The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1907-03-28
THE FAMILY.
By SONORA SARA.

There is surely no more grand an
important work to be done in the worl
than tie training of the children of to
DAY who are to be the men and wome
OF Tomorrow. The early stages of thi
work are almost exclusively in tn
hands of the home and the school, S
that the mother of the child and tn
teacher of the child are the responsible
parties. Are, or should be. 1t is ia
too common to see the mother breath
sigh of relief as she hurrieS along tn
preparation for school in the morning
and to hear her say. as the door Slam
after the last pair of small feet, There
thank goodness, the children are of
for awhile!" And the children go t,
school. and at the end of the day tn,
weary schoolma'am closes her doc
also. with sigh of relief, and exclaims
well. thank goodness. another day i!
over. The poor children are thu.
tossed back and forth between schoo
and home like a new style of shuttle
cock, and they must be dull indeed II
they do not soon discover that they are
considered nuisance and a bore fr
both places, to be gotten rid of as soon
as possible. And exceedingly phleg-
matte and unimpressionabl will be the
chiid's nature which is not Influenced
by this discovery.
This feeling of relief on the part of
the mother as the children are dis
missed for the day is too often quite
unwarranted. For if she could know
exactly into what associations and I'M
der what Influences she is sending them
her feeling of relief would sometimes
be changed into one of Shuddering hor-
ror. Mind. we say sometimes only. 1t
has yet to be proved that the influences
of the public school are in the main
pure, healthful and helpful. But, as in
any system which is so truly enormous
in extent, which involves so many in
dividuals and conditions, there are ex-
ceptions. and it is the duty of every
mother to see that there it not one of
these dreadful exceptions where her
own are concerned.
For example, consider the matter of
the teacher alone. Do you know him
or her to be fit person for the place
1t was the late DIR. Holland who said
that he considered the teachers posi-
ton second to none. THE Christian
teacher of band of children combines
the office of the preacher and the par
ent, and has more to do in shaping the
mind and the morals of the community
than preacher and parent united. The
teacher who spends six hours a day
with my child spends three times asi
many hours as l DO. and twenty-fold
more time than my pastor does. II
have no words to express my sense of
the Importance of the office. Still less /!
have / words to express my sense of |
the importance of having that office |
filled by men and women of the purest |
motives, the noblest enthusiasm. the
finest culture, the broadest charities,
and the most devoted Christian pur-
pose. Why. teacher should be the
strongest and most angelic man that
h, -s.fI Twin &c arltr faA
with such precious material. No man
living can do SO much to set life to a
noble tune. No man living needs high
er qualifications for his work
Many and many. the great and vast
majority in fact, of the noble army OF
martyrs" whom we call teachers, have
even the; high requirements suggested
a boves;' for, as class. one can hardly
find in any walk of life. more enthusi-
astic. devoted, consecrated men and
women, especially the women. Yet
there are exceptions, as a matter of
course. among SO many; women who
teach merely from mercenary motives,
whose influence is utterly sordid and
men whose lives are morally
so rotten that the, thought of their touch J
upon the minds and lives of young. girls,
and boys. just growing into manhood,
Is enough to make one shudder Dol .
you know that your boys or YOUR q
daughters teacher is not one of thesef u
horrible exceptions? /
On the other hand. if your child'sl
teacher belongs TO the opposite pale as
regards character and qualiics lions, it .
Is no less your duty and privilege to i
know this man or woman as intimately L
as possible. If he is a conscientious! 5
and Intelligent person he and You are u
zach working for the same end-the .
proper development Of the mental ply |
steal and moral nature of your children. u
You can aid, each the other. by CO. e
tonish you if you have never tried it. o
You may be able to tell him of some p
popularity of the child. some twist in d
his temperament. some trait of charac- a
Ter inherited from his grandfather. of a
which the teacher would otherwise W
know nothing, and which may be u
very important and necessary factor to a
consider III the child's training He. on W
he other hand, will no doubt be able to u
INFORM YOU of the capabilities for good o
,r bad in your child. which are called Is
nut in the school life as they are not at "
ZONE, and which it should be yours to r.
cypress or encourage as the case may c'
re. One might multiply these suppo- b.
ititious cases ad infinitum. and the W
writer from her own experience alonei d.
,outd give many interesting illustra- "
ions. but we feel sure that every reader W
an furnish them for herself. m
In conclusion. then. let every mother re
zee herself about making the. acquaint- re
lnce of her chilG's teachers. provided
he has not already done so.1 Gail on
hem. invite them TO your house. talk b.
With them privately-never before the w
to the nature of their g
harees and of what can he done at o.
ome to help the work of the school, is
nd vice versa. Cooperate with them q
with them. sustain them L
rhenever you can. If you have diff e,
erence Of opinion talk IL over with al
hem. confidenfially. first. Ten to one az
on will find there IS no real Disagree ci
lent after all. or if there il. it NAV be m
djustAd Dc
A very pleasant and helpful thing in 70
his line was done in an adjoining town
ot long since. IT started, as so MANY
God things do. with the Methodist min wi
;ter's wife, and IL took The form of a tn
eception given by the ladies of the tt
hurch to all the teachers in the schools
the town. a short program of dr.
Deeches and music was followed bvI ic
.mpie refreshments served i'm the re
hurch parIors. and a "sociable" which ha
as worthy Of the name. BY this meanst ii
great deal in the way Of acquaint- WI
nceship and the establishment OF or
'iendly relations between parents and sh
.achers was accomplished in 2 short DR.
me, and the good results flowing from is
rch an evenings gathering are sim be
" inestimable, reaching cut as they br
0 thru hundreds of channels and lit to
n 1tx- raf,