Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-02-12
A SURPRISE PARTY
At the High School Room We'd
ncsday Afternoon.

The Parents Surprised Themselves by
Finding How Much Interest they
Really Take in the Public SchooIs---
The Teachers were also Surprised---
IL was Good Meeting and Good will
Come from II.
However dormant and hidden the person
al interest of the people of this village in
their public schools may seem to be, it was
conclusivey proved Wednesday afternoon
that such an interest exists, and that il
needs only a friendly and galvanzing
touch 30 bring il into state of active eX-
istence. Early in the week large num-
! Der of personal invitations were sent out
| by Mr.. Adams, the chairman of the school
committee, Miss Smith, the supervisor,
and Mr. Whitaker, the principal of the
| High school, asking the parents and friends
of the pupils to meet the committee aud
| teachers for conference in the High school
room at haf-past three Wednesday after
noon. 1t was a pleasant surprise-per-
haps the parents themselves were most of
all surprised-to find nearly every seat in
! the room filled when the hour arrived.
| The audience was mostly made up Of the
mothers. Almost 200 of them were pres
ent.
Chairman l.. F. Adams called the meet
ing to order and said the purpose in view
was to secure mutual acquaintance and
mutual cooperation between parents, com
mittee and teachers. The criticism so oft
en- freely visited on the conduct Of the
schools was as often due to lack of acquaint-
ance. He was glad to see so many present,
and since the audience was so one-sided in
sex he was glad the one sidedness was on
| the side of the mothers, for they were by all
means the most important factor in the sue
cess of the schools Few probably realize,
he said, what the schools mean merely as a
numerical factor in the community There
are now 726 pupils in the village schools, a
gain of "a during the past year. This is
more than one-tenth of the population OF
the village. These boys and girls repre-
sent. in their character and training, just
what this community, this town, thi:
state will be in the next generation.
The average cost per year OF educating
each pupil is $50. For the thirteen year,
representing the full school course the cost
is $3.50 per pupil. This means an eXpend
! iture of between $1,000 and 800, 0OO
every thirteen years. The people of tn,
district ought to see to it that they get val
Tie received fer this large expenditure
They can do this only by giving to the
schools their personal interest and atten
ton. In closing Mr.. Adams reminded
those present that, under the laws of Yer
mont, every woman over 81 years old has
the same rights as man as a voter il
school affairs.
MIR. WhItaker's Remarks.
Principal Whitaker of the High school
| who was then introduced, began with
gracefully expressed confession and apol
ogy TO his audience. He had often feel
during the fall and winter, he said, tina
the interest of this community was no
centered in the public schools. His min,
had been very happily disabused of tina
idea this afternoon and he wished TO sa,
so. Mr.. Whitaker then spoke, briefly blu
comprehei sively, upon the general subjec
of school work and the fundamental prin
ciples which underle it. This work cal
best be done when the parents show
hearty interest in the school life. To hin
the main and important thought was tina
the real work of the schools is not to teacl
the children books, not to teach them S,
many facts about arithmetic, or grammar
or history, but to lay the foundation o
true manhood and womanhood, to bull
character, TO teach boys and girls their re
lations and responsibilities to the commuu
ity, to make good citizens. The responsi
blity of the schools is greater than il use
to be. More is expected of them becaus
their opportunities and resources ar
greater. But while you have a right I
expect greater returns and bet er result,
"more for your money" as the thrift
Yankee saying is, you must first be sur
that you are performing your own dut
| l., k,y
personal interest, and your personal hel
through your cooperation with the teach
ers. When the teacher sees nothing of til
parents in the schools he comes to fe,
that he is working single handed, bin,
folded often, without sympathy or assis
ance. You don't know what a differenC
this makes. The teachers have the boy
and girls in their charge for a few hou
each day. What of their work if the pa
ents do not supplement it with their watcl
, full care and help? A general principle
be strongly laid down is that the schoO
are not places of amusement. 1t is tru
that the work should be made as attractiN
as possible, but nevertheless it meaT
straight, hard work and application. Lii
means work, and the province of II
, schools is to fit for the earnest realities
life.
| Proceeding to speak of the specific woT
of the High school Mr.. Whitaker state
why the rule had been made that a min
mum of three hours of study day won
be required outside the schnol-room, al
= he su 5gested the way in which this STUD
co Id be done most pro6tably. Right
, viewed, it is the duty ami privilege of II
parent TO make the pupil realize that viii
+ he is in school the important thing in h
= life is the school work. If the PUP
3 comes to school dull and languid from la
= hours, or from other causes, it is of no u
r for the teacher to look for good day
t work from that pupil in school.
The complaint that the school work
too hard was touched upon. Inquiry us
! ally shows that the complaint arises b
q cause the pupil is trying to do too muC
:, out of schoOl-it may be of work, as
; must al practice, or il may be of som
. thing else less useful and important.
the case of musical study, for illustratiO
= let that be accepted as one part of the st
S dents work Let it count for one stud
b, and let the school cOur,e be prolonged
J. five years instead of four. If the chi
; objects let the good, sensible, helpful mot
!, er show her daughter that it is best
; Summing up in conclusion Mr.. Whit
!. ker said: II you wish to have your schoC
doing the very best work possible, it is
your power TO have them do it, but tn
n must have your hearty, active, synpathe
cooperation. You must understand [
conditions under which this work can