The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-01


| consciously assume toward the teacher q
critical attitude, and encourage the child
| to do so. Most of US know we have, al
| times, thoughtlessly asked children of ouI
| acquaintance how they like their teacher
as if they are at liberty to cridcise her
| or not as they choose, while any of US
would shrink from asking how they like
their mother, realizing that, whatever
| faults she may have, they should be
| taught to respect her.
| We cannot believe that the teacher is at
fault in this matter, when We consider
| the schools all over our land, presided
over by faithful workers, whose instruc-
| ton has meant so much TO this genera
| ton. instruction which the most devoted
mothers are rarely able to give; nor when
| we look into the faces of these noble men
and women who are giving their strength
10 the cause of education and producing
| results which are widely recognized. Their
faces usually testify to the earnest work
they have done. and the character they
have developed-a character not less
worthy than that which grows out of the
self-sacrfce Of a faithful mother.
On the other hand, who can fail TO SYM
pA~iiiNt Win LtAt uIOtINI. WHO SPTOS neF
child for the first time out from the asso-
Citations Of the home, into those which he
will enter as d stranger and have TO adapt
himself TO. Perhaps it is because she
understands the nature of the lessons he
must learn, not found in books. that she
breads 10 have him 90, and resents the
use Of the means which will educate him.
But could she, at the same time. feel that
he must have these lessons if he become
all she wishes him to be- would she not
put forth every effort TO prepare him to
receive them?
The idea of the cooperation of the home
and the school is by no means new. Il
has been talked of and written about
but not much good has been accomplished.
Many of the articles one reads on the
subject start out somewhat in this fash
ion: The intelligent mother desires TO
cooperate with the teacher. She knows
that She understands her boy better than
any teacher can" Now this is very at
tractve sentiment, but it is not sustained
by facts. Few mothers know their boys
half as well as the teacher does. The
ordinary experiences of the school room, as
well as the verdict Of after years, prove
this. What teacher does not know Of the
very large number Of boys and girls who
in the eyes of their mothers possess
qualities Of mind and heart which are
not apparent 10 any other eye, and never
viii be- Were this only A harmless weak
ness it might be well to ignore it. but
such blind devotion to the child is not
kindness to him, and ends in injustice TO
the teacher. And so the longed-for CO.
operation is not effected.
Saddest of all. the loss is the chld"s.
When the mother fails to take a compre-
hensve view of the work of the school.
his life is narrowed. Let fer hold what
theories she will as TO the way he must
be shielded and INDUCED. there is one
inexOrable law which she can neither
evade herself nor shield him from in time
to come-the law which reads: What
soever man soweth that shall he also
reap" Seeds of weakness or seeds Of
strength will yield their harvest in every
life
1t is easier to recognize an evil than to
discover a Nmedy for it. From what
source Will the remedy for this evil come?
Who will open the eyes of the blind. lift
the heaviest burden any teacher has %
bear. and do the greatest service to the
largest number of children? Can it not be
the truly great mothers. of whom there
are a few today just as there have been
a few in every age? Those broad minded,
far-seeing women, known in history as the
mothers of great men. will they not take
up this work and try to create a public
sentiment which shall demand. at least,
that children be taught 10 treat their
teacher with the same loyalty and respect
they do their mothers? It is true there
are imperfect teachers, just as there are
imperfect mothers. but both fill place
in the life Of every child worthy of mis-
deepest reverence.
MRS. L. d. ELLIS. Burlington, Kan.