Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1907-11-27
INTERESTS ARE MUTUAL
Continued from First. Page.)


the time bsing that she is a mere
Garner of wages and should en-
deaver to give much more than she
expects to receive in money value;
on their part, the board should be
wiling to DO a little more than to
carry out literal Interpretation Of
the contract in dollars and cents for
days of service rendered. Let them
at times, be willing. for work well
done, to add a word Of commenda-
ton and to extend to the teacher
the hand Of good fellowship, not re-
garding her merely as trasient in
which they have but a passing
interest.
l have no patience with the
teacher who breaks her contract.
That teacher is not worthy of the
name, who, simply to suit her own
convenience, leaves the school for
which she has contracted, unless
released by the board. It some
times happens that a teacher is Of
fered an exceptionally good posi-
ton while still under contract in
another school and which she would
lose unless released by the board.
It seems to me, that in such case
the board should endeavor to find
another teacher unless it appear to
them that such action would
seriously interfere with the best
interests of the school. But it
should be known and understood
that a teacher has no ethical or
legal right to break her contract or
terminate it without the consent of
the board.
The teacher and the board should
mutually support each other. The
teacher should never criticize the
board in talking with others. If she
has any complaint to make, she
should make it to the board. They
have right to demand her hearty
support.
On their part, the board should
support the teacher whenever
possible. They should be ever ready
by word or deed to give her as
slstance in her work. IF the COM
munity understand this,-that the
board is standing back of the teacher
in all things reasonable, there will
be little trouble in matters of
discipline, There are sometimes
people in a district that think they
know better how to run the school
than the teacher or the board.
Happy if that district have for their
board members conservative bust
ness men who, acting together, say:
I'VE are running the school; we
have carefully determined what is
to be and that is what is going TO
be-"
I wish to point out few sources
of weakness in the schools Of today.
The country schools of thirty years
ago were different in some respects
from what they are now. Then
there were many older boys and
girls attending, especially during
the late fall and winter months.
Now when one visits rural school
he sees ouly a number of smaller
children and no large boys. Why
is this? I believe there are several
reasons: one is to be found in the
growth of the village and city high
schools, which are attracting the
older pupils. | fear also that our
courses of study are not sufficiently
practical. We are living in fast
age; the average boy wants to get
out into the world and earn money.
He is not content to remain in
school if he does not see in the
results some immediate means of
earning living. 1 believe that If
we wish to keep more Of the boys
in school, that we must make
courses of study more practical. l
believe that the day will come when
agriculture, home keeping, and
manual training will be deemed
absolutely essential subjects to be
taught in public schools.
We have too many female teach
ers. With all due consideration, to
the excellent work the ladies are
doing, believe that there may be
too much of a very good thing.
There comes a time in the life Of
every boy when he feels more at
home in the presence of a man. A
man can understand his actions and
aspirations better than a woman.
A boy of thirteen or fourteen has
not yet reached the age when he
has chivalrous feeling for woman.
Because he feels his growing
strength he misbehsves, is punished,
becomes disguised with school and