The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-11-17
Educational Column.
by superintendent d.. ID. cowan.

The law SAYS Trustees shall look az
ter the interests Of their schools. one
Of their number shall visit the same al
least once during each month; see that
fuel is provided, protect the school
property, make provisions for the vel.
fare and comfort Of the pupils" The
spirit of the law goes further, and re-
quires you TO do more than this, but
have you done wen this muche Have
you visited your school this month, or
do you intend to before the month
closes? Do you intend to sign the
teachers monthly report and enumera-
ton without any knowledge of the
same? The teacher will need YOU help
with the enumeration. 1t is very i'm.
pertant that every pupil in the school
district should be enumerated; ON this
depends II appropriation for school
purposes. Do you see how important,
then, it is?
Do you encourage your children to
bring home tales from school-exparte
testimony against the teacher and pu-
pills? / hope not. Encourage pleasant
incidents. When a boy / was ashamed
to tell my mother that l had missed my
lesson, was kept in for m~isbehayior OF
got a'licking," and was afraid to tell nv
father.
Sometimes Billy Bowling tells a tale
of woe after school to parents, of how he
was badly treated, poor fellow, knocked
down by Barney Bunting, on purpose,
OF course. kept in at recess, without
cause, or punished in some way by the
teacher, terribly wronged. Billy is list.
ened to, sympathized with, poor fellow,
and encouraged to be pugnacious and
disobedient, and the next thing there's
trouble in the camp. Billy, if the truth
was Known, is the cause, but the teach
er is blamed. Sometimes the usefulness
Of a teacher is destroyed by a few bad
and disobedient pupils.
Encourage your children to tell pleas
ant things. Teach your boys and girls
to respect the teacher-love will come
next, and you know the influence of
loye-it rules the world. Have you ever
thought that respect and love are insep-
arabic. When you lose respect for any
one is there much love lost?
You ~aveoply four or five children and
sometimes can't keep down quarrels and
fights, and they go to school, where they
meet twenty or thirty, sometimes more
boys and girls, just as full of the warm
blood of l%ife-just as mischievous as
yours, mot bad and expect the teacher
to make angels of them. Teach them to
behave and also learn ..lotsr without
your cooperation. Show m a boy who
hasn't life enough to play, quarrel and
scratch little, and very often I'll show
you a dull boy. Educated energy is
what we want. Much might be said on
this line, but backed by you, trustees and
patrons.
Have you looked after the comfort and
needs of your teacher? Is there a good
blackboard and chalk? Has the roof
been patched? Have you provided wood
and plenty of pure water? Has the
teacher a chair and table? Is there a
foot way across the branch to keep
teacher and pupils from wading; in fact,
do you know anything more than that
school keeps?" Have you provided
books, papers, states and pencils?
There are so many, many ways in
which you can encourage both teacher
and pupils. The interest of the school
demands it. Let us get all we can ont of
these four months. remembering that
education is a companion, which no mis-
fortune can depres5, nj enemy ALLEVIATE
and no despotism enslave; at home
a friend, abroad an introduction, in soli-
tude a %solace, and in society an orna-
ment.
ADVICE TO THE BOYS AND GIRLS.
BE kind to your teacher and she will
be kind to you. Some of these days all
this bright, glorious and free country
will be yours. You will be the lawyers,
doctors, preachers, merchants, farmers,
mother and fathers and hold all posi-
lions OF honor, trust and mercy, and we
now need your nelp to make our schools,
your schools better. Remember the
golden rule. Do you know it? If not,
ask your teacher. Tell your parents the
pleasant things of school lie; help your
teacher in any way you can; in plain
words, show your teacher partiality,
and if this rule doesn't work then I've
never been a boy and loved my teacher.
PAPTIALITY.
You sometimes accuse the teacher of
showing partially to other chile. zen.
Have you taken the trouble to find out
whether your neighbours children show |
Partially to the teacher? Do you know
or care that Billy T.. is rude to his play
mates, impolite 10 the teacher, swears,
quarrels, smokes cigarettes at shcool, re-
fuses to learn his lessons, sticks pins In
Barney, even fights, and does q thousand
tricks to worry others, and then expect
Miss Patience to treat that boy like she
does Barney L., who meets her with a
pleasant smile, looks after her comfort
has good recitations; in fact, Is a model
boy. "Honi soft qui NAL y pense." 1t
would indeed be a hard matter to return
evil for good. Do you expect the boy who
insults and threatens the teacher when
he is tried to be controlled, with "I'm
going to tell my ma or pa" and so on, to
be petted and called sweet names? The
sweet little fellow. Can you expect our
teachers to be more than human. Re-
member the story Of the echo.
Next week l expect to talk about good
reading and its importance. In conclu-
sion, permit me to appeal again to trus-
tees, patrons, teachers and the boys and