The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1901-11-15
Bill ARP'S LETTER
William Assists Grandchildren In
Solving Problems.
TOO HARD ON TIE LITTLE ONES
Barlow Philosopher Discusses Modern
!dethods of Teaching and Re.
cords His DisapprovaI
Thereof.

II two-thirds Of house costs four.
hfths Of the lot and both together cost
$4,000. how much was paid for each?
Well, that sum is easy IL you know
how to do 1t. Our little school girl has
me to help her every night and some of
these tangled up sums strain my old
fashioned mind, for the rult of three
is abolished and new methods adopted.
l remember a sum in the old Smiley
arithmetic-if six men can cut four
acres Of wheat in three days by work
ing six hours a day. how many men
will it take to cut nine acres in four
days and work eight hours a day?
These perplexing problems remind me
OF Judge Bob StroZier's charge to the
jury in horse case. where the plain
till sued for damages because the horse
he bought was stump-sucker and
wouldn't work on the of side. Four
teen witnesses had testified, some for
and some against the horse, some for
glanders but not for stump-sucking.
some for stump-sucking but not for
glanders, and some swore he was
sound and some unsound. Gentle
men," said he. IF you believe that the
horse had the CHAMBERS but didn't
stump suck, or that he sucked stumps
but didn't have the glanders, or that
glanders Is an unsoundness but stump
sucking is only a habit, or IL the horse
wouldn't pull when worked on the on
side and couldn't be cured Of it.
though this court knows from expert
ence that he could be cured OF II; or II
you believe from the evidence that
the horse was not warranted sound as
against stump-sucking and of-siding.
but only against such material things
as CHAMBERS and swiney and the like,
then you must find for the plaintiff or
the defendant according to the weight
Of the testimony"
My candid opinion is that some of
these miscellaneous problems are too
perplexing for children not yet in their
teens. and IL parents or grandparents
or uncles or aunts or somebody don't
give help the child would give up in de-
spair. / have often wondered how
those pupils got along who had no
help. Ny father helped me all my
school life and my wife and l have
helped our children. 1t is impossible
for a school teacher to give patient at
tention to each. child where there are
thirty or forty pupils in the grades.
Only five hours to teach IL and four
or five different textbooks for each
pupil and book, while it taxes me half
and hour every night for one pupil in
one book. Hence it is that only a few
pupils get a fair education in a grad
ed school only those who are bright
and willing and have help at home
Parents that can't help or won't help
lose their home influence over their
children. Every phase OF their educa-
ton is turned over to the public school.
which is a free machine and teaches
books only. ..orals. moGesty and ODE
dience are not in the curriculum.
Many little children are sent there to
get them out Of their mothers way. for
she has WORK to co or shopping or Wis
iting. or must go to the club. Never
theless. few make good scholars and
good citizens. and for their sake the
system must go on. 1t is no better in
the colleges. for the most charitable
estimate is that not more than ten in
. hundred ever make-a creditable sue
cess In life. The ninety had just as
we'll not been born but the ten will
save Sodom. and 1t will be found that
these ten got their best education ut
home. Good morals. good principles,
obedience. self-denial. industry, kind.
ness and good manners are q better
to build on than books. To
make the home happy and inviting Is
the secret Of all success. The family
Is a mose important institution than
the school. and love is the keystone o.
the family. ] scolded a little grandson
the other day and he got mad and went
on and told his little cousin that grand
pa was mean anu ne was going to tell
his mamma on him. Next morning he
came to see Us again and came to me
and kissed me and it made us both
happy. A little granddaughter was
because her baby brother was
sick and the doctor was sent for. She
mourred over it tearfully and then
Frightened up and said: We'll, il baby
dies am going to keep him for doll.
The innocent prattle and sports of
these children is my greatest comfort,
and it almost grieves me that they |
have to grow up and encounter trouble /
md grief and misfortune. George |
Francis Train may be = crank. but I |
had rather be him in that park with q
score or two Of happy children around |
ne every day than to be Pierpont Nor |
yan or Rockefeller. 1t Is pathetic to
ook at that man who 10 now past his
seventy years. who has travelled all |
,ver the world: lived in Australia. lee
urod In ENGLAND Irelsud ana The Vyofst