The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-10-01

no regard for the welfare Of their chill
dren or their common country; and SEQ
ondly, that class Of society which, tor {
variety Of reasons disdalns To- send IL
children 10 the free schools. They are
afraid OF contamination by the contact o.
their tender offspring with the common
herd, or perhaps they wish to have 1t ap
pear that they are able to pay for Whal
they get; or that they desire TO be eI'
elusive. Whatever may be the cause, u
10 sufficient for Us to know that each as'
signable reason Is 10 an extent Q sluI
upon the public schools which were In
tended to be, and are good enough FOL
any mans children, May here make
an exception in favor Of those who de-
sire TO get some phase Of instruction not
obtnnable In our out otcommon schools
Now, what 10 the remedy for this evil
namely; want Of school pride in the pa
rent. As far as the teachers RESPONSE
billty is concerned, there seems 10 me 10
DO three regulates In order to secure
the desired end,
/, Upholding the dignity Of the pro-
iesSion, We gain respect aud win friends
by showing a pRrdonable pride In OUT
calling, A man 10 Q man, even II he
breaks stone for living, Some OF our
best educated, rather our most learned,
men are and have been day laborers
and the fact oil their presence has large
ly tended to raise the dignity Of their
vocation, Some OF the best men and
women in our land to-day are teachers,
and what a wonderful influence upon
our schools has the magic touch Of their
intellects exerted. Every act OF our
lives, either In or out oil the schoolroom,
has its effects In leayening the sum OF
all such acts, and our aim should be
never 10 lower the average Of the pro-
iession by our being in 1t, live cannot
be the best, let us be among the best,
2, believe 1t 10 be tue duty as we'll
as the privilege Of the teacher to belong
10 the best society; not, / may add, 10
the so-called butterflies Of fashion, but
to the solid men and women Of the city,
The more the teacher Is known, II she
be woman OF sense and tact, the better
will she and her work be appreciated;
and thus che will make friends for her
school as well as for herself among those
persons who have decided prejudice
against the public school system.
8. The teacher should be conscientious
In visiting those parents who show a
want OF interest In their children such
as those who allow them TO make tardy
mark on any or all occasions; to stay at
home the whole forenoon In order TO see
a parade for half an hour; TO make hol.
iday out Of tho visiting Of circus; TO
leave school Immediately after roll call
for the purpose Of going on IN Grand
which could ne better done alter 4
O'Clock; in short, thousand irregular:
tiles that every reasonable parent would
be willing 10 correct in consequence OF a
call, or even polite note from the
teacher. Sometimes, II Ia. true, our re-
Ception Is not the most cordial, but per.
sonally, l owe II to the people OF the
Fourth ward 10 say that l have yet 10
receive the fnt insult from man or
woman while on such an errand.
With the teacher leading the way by
pointing out the beauties in the paths Of
wisdom, by smoothing, not concealing
the many difficulties that beset these
paths, by giving encouragement where
Is due, by acting and be.
ing the lady under all circumstances
with the parent, as l might say, In the
rear, aiding and abetting the leader in
her efforts 10 secure the best results, en-.
couraging his children II 1t be needed,
urging them II necessary, and all the
while cooperating with the teacher In
every possible way; once more, | say,
under these conditions, can we fail In
placing our schools where they should
be, tho pride, the glory OF our State2
Wheeling has done we'll; her public
schools have many staunCh supporters,
who ask no better privilege than to place
their children under the care OF those
who largely compose this audience; but
the function Of the public schools will
never be properly performed until every
parent in the city shall BIO proud OF the
same privilege. VIII that time ever
Gomez l certainly believe so. No body
OF men or women ever set their minds
firmly upon an elective point that was
not reached by d voted, determined Ell.
fort; and II the Wheeling Teachers As.
ISOLATION, collectively and individually,
concentrate It's energies upon this one
object, tho trinity OF school pride, the
millennium OF school advancement and
prosperity will be upon US ere we knowit.