Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-17

ents some educational topic.
This results from the fact that the ordi-
nary parent usually knows very little OF
| his own offspring. He can usually tell the
| teacher whether the child has had the
mumps or the measles. and whether he has
been vaccinated, but as to physical and
moral tendencies. where he should be
| guarded, there is little suggestion from
those who brought the child into the world.
| Instances of this are given from kinder
,;arten up to college life.
Parents are also Indifferent. They turn
| their children into schools and. unless they
prove troublesome, never darkeu the school
room doors again. So that the teacher
comes to think of parenthood as connected
only with trying scenes of complaint and
| reprimand. This indifference allows poor
teaching also, and evil administration Of
the whole school system. As a beginning
of remedy for these parental shortcomings
| 1t is suggested that every young woman
should have at least one years training in
the theory and practice of the kindersar-
ten. as the capstone of her education. This
fits her, in some degree at least for moth
erhood. TO which 80 per cent of all women
are destined.
Women are the leisure class Home
cares do not press on us they did on our
mothers. This leisure from old-time duties
has been given that may lift the home
life onto a higher intellectual and moral
plane than 1t has ever known before. We
are TO be the close companions of our chill
dren. both at home and in school. lifting
up thought and making a generation of bet
ter men and women than the world has
ever known"
Right OF Suffrage.
In the course of her paper Mrs Mumford
referred to the lack of interest displayed
by women in towns and states where they
are given a vote in school matters She
quoted figures showing that in some places
but small percentage were registered of
the women entitled to vote, and but a small
percentage of the registered voters appear
ed at the polls.
After Mrs Mumford had finished the
reading OF the paper Mrs. Lily DeYereux
blake spoke of what had been said of the
indifference of women to vote for school Of
ncerS. and said that in justice ii ought to
be explained that there were many Difficult
ues IN the way For example. in NaSsa-
chnsetts there was an annoying restriction
| requiring women to give an inventory OF all
IneIr property At the same time Mrs
Bake thought the women did nor take az
mCch Interest as they should in exercising
their rights
The discussion on the paper of Mrs. Num-
lord was opened by Prof W. b. Powell.
city. VI ''''0
Prof. PoweH's Remarks.
lie said that perhaps he was better fit
ted at this time to talk of the relations
OF the coal bin to the schools than on the
| subject assigned. Owing to the weather
conditions, he explained. he had been ohlip
ed to give more attention than usual TO IN,
coal supply of the public school buildings,
with results, however. he said not at nj
satisfactory. He. however smoke intaros+
lngly OF the relations of the home to edu
cation, and especially of the opportUni-
, ,Ies mothers nave in the beginnings of
learning, and said that if such opportuni-
tieS We're made use of and the child came Ia
School having some knowledge and some
experience his progress in the schools
would be much more rapid
no GHhn
lowed fun sway to teach the children wbat
they can learn at the Zoo. at the gas works
and to give them other similar experience,
then, he believed, the child would soon he
equipped to write a better book than under
the old system was placed in his hand 10
study. He believed that the child sholiId
De $iHen experience. and then the books
treating of the subjects the child knows
about might with profit be placed i'm his
hands to read and study
lie added that the best way to conserve
the physical health of the child was to
SET him 10 acquiring experience sendins.
rim out in the woods and fields for exam
pie, to learn about nature. He thought it
was their duty as mothers to stamp out the
ldea that going into the fields. manual
training and clay modelling are fads. What
breaks down the health of the school chill
dren, he said, was compelling then to learn
things in books which they had no means
OF comprehending.
Miss WescOtfs Views.
AhotheF contribution TO the discussion
was made IN an address by Miss Edith
Weseott, the principal of the Western High
School of this city. Miss Wescott laid en-
phasis upon the Importance to the schools
OF the cooperation and sympathy of par
ents. She thought that parents might know
but little of the methods of teaching as
| long as they gave their help to the teach
ers. She said that in her opinion the main
duty of parents to the schools should be to
see that the children are properly fed and
clothed, and that they are regular in al
tendance at school and have the right feel
ing OF the Importance of attention to school
duties at that time of life. She referred TO
the common complaint of parents of their
inability to help children in their work at
home, because, as alleged of a change of
methods. and said that teachers did NOT
want the help of the parents in this par
ticufar, but they did need their co-opera-
ton, so that the children are given an op-
portunity to prepare their lessons at home
by the parents seeing that they do not
waste the time allotted for study. Then, If
children are sent to school after a good
night $ sleep, and having eaten good
breakfast and are dressed properly and
comfortably, the speaker thought such CO.
operation would be OF the great test benefit
even where the school system was defec-
tive.
The program for the morning was then
completed, but as some of the delegates
wished TO leave the city the president gave
an opportunity for reports.
Mrs Borland, the representative of the
Society for Childs Study, of Illinois, gave
| an account of the work among parents car
ried on by the society in the school houses.
Mrs. Milford asked to be allowed to speak
and expressed her entire disagreement with
the views of Miss Wescott and empha ASKED
her opinion of the Importance of parents
visiting the schools and talking with the
teachers.
Mrs II. II. Birney of Philadelphia spoke
In the same strain, and said ii was a great
help to the teachers to have the parents
come and visit the schools.
Miss Wescott said that she seemed to be
misunderstood, as she fully believed in the
personal conference between teachers and
parents. She did not think good results
followed when parents came to the schools
merely as the critics of a system. She add
ed that there was school in the country,
in her opinion, where parents were wei
coined and where their presence was so
much desired as the Western High School
Of this city.
Other Matters Considered.
AZ the representative OF the Woman's
National sabbath Alliance, Mrs. Wellington
White of New York spoke of the work of
the union and its aim in preserving the