The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-23
THE TRIALS or TEACHERS.

The teachers are now enjoying their
summer holiday and the scholars their
vacation. All of the former and a great
majority of the latter deserve their rest
and recreation. The school, when properly
conducted. makes necessary a great
amount of work, and by far the harder
and more trying part of it falls to the
teacher Too often it is the case that
besides instructing the child in the studies
required by law, the teacher must also
give time and attention 10 that part of
the child's education which 1t should re-
ceive at home. involving morals and de
pertinent. Too many parents are care
less. apparently. of their offspring. They
permit their boys, and often girls also
to do as they please at home, and run
wild in the streets when out of school
There are, too. parents who permit, and
sometimes encourage, their children to
mag" the teacher, and who are willing
to believe almost any sort of a story the
point of which is that the teacher is a
tyrant and a prosecutor Of juvenile and
sanity innocence. Then there are still
other parents who seldom If ever have a
kind word for their children. In their
homes there are confusion, nl-tempers,
quarres and often foggings. The little
ones are hastily gotten rid of In the morn
ings, and may be pushed into the streets
to go to school. Arriving at the school
room their little hearts are fun Of trou-
bles. and they are in no condition to re-
ceive instruction. And the good teacher,
who knows of such things, must take
steps to remedy the troubles which be-
gin at home and bear fruit at school.
Most Of the teachers are women, and by
far the greater number of women teach
ers do better than earn their salary and
their short period Of summer rest Their
responsibilities are great. They are char
acter builders, as well as the inculcators
of book learning. Their profession re-
quires that they shall make a study of
their pupils. Child nature Is an extreme
ly difficult subject. Each individual diff
fers from every other one, hence differ
ing methods must be tried in the various
cases. F'irmness, genueness or persuasion
will not prove equally effective in all
instances The teacher must suit the
treatment to the case, in order to secure
the best results from the chiid's studies.
The teacher therefore, must necessarily
be a diligent, careful and conscientious
person. 1t is unreasonable that the labors
of such persons should be made the harder
by the carelessness or thoughtlessness of
parents who teach their children some
things which must be "untaught" at
school, and neglect to teach them other
things-especially good manners-Nhich
every boy and girl should know.
Parents would advance the interests of
their children, besides making the labors
of the teachers lighter, If they would
remember that the women and men who
conduct the schools work hard and con-
scientiously to train the children so that
they viii be an honor to their parents and
to the community. While all teachers
are not angels" it should be borne in
mind that the number of George Wash
ingtons to be found at school these days
is limited, and that stories brought home
of hardships suffered at the hands of
teachers are often freaks of Imagination.
Let mothers and fathers exercise whole
some home discipline over their boys and
girls, and they will receive the grateful
thanks of many teachers now, and in
after years the gratitude of their we'll
bred and well-educated offspring.