The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1894-01-26
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Supt. KenaStOn's Suggestions for the
Improvement of the Work of
the Public Schools.

who teach, and those who are being
educated for life.
What can be done TO make the last
half OF the school year more fruitful
aud disciplinary than the first half?
/. The public schools of Mankato
are its most important interest.
Hence, not only parents but the en-
tire community should insist that all
of the schoolable children are not
only enrolled in school, but are in
their classes punctually, regularly, or
DERBY, and Obediently. The class OF
people who are delinquent in these
cardinal qualities needs the influence
OF all ciUi7ens. The schools insist
upon The fact that industry, regular
attendance, good habits, obedience,
courtesy, and tenacity of purpose. are
necessary parts of an education. The
right education of the rising genera
tiun for home, society, business, coun-
try, and the future, is the greatest
duty of the state and community TO
day. Society and reform are asking
the schools to do more than they have
time, opportunity, and ability TO do.
The home is doing far less than in
years dgone, when it should do more
for the training and control of the
youth. Children do not know the
great value of forming habiUs OF pune
tuality, regular attendance, obedience,
accuracy, order, thOughtfulness; in
dusLry. There are home virtues as well
as scnoo virtues, ard need constantly
to be inculcated and Obeyed at home.
l have often regretted that parents
did not give more personal attention
to the schools and work Of their chill
dren. In the daily work of their edu-
cation they need many words Of en-
enlargement, urgings to duty and
earnest work and approval. We all
need to be more deeply impressed
with the value of the hours and days
of youth, of the value of regular
daily duties at home and school, of the
everlasting Importance of the habits
youth are forming.
Teachers, as well as parents,
should feel deeply their personal re-
spuusibility in the different duties of
educating any child. Teachers are
paid lot only for the direct work of
the school room, but for continuous
work in fitting themselves for their
dIfficult services, for knowing the best
that is said and done in their profess
sion, for supplying themselves with
books, apparatus, helps, "a kit of
tpoiS," for bettering their work. Many
old forms of school work and control
have passed away; much more de-
ptnus today on the skill, ability, pow
er and resources OF the teacher. Book
lesson hearing is giving way to real
education, to development of the
ence, literature, history, ethics is
none too good to set before him as
food for thought. To get ready to do
and TO do this highest art, called
teaching, should add a seriousness to
ali those who are about to take upon
them these difficult tasks. We can
better the schools the rest of this year
by strengthening ourselves. Our love
or knowledge, zeal in study, spirit IN
teaching, betray themselves to the
pupil H. every recitation. If our as
plraLiUnS for growth and better meth
cd, have ceased, or we do not find
need 10 study new and difficult books
Oh our profession, our presence in the
school room is not most beneficial.
All who are set to lead, teach, inspire
the young, need to drink continually
flUu fresh fountains. She will be
much the best teacher who reads
b"uks on child mind, books that de-
sCrlbe excellent teachers and their
meLhods, books that will stimulate
mInd aud heart, rouse zeal, sympathy,
h,lptu less, will. If we are to teach
pupils u think, infer, study, imagine,
apply cur knowledge, seek for new
IDEA, il is necessary for us to practice
III, se Jnlngs. The demand is upon us
to cad youth to Investigate nature,
lie, history about US. We can do this
Ony 80 lar as we study them LAS is
the earher, SO is the school y "All
ro"us e d to Rome" So all Ques-
Jlun.> IL regard to bettering the schools
le"t q" .ne teacher.
) la me best education, inspiration
j. N E han direct Instruction. In
] auing children to study, to grow as
re~uI school and books, to love and
| U,h' morally right thing, the per-
h"on lluence Of true, educated
III oman is the mightlest factor.
A dcher not only brings Child
j., ,Owledge of books and him
: begets new life, thought,
tn ;, conduct, in her pupils.
ep and well-fed sources Of
!" d intellectual life in herself
uine, Jealous desire to uplift