Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-24


stand me in regard to the merit a
child deserves for his efforts. Efforts
are appreciated and encouraged daily
by the praise and attitudes of the
teacher, but let the child understand
first and above all, that his report
card stands for actual accomplish
ment, actual worth, actual truth
Children soon learn to appreciate
and respect their marks when they
realize that the estimation stands
for true worth, and that greater eff
fort followed by real progress and
real results, will be rewarded by n
higher mark.
Again let us look on the other
side. Teachers, let us put ourselves in
the mothers position. Lay aside our
glasses. for a time. and look through
the mothers. Follow the child home:
envelope ourselves with the fond
mothers love, mothers pride and
mothers ambition. Study the child
in his various moods at home; his at
titudes of kindness, affection. indus
try or Incidence, obedience or DISC
bedience, his disposition towards the
father, brother, sister and neighbour
ing DlaNlndIeS. eIc.
lin taking this peep through the
mothers glasses, from her point of
view. we note how natural and how
strong is the tendency to discern that
for which she is most anxious to see:
viz: the child's better qualities
strongly emphasized i'm the fore
ground-his faults as clearly outlined
i'm the background but seemingly half
concealed by the roseate tints of
mothers affection. But seeing this
best and emphasizing it will call for
the best in the way of suggestion.
why should the teacher see
through the mothers glasses? To bet
ter understand the child. his weak
nesses, which she must strive in uni
son with the mother to help over
come; to enable her to lend encour-
agement and praise where needed
most, to help emphasize his POSSIBLE
tiles, to endeavor to lift him out of
his faults to his better. higher self;
To trust him and thereby lend conf
dence and help him gain selfrespect.
If she succeeds in doing this her
work is not lost. although she seldom
sees the fruits thereof. Then. too.
this view will give her an insight in
to the chiId's capabilities and ac-
complishments at home, his advan-
tages and opportunities; or his dis
advantages or hardships.
How are we To get the opportunity
of exchanging points of view?
Through the Mothers club, which
was organized for this special pur-
pose.
What constitutes good scholar
ship? In the earlier schools good
scholarship meant good memory
crowded with cut and dried facts.
Today its conditions are based upon
the power and skill n child has to use
his own mind. and Judging from the
number of athletes, il is also based
on the power of physical agility.
These however still include that inn
portant faculty of memory.
scholarship aims at Wilderness,
soundness, and symmetry in learning;
and tits with Wilderness and entirety
that a teacher must judge a child
when giving an estimate of his schol-
arship.
"A good scholar must have insight
or penetration: the power to make a
mental analysis of subject in hand,
power to discern causes. power to
think. He must possess comprehen-
sion, the power to classify facts, to
discriminate, to compare new facts
with old ones. He must possess YER
satility, the power to apply general
principles to the solution of new
cases.
HE must have good Judgment, the
ability to see things in their true re-
lations and form these relations to
draw correct conclusions.
What constitutes good department?
Had been asked to eNpatiate on meth
DDS of obtaining good scholarship
and good department my task would
indeed have been endless. but to tell
what constitutes both. ] can narrow
my remarks down to my own distort-
ed vision which | obtain through my
preiudices.
"A child's department includes or
makes his scholarship. 1t means power
for seif-control. self-direction, a rec
ignition and respect for the rights
and property of others. 1t means
punctuality and promptness in all
school duties, to be methodical in
tasks; TO work in unison with others,
to apply himself ami persevere to the
end. II implies proper respect for au-
thority, voluntary obedience coupled
with courtesy, close attention while
n task is being assigned. followed by
immediate concentration on the duty
set before him. These requirements
constantly held up, as ideals, before
the children will surely be no hind
rance to the healthful preparation for
hfe, but on the contrary, will form.
right habit of thinking, feeling and
willing, crystallizing into more per-
feet character
If the average man would look him