Smyrna times., 1902-04-16
COLUMN OF INTEREST TO
SMYRNA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PRINCIPAL BURDETTE WRITES ON SCHOOL
BOARDS RELATION TO THE SCHOOL.
Says il is the Duly of The Board to Furnish
Every Means at Their Command That Will
Facilitate the Child's Development.


Facilitate the Chids Development.
In my last article gave as the OBJ
Ject OF the Public School the develop
ment of good citizens, and gave as the
hrst means to that end, the school
board, the patron, the teacher and the
pupil.
There many phases of this question.
but they all can be narrowed down TO
the school boards relation to the
three fold nature of the child-his
physical, intellectual, and moral nat
ures-ever remembering that the child
is a unit and as one of these natures is
affected, the whole is influenced. 1t
Is then the duty of the board to furnish
every means at their command that
Will facilitate the child's DEVELOPMENT.
The children being present in any
community place for their meeting
where they can best be taught and
trained must be secured and then those
chosen to teach and train who in their
Judgment are best qualified to do il
The children's health is very largely
III the hands of the board. A building
that can be warmed aud ventilated
without danger to the health of the
most delicate child, can be and must
be constructed if the greatest good is
TO be obtained from the school. The
seating should be arranged in refer
ence to both the light coming into the
room and the size of the pupils. Ont
buildings must be carefully construct
ed and looked after. If they are not
arranged properly and cared for thew
Will be sources of many diseases.
The physical development of tie
children mnst be arranged for. III
not enough to have play ground. for
IN this climate nearly one third of the
school days are unit for the children
to be upon the play ground. Children
must have exercise for their muscles or
their brains will not perform their
duties as they ought AS a rule cbll-
dren who exercise freely are better
students than those who do not. For
rainy and muddy days the board
should make some provision. Build.
lngs suitable, with good floors and
roofs, can be strongly and cheaplv
built and when the school board GETS
the highest good of the children upon
their hearts those things will be looked
after
The buildings being properly built
and cared for the next 'object of the
school board will be to secure suitable
teachers. There will be but one !
III the mind of the board when
selecting teacher, and that thought
VIII be to select the best possible.
Education is not necessarily teaching
ability and the state turning out teach.
ers with but one test, that of education.
the school board is very much hinder
ed IN knowing whom to secure But
having secured teachers who have the
highest good of their pupils at heart
ana who know how to impart instruc-
ton so that the children will love their
work, 1t is then the duty of the board
to make it possible for those teachers
to do the best work. The teachers
Will be SO remunerable for the services
rendered that it will not be necessary
TO resort to mental labor during vaca-
lion to exc out bare existence.
And in order that pupil and teacher
nay do the best work possible there
Will be wise provision made concern
ng vacations. That many pupils and
teachers do not need and require rest
periods because of lack of application
20 their duties, is no argument against
he needed rest for those who so an
ply themselves that they feel mentally
atigued.
This briefly is the relation that the
'choOl board should sustain to tbe
public school to promote its object
n my next paper will give the IVA.
rons duty in order TO promote good
JOHN p. BURDErTe