Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-01-27
The Parent and The School.

The Parent and The School.
Synopsis of a paper read before the
Farmers Institute, Cresco, Jan. 10,
1899, by Prof. L. E. A. Ling.
The times are marked by a great
restlessness in all lines of human ac-
tivity. AS the world grows older it
demands more of the individual The
problems of life are continually in
creasing in complexity. To-day's inn
possibility is to-morrow's accepted
fact. Out eff a running homogeneous
ness comes a uniformity of plan. To
know one thing we'll a knowledge of
many things is needed. The appl1ca-
ton of the principle of the division of
labor results in a better product at
less cost in time and energy; but en-
phasizes the notiorIthat one must be
fitted for his place in the worlds
work. Want of harmony with his en-
vironment is the cause of mans earth
ly ills. His chief function is to conquer
and restrain meterial forces. The
world is getting better in spite of the
old croakers, to the contrary. Their
fears are evidence that they are past
the period of productivity, and hence
past the period of enjoyment. One Of
the best evidences that the world is
getting better is the continually 1n-
creasing activity shown in education
al affairs. A continual stream of criti-
cism is being poured in upon the
means and methods Of education.
Many Of their criticisms are helpful,
as they come from those who have
patiently studiedt those things of which
they write. Criticism to be helpful
must be based on a knowledge of ac-
tual facts and conditions. If not SO
based it is dangerous. The people are
the arbiters Of right an wrong in
every free country. To render just
judgments the people must be educat-
ed. There will be less positive unanim-
lily of opinion among the educated
than among the ignorant. Compre-
h~ensiveness of view is opposed to
dogmatism. The institutions of a
community r a manifestation of the
predominating spirit of the communi
ty. Its public service is such as is de-
manded by the majority. 1t is impos-
sible to get the best results, as the
public at large do not demand the
very best results. To get the best re-
suits from public service, the servant
of the people must have their co.ope-
ration. The schools are not doing so
good work as they should do for lack
Of cooperation of the parent. That
the schools are good is not enough.
They should be the best possible with
the materials at hand. Nothing less
is satisfactory. Critics of the schools
ask for changes in the curriculum
better methods of teaching the differ.
ent subjects; one has this hobby, an
other, that, ETC., etc. These things
are we'll in their places. What the
schools most need are cranks within
and without their walls de-
manding a better life for the youth of
the land. The leading idea among
parents and teachers should be to
make men and women of the young
people. They should learn to bear
responsibility when young. Give them
some of the burdens of life; twill
make them strong. Those Of the
young who have a share in the re-
sponsibilities of home life are more
likely to be successful when they go
out into the world.
It is folly, because children are chill
drep, to shelter them from all of the
rough breezes of life; they need work,
work, work. They need recreation
too. Healthful recreation consists in
change of occupation, not in absence
of effort. The age needs strong men
aud women, not strutting advertise
ments OF the milliuer, the dressmaker
and the tailor. Brains and Drawn are
the needs of the age.
The parents duty to the school does
not cease with feeding and clothing
and eGuipping the child with the nee
essary books and apparatus. He
should teach him prompt AMI inquest
ioning obedience to properly consti-
tuted authority. The word TEACH
means more than to instruct. 1t
means in addition thereto, to cause
to practice those things in which he
has been instructed. This is O. point
wherein many SO called teachers and
parents fail. The teacher Is more than
an instructor. Every parent should
be a TEACHER. No one has a right
to bring a human being into the world
unless he can teach him by precept
and by practice how to live. The par
ent should be able to assist his child
at home in getting up the child's
work for the school. The plea of the
parent that he is not able to do this
is no valid excuse. He has no right
to shirk anything that will be to his
child's best interests. Teachers can
not make men and women ofchildren
who, in too many instances, are not
bro't in contact with the first princi-