The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1901-12-14
Cooperation Of Parents and
Teachers; How Obtained.

AT LEBLANC's SCHOOL. Read At TIE
TEACHERS PARISH INSTITUTE. At
BREAUx BRIDGE, LAST WEEK.
When our Saviour would answer the
question, who is greatest In the King
dom Of Heaven? He culled little
child and placed him In the midst OF his
questioners; and childhood has never
descended, from the honor then confer
red upon it. So when we come to dis
cuss subjects pertaining to it. let us
come to the discussion reverently and
earnestly, for we are dealing with high
aud holy thinga Child nature in all
its purity. with all its depths Of mean
ing and manifold possibilities. Is en-
trusted to US TO be taught disciplined.
and developed into noble manhood and
womanhood. This is the work Of both
parent and teacher; this is the wsrk in
which we are both vitality interested.
This is the work fer whose accomplish
ment we must combine ali UHf best
energies. II there lie one desire 6rmly
| implanted in every parents heart. 1t is
that for the welfare Of bis children. and
every true teacher, would seek the high
est good for his pupil. II then the
teachers WORK and the parenrswork are
one In aim. why IL 1t that We feel and
hear so much Of the lack Of cooperation
between the twOr
Cooperation implies the working TO-
gether Of two or more forces towards q
common end. In this work Of education
here we are the two great forces. thu
home and the school, each with 1T
prime controller. the parent aad tht
teacher; Surely We have here the com
mon end. How. then, may We accom-
plisb the working togstherS To answer
this last question we must study th'
fret. Why is the lack Of cooperation q
wide spreadp Surely It is not indi6er
ence; 1t csunot be due wholly to igno
rance; and to ascrtbe 1t to wiliful neg
lect seems unjust. Various answer
may be suggested. It is because pa
rents aret .% busy to manifest interes
in their children. It IL because teacher
lare overworked and have no time t
know the individual child. It Is be
cause parents do not visit the school
and teachers fail to visit the home. !
; Is because parents and teachers ar
strangers to each other. knowing not
hing of each Others thoughts. opinions
or mode Of procedure.
u In each Of these there 10 something Q
truth, but we muet look deeper yet 70
\ the real cause. II seems to me that
lie because as parents and teachers v
have failed to grasp the real meaning
education and to realize our relation t
1t. We recognise In general way. tha
the child has = three-f0ld nature an
thar each phase Of 1t must receive atter
\ ton. We desire for the child vigt
rous body, we'll developed mind, an gu
nobled and Responsive spirit. Bat "
Z fail to recognize. that these three M
lures cannot be separated, that the
A must be trained % unit. that any sys
!. tenn of education that doea not correlat
physical, mental. and spiritual trainin
4 must be false system. This theory
education has been most fully develops
by Froebel. Il would educate huma
, beings be SAYS. who stand with the
!. feet rlveted in Gods earth. their head
|, reaching unto Heaven. their hearts ami
ting both earth and Heaven" And
!, regarded urity as the most importar
law of education. These three natur'
must be trained In unity. in harmon
or Eve thwart the divine process Of ne
, tursl development. '' 81 =
Perhaps We accept this theory. but
I. matter of fact what 10 our system
|. educationy +
The child has . physical nature. Tn
: is always In evidence. He must
housed, clothed. and fed. Il not paren
hood today devoting itself almost exelG
sively to this work9 ftf f
IA Let answer the fathers who ere weal
ing out body and brain In the efforts
provide for those dependent upon thez
the mothers. who are lsboring fro
morning till night, In the effort TO CO