directors as agents for the district.
Their first duty is to provide suitable
accommodations for the school. And
first as to the schoolhouse: 1t should
be large enough; 1Sx24 feet will seat
forty scholars. 1t should be we'll un-
derpinned and the floor should be
feet are cold. 1t should be we'll lighted,
so that all parts may he available. II
should have good stove, without any
drum for disorderly scholars to hide
behind. The desks should all be SET
with their ends to the wall so that the
teacher can at any time see the hands
of any scholar. In short it should be sc
constructed that no scholar in it can be
for one minute out of the teachers sight
For furniture it should have pail, q
dipper. and black board for the use Of
the.teacher in primary and mental ar
ithmetic, and for writing out facts in
history. Beyond these, nothing in the
house.
The district should furnish good fire.
wood ready for the stove. The school
house should always have a good and
sufficient playground near plentiful
supply of good, pure water within
easy reach. Then send in your boys
and girls and let the patrons and direc'
tors keep a close oversight of the school
and give all possible aid and encour.
agement.
An effort has been made throughout
these remarks to observe a careful
avoidance of the work of the teacher.
xx,;ll orroor from tho o.