The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1907-11-20
PAPER

Held ct Peint Pleasant, W. Va.
on EOv. IA, 1907, and Published
Pursuant 10 Resolution Of the
Institute.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: When
I was informed that my nsme had
been placed on the program to ad.
dress the teachers of Point Pleas
ant and Lewis and Robinson dis
triotr at this District Institute, and
this had been done, too. without
my knowing anything about it, l
thought 1 might be able to find
some good excuse to decline the
invitation. But 1 take it that the
committee making the arrange
ment, thought that, inasmuch as l
had been 8 teacher myself. and
later Superintendent of schools of
this county. and am now a parent
and patron of the schools as we'll,
that l ought to be willing at any
time to do my part in making these
aohers'mestings a success, and l
believe the committee was right.
In reality, as 1 see my family grow
ing up around me, / am now more
interested in the public schools
than ever before. And therefore
it is a pleasure to me to be here
on this occasion.
The subject which has been as
signed to me is "How Can the Pa
rent Help the Tsaoher?" and 1
find it is 80 CLOSELY connected with
that other subject, "How Can the
Teacher Help the ParentP" that we
cannot we'll discuss one without
saying something about the other
also. There is a 90. partnership ex-
listing between the parent and
teacher. If any of you were going
into any kind of a buainess enter
prise with q partner the respect
and confidence Of your partner
would be necessary to make the
business a success. So it is with
the parent and teacher; it takes
the two working in full accord to-
gether to have a successful school
in any community.
1t will be observed that under
the school laws of this State child
cannot attend the public schools
until it has attained the age of six
years; therefore the early training
and education of the child before
it reaches the school room is nec-
essarily entrusted to those who
have charge of it in the home.
With this early and most import.
ant period in its history the teacher
has no control. It has been stated
that during these years 3 child de-
velops more rapidly and learns
more of the material world and of
his own mind and powers than he
acquires all the rest of his life; 80,
therefore, this early education and
training is Of the greatest moment
and importance. And l want to
speak to you more directly
about these home Influences, and
while l do not want to relieve the
father of any of the responsibilities
of home government, yet we must
admit that it is the mother who
moro decidedly Influences the earl
Ter life Of the child. She it is, DE-
cause of her position in the home,
must assume this, the greatest of
responsibilities and most sacred
trust. And being, as she is, the
most lovely and devoted of all crea.
lures, her qualifications for the
task are admitted by every one.
When should this early training
beginP An inexperienced mother
onoe made inquiry of a minister
when she should commence the
education of her boy who was then
four years old. and his reply was,
Madam, if you have not already
commenced you have lost those
four years. From the first smile
that CLEANS upon the infant
cheek your opportunity begins"
To get the chill correctly started
and influenced in this early period,
in fact the entire early training
vitality concerns the parent, and
later on, the teacher, and the one
who is to deal with this problem
as l have stated, is the wife and
mother. She is the one in CON-
slant touch and communication with
the child, and therefore is the one
who especially helps the teacher
or can make him trouble. If any
of you were seeking a school in q