The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1897-04-10
The Parents and
1.-THE Schools.
ny CHARLES W. MlcKESs.


committed TO their care are appreciated.
how lightly do the burdens OF school
work rest upon them. But when they
experience the reflex action OF Iaultiind-
ing and criticism how heavily do their
burdens become. Let Us consider some
OF the relations TINT exist between
parents and the school. These relations
naturally divide themselves into two
periods: ca The home training period
OF the child until five years OF age. t2)
The school gong period OF the nest ten
or twelve years.
Much depends upon ancestry and
heredity. No doubt long line OF
brilliant ancestors rebound much 10 the
posterity OF such people. Emerson,
LongTelow and Holmes are notable
examples Of this doctrine But environ
ment holds much more prominent
part in the life OF the individual than do
ancestry and heredity, and as the child
or the parent are not responsible for the
mistakes or shortcomings OF his pred
ecessor we shall turn our attention TO
this phase oithc environment,
or home surroundings.
So many elements enter into the en-
vironment Of any home that il * very
difficult TO select those Of general apple
cation.
First Of al the duty Of the parent to
his child as "A preparation for school life
is systematic, kind. thorough and
broad method Of discipline. Pnronts
sometimes become too sympathetic 60
train children TO obedience. Some are
too busy TO provide the proper ntien-
ton, lea ing the younger children 10 the
care OF the older ones OF the family,
while a few lack that true love Of u
parent that exhibits itself in the untiring
devotion Of mother for child. Oitimcs
the father might assist in the arduous
duties Of the home training cf children,
.welr + not SO essential for him to be a
goui fellow among men. Indigence often
prevents the home from fulfilling the
demands Of child culture. But with all
the iuconveniences and dscomIorts OF
poverty, lack OF attention, and other
adverse elements there are many things
that the most humble home can teach
and follow with profit.
Every home, however humble, may be
the nursery of politeness. 81 thank
you" aud I'll you please" cost nothing
and often assist one to better condi.
ton in life. Courtesy is not as universal
in the home as IL should be-
Purity Of speech Is too often neglected
by parents and even style of talking
that savors much 81 the vulgar, the
low and the uncultured is cultivated ia
our so-called good homes The colloqui-
al form Of language, the vernacular of
the street known rs slang" and the
foolish and wicked habit of using BIAS
phemous language should be excluded
from the home.
The evils attendant upon certain
habits of the fathers especially, those Of
tobacco using and indulging in the social
glass, show themselves upon the life, the
character, and the intellect ~ the child.
No parent has right Co indulge in any
form 81 living that will entail evil and
suffering upon humanity One who
does SO Tails TO discharge the duty h.
owes to himself, TO his family, Go his
fellow man and TO lis Creator What q
contrast presents ITSELF when we visit a
home where due attention has bpcn
given to those characteristics OF which
we have spoken-to the home where Few
OF the essentials OF a pleasant aud
model home are found. la the one the
children ARE polite, kind and courteous,
playing IN innocent harmony, speaking
in pure words, thinking DULY good
thoughts, obedient 60 parents, who adj
dress them only Ia words " loving kird-
ness, although they may be Of frmncvs.
all combining TO make life a pleasure
IN the other the children arc cau-tic, the
parents cross, the language unrciined
and the manners uncOuth, all combining
TO make the home unpleasant and I'M
enjoyable. Where shall we look for diff
ierences in the bpme2 There can be but
one source of these varying conditions
viz: The environment Of the home.
These arc the conditions oihOme train
ing the teacher meets, when she attempts
To- bar npnize all the varying fruits 81
those children that present them selves
~ her on theiirst Monday ~ Srptcm pr,
What il task il before her. Whit Il work
OF reform, Of reconstruction, Of relelnp-
tiun does she undertake! And how un-
satisfactory the results are, for after "A
lew hours OF right training, children
return To those same environments from
which they came. Why viii not parents
realize more IuIly the relation they owe
TO their children, thus making easier tho
life and the care Of the teacher?
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