Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-06-26
PRICE FIVE CENTS 4!

teacher smiling and contented; the
children's eyes sparkle with eager
ness, cordially meets you everywhere.
The walls are neat and we see some
excellent pictures in fine frames.
Everything gives one feeling Of be
ing at home and at ease. This feel
ing is contagious as is also the feel
ing of depression.
Now, r.e-se visit your schools. Show
that you take a deep interest in its
welfare. If you find that few dol
lars out Of the district treasury will
help to cheer things up, do not be
afraid to spend them. No one will
condemn you for so doing. Do this
and you will see what the effects will
he. You will find it a good invest
ment. f&&. #% s5i
. Permit me to mention another point.
To begin. let me ask you how many
of eur children become inspired with
a, taste for good, healthy reading in
our schools? Remember that the
coming man and woman must be In
telligent readers, But our schools are
weak at this Every point" Where is
the remedy? Some one has said a
school without. a library is partial
failure" We have been grinding our
children, down on the school readers
until reading becomes a, tedious bore
to them and we can not blame them.
We can make them fairly good readers
in this way, but that is not enough.
We must make them lovers of read
ing SO they may continue after the
school days. Our teachers all agree
that a library Of well selected read
T ing matter is essential in order to Sc
cure any results of this kind. Do your
schools have libraries? They ought
to. It is in your power as school
boards to secure libraries (Sec. 694).
Suppose you sent your hired man
| into the field with orders to pillow but
furnished no pillow. Would you blame
him if he failed to accomplish any
thing? That would be very unreason-
able, but I have very often heard Of
teachers being blamed for failure
when the trouble really lies with the
employers who failed to furnish her
with the necessary tools. I want to
put in charitable plea for the teach
er. Please cooperate with your teach
er, ascertain from her what is needed
and then do not treat her suggestions
as though they were unreasonable and
extravagant. The effect of such treat
ment is that your teachers get dis
couraged, say nothing, work on and
the children are the sufferers Be
sure that you encourage your teachers
in every way possible, and they will
do all that is in their power to make
your school the very best. Mutual
sympathy is a wonderful stimulus to
efficient work in the school.
The teacher is human being with
human sensibilities. She is exceed
ingly anxious to please you and give
value received for her wages. She
sometimes may fall short in this. But
1t is pleasure to watch the face of
a teacher when can say to her that
l hear nothing but satisfactory reports
about her from her patrons. It is a
cheering stimulant to her. 1t is far
different when say that her patrons
find fault in this way or that. In such
cases I prefer silence. Her school be-
comes a burden and she is only look.
ing forward to the time when she can
close school. I would therefore urge
upon you to be considerata in your
dealings with the teachers. If their
short eomings are too evident cali
their attention to them, but let them
understand that you are their smypa-
thetic helper, and not fault finder,
and it will be poor teacher that win
not thank you for your suggestions.
My plea for the teacher, then, is that
you deal kindly and charitably with
her. Show her that you are her friend
and you will invariably find her win.
ing to do her very best. Never men
ton her short comings In the presence
of the children. aa &, ,535$@
In conclusion let me urge upon Won
to visit the schools. Make these visits
frequent. Such visits will Indicate to
the teacher that you take an interest
in her, and her work, and thus she will
be encouraged to better efforts in be.
half of the children. On these visits
please observe: ,.~ H. ..-.zses.y
Q) The condition of the premises.
: 90 The condition of the school
(a) Do you find it well ventilated?
,(b) Do you find it properly heated?
(c) Do you find it lastly decor
ated?
Id Do you find it furnished with
win d<,u,