San Saba County news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1874-19??, 1892-06-24
1 Word about Schools.

School Journals are continually
telling teachers what to do and
how to teach. Now 1 think it time
some one was telling pupils what
to do and how to study. And also
to give a few hints to the parents
as to their duty. It makes me tir-
ed to open school journal and e
read the many suggestions given
to poor, tired, over worked and Of
ten underpaid teachers and never
a word said to pupils and parents
Some people seem to think that
the sole success of a school de-
ponds entirely upon the teacher.
Now this is not the case and nun,
bers of proofs could be given. q
proof is sufficient, viz.
teachers are a grand success i'll
one town and total failures in an
other, which is proof positive that
some other influence is brought to
bear in the success of the school.
l would like to ask how a teacher
is to succeed in any community
when parents never do anything
to encourage a teacher, and even
though some of them never say
anything againss the teacher they
lend willing ear to the dissatis-
fed element Every parent wants
good order in the school, but woe
unto the teacher who attempts to
enforce it with some pupils for
there are some little Billies and
Sallies that are always picked
on" according to the parents view
of the case, and Mrs. Gossip will
say to Mrs. Willingear, 'My dear
little Billie came home yesterday
crying just fit to break his heart
and said that Prof Strapem had
whipped him and he had not done
a thing, and that he was not going
to that old school because Prof.
Strapem Just Decked on him all the
time" And Mrs. Willingear says
laws-Ee, L wish we had Prof. Hum
bug here to teach; he is the best
teacher I erer hare saw, Ny Sal
lie just dotted on Prof. Humbug.
Now hundreds Of cases similar to
the above arise in nearly every
many of them more fool
ish. Now in many cases 1 can
tell when the parents have spoken
unfavorabiy of the school from
the manner in which a pupil acts
in school. When the pupils do
their duty, and when the parents
do their duty, aud the teacher does
his duty, then the school is sue
cess, and when either party fails
to do his duty then the school is
failure, and before any one is cen
sured the cause should be ascer-
tanned and the blame laid at the
proper parties door, and not to
blame the teacher when he has
studied by day and wearied by
night to ennoble the hearts and
minds of his pupils. 1t is disgust
ing to any sensible person to hear
parents complaining that their
children are not learning any
thing at Prof. Strapem's when the
fact is that these children never
study any at home, they go to
parties and sociables and kill time
and annoy the teacher with bad
conduct and worse lessons. Now
strange to say such parents can
never see that the fault is in them
selves and their children and not
in the teacher. The school journals
"say to the teachers dc something
to awaken the interest of the pa
rents and pupils" Now that Is
just like giving a hungry man
cook book. [ consider it Just as
much the duty of parents and pu-
pills to incite that interest as it is
the duty of the teacher. 1 firmly
believe that every teacher wilLdo
his very best when he received |e
proper sympathy. Now the school
journals may say what they please
but if parents, pupils and teachers
fail to pull together the school is a
failure and then each should bear
his part of the burden.
A Teacher.