The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1903-10-28
THE CHILD AND THE SCHOOL.

running expenses, aside from cost o.
apparatus, are but little less than $90C
per month, or $40 per day. This is
about ten cents per day to eacl
pupil. We feel constrained at this
time to make few comments rel
alive to this matter. About two
months have now elapsed since the
opening of the school year This
time has acquainted us with condi-
tons and we feel that we may ar
rive at certain conclusions, which
may apply to schools in general.
First, it is quite evident that a
number "a goodly numbe r-of pupils
are not WORKING to their full ca
pacity, and as result we find that
the general standard of tue school
is kept back. And why are these
children not working to their full
capacity? 1t is because they are
wiser than their fathers, mothers
and teachers, and therefore attend
to their school work differently or
indifferently, as they choose. 1t is
because they are spending their spare
time IN wasteful manner, and thus
counteracting the work of the school.
We insist that the mind of the child
should be on the school, and not ont
the things he expects to do in his
play or leisure hours. The school
! work is the child's chief business
The play is an accessory, necessary,
it is true, to the child's best develop
ment, but the school duties are his
chief business, every school day of the
school year. If the child cannot
make school his chief business, and
play an accessory, it is the duty of
the parent to assist the child in this.
by insisting that the child attend to
his business of school, however dis
tasteful it may be to him. We know
of two cases in which the child con,
cluded he would bring his school
days to close, one at twelve wears.
and the other at thirteen years of
age. In each case, so far as we can
learn, the parent offered no objec-
ton. These same youngsters have
been placed in school by the strong
arm of the law, because the parent
was wiser than the state and thought
it right that the child's will should
be followed. Grand old country
this country of ours, that cares
enough for these boys that when the
parent does not know what is best
tor the boy, and allows the boy to
rule, she steps in and does what the
parent should do Would that we
had school where parents could be
shown that the boys business is to I
go to school and not to dictate to /
the parent what he shall or shall not {
do School is not an easy place
where children 60 to play 1t is a
place for work, where the state pre-
pares children to become citizens
who will strengthen and preserve the 6
nation. The spirit of discomfort 1
that anlmates the small boy to re- :
sent authority and to do the things
which the state says he must not do
~ the spirit that threw the bombs a, H
Haymarket in Chicago. The parent :
IS wrong grossly so-who will toler- ,
Ate Tor a moment what the wise
makers of law have said shall not he ,
Tolerated namely, to remain out of
school within certain indicated aces
school work ought to be hard and +
difiicult, and not easy, otherwise it :
actually defeats the very purpose of :
is existence-Ytraining. The child. 8
si'nln certain prescribed hours, 8
hould intensity his effort and atten- :
Ion upon the school, because that :
alone is his chief business. The (
school should teach the boy or girl !
0 work hard. If the school fails IN 4
this, it fails to teach him one of the +
pest lessons it has for him. But 3
70" shall the school do this if the 3
'arent "baby' the boy and weld to =
us whims. There are scores of boys =