Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-09-03

not form the acquaintance OF teachers ane
INVITE them to "call and see them.h Wher
this is not done, teachers feel that socia
call would be probably an intrusion. Tit
teacher must be worker, in and out Of
school hours The one who sits in his chair
all day and thinks and talks for his pupils
does them but little good, however learnedly
he may discourse. His interest in his work,
IL worthy of the name, will compel him to be
! on his feet most Of his time during school
hours, and so manage his classes as to get
them to think and talk for themselves. The
teacher must, to get his pupils interested, be
enough SO himself to spend most of bis time
out of school hours in preparing food for
| their minds. He who spends his time 9TH
| erwise than in making special preparation
for his succeeding days work, deserves as
| much censure as the cook who called those
for whom he was preparing food to dine on
raw potatoes, raw bread, and raw meat. A
teacher should be charitable toward his pu-
pills and patrons. In this a good opportu-
nifty is given for an exhibition of those two
very rare qualities, common sense and gen.
uine goodness. But word about the duties
of patrons: Sending their children to school
and purchasing for them books, &C., is
duty which many probably suppose to be
thoroughly performed. What a mistake!
Examine the teachers register of the attend
ance Of pupils. Fifty per cent. of the enroll
ment will average four months to an eight
months session, and what makes it worse
this is not regular attendance. Let each
write on the tablet of his memory this fact
that improvement cannot attend irregularity.
Don't curse the schools, destroy what little
interest your child and others may have in
their intellectual work, by sending to school
irregularly.
How many pupils are supplied with all
necessary books, stationery, &c? will not
say, as have not the statistics before me.
Pupils are asked to get certain books, and to
supply themselves with stationery for a GER
tain purpose, so that they may be placed in
those classes and given that work which will
most likely enlist their interest. The re-
Spouse often comes, 81 can't afford to buy so
many books and to spend SO much for pens,
states, pencils, copy books, &C." The neglect
of this duty is enough to paralyze the efforts
of any pupil to learn. The child is the pa
tient, the teacher the physician, and the parent
the patron. What could we expect, were
we to disregard the prescriptions of the doc
tor for our children when sick, by not fol-
lowing them at all, or rejecting them in part,
and adding to them ours, which we will sup
pose to be incompatible with the physicians?
1t is part of the ,eacher's business to pre-
scribe work for the pupil. Patrons expect
it. Ii he is incompetent, show it, and have
him dismissed. Let US away with "every
man his own physician" in the school work.
Bad enough with reference to the practice of
medicine, but worse in school work. But
does patrons duty end here? The parent
who does not visit the room of his sick child,
make inquiries as to his feelings, inquire of
the physician as to the progress of the child |
towards recovery, could not be said to have |
much interest in the restoration of the child. |
So the patron who never makes any inquiries |
of his children as to what they are doing in |
school, who does not, once in a while, at |
least, visit them at their place of work, can |
not be said to be very enthusiastic in their |
education; at least his interest is not likely |
to be very contagious. Patrons, as well as |
teachers, should be charitable. Remember |
that the best of teachers make mistakes
many mistakes, especially in the government |
of their scholars. You think you have a |
hard time governing and directing half |
dozen, or, probably, one child. You are |
of making mistakes in the govern |
ment and direction of one. How would it |
be with fifty or sixty? This thought will |
suggest charity towards teachers.
What shall 1 say about the pupil? The |
pupil will be all right, if patrons and teach |
ers peform their duties. Impress upon his |
mind, by word and deed, "Do what your
teachers say, and ash no questions"
Finally, if any community has a successful |
school, pupils interested in their work, it |
must be one pervaded by an educational at
and this is to be brought about |
by the combined work of parent, school
board, and teacher. Teachers, let us do our
part toward the generation of this atmos-
phere, and certainly those for whose inter-
est we labor will do theirs, and thus work
ing together we will do something towards
putting ironton aud Iron county towards
the van in the march of education.
Next Monday we hope to see many Of our
patrons present at the opening of our school.
Go to the commencing, as we'll as to the
close. 1t is equally important.
Very Respectfully,
JOHN B. SCOTT.