New Iberia enterprise. (New Iberia, La.) 1885-1902, 1901-06-15
RELATION OF TEACHER AND PARENT.

please has great need of this SYM
pathetic comprehension of the con.
ditions surrounding him. The teach
er cannot usually stand strong with
the patrons of the school if he fails
to know them in their home life, in
their occupations, amusements,
ideals and prejudices. He is not
master of the situation. If he is
noticeably deficient in this sympa-
thetic comprehension of conditions
the situation will master him. His
knowledge, if accurate and compre-
hensive, will lead TO fellow. feeling
dfd thus 10 mastery or she 1itd1s
tion. His patrons must be made to
feel that the teacher is interested
in them, that he is free from any
design to interfere with any Of
their accustomed ideas or prejudi-
ces, and that his only aim is the
good of his pupils. Then he will
not have to demand power; he will
have it in his grasp.
l have often felt that the social
ed dignity of the teacher was seri-
ously in the way Of getting along
with the patrons Of the school. l
have known teachers who would
say, "that il the blacksmith or the
street laborer, or the saloon keeper,
whose boy was in trouble, wanted
to settle matters, he must come to
the Office. !" It is too much to ex-
pect that a laborer, or saloon
keeper, who has been made to fee
the gulf between him and the teachl
er, will come to the Office of the
teacher. He is not sure of his po-
sition there. / could never see
how any man or woman sacrificed
any dignity by calling at the homes
or places Of business of any Of the
patrons Of the school, and showing
by his call sympathy for the
children and an interest in their
welfare. One Of the happiest end
ings Of q difficulty with an unruly
boy, in my experience, came about
through q prompt call at the place
Of business of the father, which
happened to be . saloon. My will
ingness to meet him in such a way
as not to remind him of any diff
ference in position in life, my rec
ognition Of him as a man, and as
q parent who was interested in his
son, even il he was q saloon keeper,
settled the matter almost imme-
and never had a staunch-
er supporter than this same man
after the matter was settled. It is
. mistake to assume that any pa
rent is not anxious to have the
school run right. He may not see
it 10 your way. 1t is the teachers
business to set him straight If he
is wrong. He isn't always wrong,
by the way. To come back to my
point, il the teacher can keep in
touch with the patrons Of the school, |
not toadying to them in any way,
but recognizing them as people who
are equally interested 10 the vel
fare Of the children with them
selves, a. people who are even more
interested in the success OF the
children than any teacher can be,
we shall have fewer difficulties.
We must consider our schools as |
one Of the changing institutions Of
society, adapting it to the changes |
hat society is constantly UNDER
going, and never trying to make a |
.aste or cult Of our profession. |
When the school masters as q class |
ire arrayed against the rest of the |
community, intellectually or social
y, the school q q great moral or
.ocial agency must 90 to the wall. |
e 10 expecting . great deal Of the |
parent to believe that he will long |
ntrust the care Of his children to . |
slass Of people who act as though |
heir interests were in opposition
. the common interests Of society, |
md who resent every criticism Of |
10 layman q though he were their |
mortal enemy. PtiMary FdNcation. |