Smyrna times., 1902-06-04
COLUMN OF INTEREST TO
SMYRNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
THE RELATION THE TEACHER SUSTAINS
TO THE SCHOOL" BY THE PRINCIPAL.
subject is one in Large Measure Overesti.
mated by the Parents and Underestimated
by the Public School Teac hers.


by the Public School Teac hers.
The relation the teacher sustains to
the school is in large measure over
estimated by the parents and under
estimated by the teachers.
Parents fOrgetful Of the influence of
the surroundings of the children. fur
nlshed by the school board, of their
own part in helping the children and
OF the effort that must be made bv the
children themselves, put all conse-
quences of success or failure upon the
teacher. On the other hand teachers
are not fully aware of the great work
they have to do. They undervalue
the worth of each individual under
their charge. While having a fair
conception of the general work of the
school they lack in the appreciation of
individual work.
The first thing for a teacher to do in
order to make the school success. to
help fulfill its great mission in the
world of training the child for good
citizenship, is to know the Importance
OF the school work. A knowledge of
the importance of the work in hand is
not meant a mere intellectual appre-
citation of the work, although that
will help greatly but such knowledge
as will make the teacher feel the re-
sponsibility. If teachers once feel
that the destinies of immortal souls
are IN a large measure in their hands
there will be less teaching for the
money and more teaching for the pur-
pose of helping the child fulfill its
mission. The teacher will watch the
little things that influence the life of
the children for good such as proper
respect for the teacher and for each
other, correct habits of actions in the
school room, attention to what is said
to them cheerfulness in obedience and
such other minor matters that make
or mar the destiny of immortal souls.
1t is oftener easier for teacher to LET
those trivial matters pass unnoticed
until by the unfailing law of accumu-
ton the teacher finds pupils whom
they are unable to control.
There Musi be General Rules of Action.
There must be general rules of action
to be obeyed by every child and if
those rule are not obeyed the one
who continually disobeys must be
sacrinced for the good of the whole.
N1st as is necessary sometimes to
"L|'putate finger to save a hand or an
:, 9 to save the whole body so it will
men Necessary to expell those children
'orIOse influence is corrupting the
whole body of pupils.
This is the most difficult yet great
est work of the teacher. The matter
Of intellectual training is only impor-
tant as it fits pupils for better citizen
ship. But the same general principles
will hold in this as in the moral train
ing. There must be general rules
laid down for every pupil to follow
and they must be followed implicitly
or the best work cannot be done. A
certain standard in work must be at
tanned, habit of industry and atten-
tion to work must be demanded, neat
ness IN work insisted upon AID such
other general matters as will be for the
good of all.
Parents Do Not Realize the Influence.
Parents do not know the great in
fuence of these general principles nor
how they can aid the teacher in having
Mrs. obeyed so the teacher must help
Il servicrent to understand. 1t will
writing. es take great firmness on the
ne teacher to get the parents
lv on Alize their children are not in
roro.. if not superiors of every other
: a in school, but unless the teacher
mo, the tact and grace to accomplish
n. .ch task, the teachers work will be
r failure.
On the other hand the teacher must
not fail in observing the different per-
sonalities that make up the student
body. There are many ways of hav-
ing the general principles obeyed.
Here is where the parent knows most
and the teacher is most ignorant. A.
talk with the parent will often reveal
certain traits in the child that the
teacher had not noticed. When teach
ers grasp these two principles the
necessity of general rules implicitly
obeyed, and the different child natures
calling for individual attention, our
schools will be in fair way to yield
the fruits of their labors, good citizen
ship. JOHN P. BURDErrE.
Old Soldier Experience.
M. M. Austin, civil war veteran, of