The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1908-02-21

dresses on subjects connected with edu-
cation. It is pity that all, or nearly
all, OF them could not be laid before the
public in printed form, thereby giving
them a wider clientage and revealing q
broader insight into the work being
done. The Gazette has the privilege Of
printing the address delivered at Cotton
recently By Miss Kitty Hooper Of John
son on Discipline" which is one among
many Of par excellence.
Miss Hooper's Address.
lt is very essential that the primary
teacher should realize the Importance OF
correct discipline in her school room.
To govern wisely is mainly to direct
the activities OF the children in the right
channels; to implant right motives; to
restrain evil tendencies and to encourage
all that is good"
In the home and the state there are
laws and customs to which every good
citizen submits, and if we allow the child
to follow his own incinatiOns without
regard to the advice Of those in author
ity over him, we shall fail in our purpose
to make good citizen OF him.
There is a growing recognition of the
responsibility OF the primary teacher.
At the opening of school there are from
twenty to fifty individuals who for the
first time are brought before her. Some
OF them are from humble life and per
haps bear upon them marks of parental
neglect. Little accustomed to society,
they are awkward and bashful and even
impertinent in their manner. Their
persons aud clothing may present moth
ing attractive or gratifying in the eye Of
a stranger COntrasted with these are
children who have never known anything
but comfort-who are 50 bright and at
tractive that the teacher is prone to
find her feelings committed in favor of
the latter and against the former.
But this is wrong. A judgment thus
hastily formed is extremely unjust, as q
few days acquaintance will usually
show. The child Of shy, retiring dis
as the teacher has to do with the mind
and the heart she should not be infiu-
enced by the outward appearance Of
these little ones, but should have as
radiant smile and gentle tone for
the neglected, unfortunate child as for
the more favored child Of ease and COM
fort.
The primary teacher has the task Of
harmOnizing the home environments
that nurture her charges who are TAX
ing the first steps into the work a day
world. Hers is the influence which is to
decide for many a child whether school
is to be to him a desirable place for
years to come. To her are intrusted
little children sometimes of very ten
der age-tO be initiated into a strange,
new place that is entirely different from
anything yet known to their experience
or imagination.
How important it is then that she
discipline these little ones-especially
the shy and awkward-in such a way as
to avoid that period of shrinking timid
ity and homesickness which makes the
little sufferers-and everyone else-mis-
erable. How important that she have
the ability to thoroughly master one Of
the greatest problems which confronts
the primary teacher-how to form cor
rect habits OF action in the life Of the
child.
This problem is intensified by the fact
that in some OF these children are evil
tendencies which must, through iudiciOus
instruction and discipline, be blotted
out before the good will flourish. She
should bear in mind that she is dealing
with embryo men and women whose
training should enable them in later
years to have such control of self, bodily
and mentally, that they may resist
temptations, tell good from evil and
raise themselves to the highest plane OF
living.
COLc vi tUc IOllC
where such a thing as disobedience is
never allowed; Others from homes where
it s the rule. Nevertheless, in the prop
erly governed school there should be
regulations which every child should
observe; some means Of obedience which
comes from a sense of right and desire
to do right must be exacted from every
pupil. Unruly children are seldom happy,
and at times punishment is absolutely
necessary but when resort to it is made
too often the government OF the school
is weakened.
1t has been said that Good teaching
will 60 farther than any other thing in
securing good order"
Another strong aid in securing good
discipline is sympathy. The heart Of q