The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1901-12-14

|tU8l. NOWs Will SoOo oy0v0sss " 49,
ration, can We expect or hope for CO
DperationP /
There can be no point Of contact be-
tween the father whose attention is
wholly devoted to money making, the
mother whose thought 10 given exclu-
sively to making bread and dresses. and
the teacher who is seeking only the best
method to teach q child to read and
spell. Just here lies the difficulty. Pa
rents must care for the body, but they |
must do more. They must remember
that man does live by bread alone" and
that physical need must be supplied in
such way that mind and soul are nou-
rished at the same lime As teachers
we need to remember that how Q child
thinks is Just as important a. how ne
spells; how he feels - how he reads.
Let parent and teacher realize that
character is what NJ need. that every
Influence thrown about tho child. whe-
Their physical or mental. mast affect his
character. either positively or negative
ly. Have we not here the bond that
brings US together? When parents and
teachers learn to realize the close con.
nection Of the body and the mind. when
they understand that ,ene cannot be
touched without affecting the other,
when they know that body and brain
are but the medium through which the
spirit may be reached, then truly. their
work becomes one. Then are teachers
| 10 a position to interest themselves In
the soundness Of body. while parents
cannot neglect the development OF mind.
and both work together for the upbuii-
ding of true and noble characters. True.
the manner of working should not be
the same in the home and In the school,
but the spirit and purpose should be one.
When we rise to the realization that
the one great aim Of both parent and
| teacher is Ito make each child, as 1t
grows to maturity. conscieus Of its own
highest power" and to enable 1t to de-
vsiop along the lines best suited to It,
self, then must teacher and parent work
together, then must their be co-opera-
ton whether by conscious voiitton or
otherwise. However. this work will be
very materially advanced II both pa
rents and teachers will consciously aud
uniformly keep themselves In an atti-
tude OF cooperation, seeking those SYM
pathetic and cordial relations 30 neces-
sary for successful working together.
In trying to secure such co-opera.
} | ton there are three things to be consi-
dered. 1st. the duty Of the teacher q
the home. End, The duty Of the parent
to the school. Ord. The duty Of both *
the child. Az teachers, then 1t is oul
right and our duty to visit the homes o.
the children under our charge. w
must put ourselves In sympathy will
the mothers. understand something o.
the home environment recognize th'
hope, the ambition, the love that 10 cen
. tered in each little being under on
training.
II sometimes think Il u hard for th
teacher to be in genuine sympathy with
} the mother. We can hardly realise tina
. each Of the forty little ones before ui
I even the dull and uuattrsctive one. l
! the one of all others to some mother
, heart. is perhaps the light and hope 0
I some home; but the nearer We attail
3 this realization the better We are htte
: for our work. We must recognise ths
. we are In position Of trust. that upor
{ Us, the teacher depends the future o
Q the Republic. s'@s
II We should be ready 10 confer wit
. each mother a. to what II best for he
child. When any fault or defect mani
. tests itself, we should discuss It Wit
4 others, and together we should see
means to remedy the evil. The teashe
{ should be the leader OF educationa
Q thought 10 the community. He or sh
!. Is narrow educator whose influence
: confined to the school room.
We must influence the parents to Wis
: 1t the school, then will they undefstan
o our plans and methods. They will 500
/; recognize US as engaged In q high an
q holy work. And will then BY their mai
e ner and conversation at all times II