The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1909-08-28
MUNSON, PRINCI-
PAL OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
ADDRESSES THE INSTITUTE
The Child and His Environment Was the Professors
Subject. The American Child (He Says Is Nerv>
Being and His Temperament Must Be Taken
Into Account in Our Dealings With Him.
THE REWARD OF THE FAITHFUL TEACHER

creature Of his environments. The
companions, daily surroundings, hooks,
sight and beliefs, that he encounters
are powerful factors in his education
How carefully then should the ap
proaches Of external influences be
guarded The business then Of par.
ents aud teachers is to surround the
child with ~ beautiful and healthful
an atmosphere a. possible
a large per cent of the children Of
America have little in their lives "a
uplift, to make them happy aud con
tented. Whether he comes from the
little claim house on the plains Of New
Mexico, or from the palatial home ON
Fifth Avenue, there is lack Ia those
things that 90 20 make The child really
coniented and happy. can say, how
ever, in passing, that fortunate indeed
IL the child whose early life IN destined
to be spent in the humble home first
mentioned rather than amid the arti
iicial surroundings Of the fashionable
home where fraud and deception lurk
in every act, every word, every move
ment where the word home has no
Significance beyond place where they
can cOmG 10 eat and sleep.
Our concern. however, is with the
child as we find him in Quay County
New Mexico. As before stated the
majority of children come from homes
where little attention is given 20 any
thing beyond the very necessary ques
tion Of getting living-providinH
food, shelter and rainment.
This is always incident to the pioneer
home. Even the physical well being
Of the child can receive but little at
tention, while that side Of the child
nature that goes to make the truly
| noble, cultured and refined man or
woman received practically no con
sideration. II the child in school makes
reasonably good progress in his three
"R's," we care little about his ac.
QUESTION for the cultured side Of life
As teachers our concern is chiefly
with the child at school. Our chief
duty IN to surround him with as com
Portable and correct an environment
as possible. His physical comfort is
the first requisite. The American
child is IA nervous being and this TEN
permanent must be taken into account
in our dealings with him. We have
but TO glance about US 10 see the frail
forms and spectacled eyes, an indict
mcnt against the American people an
trainers Of children. In our dealings
with such children lie the most diiii
cult problems of the teachers II the
child stupid or restless; sullen or mis-
chievOus; listless or irritable' There
must be IA reason for such conditions.
II il then incumbent ON the teacher
10 try and discover the cause. Is the
child comfortable in his seati Are his
seat and desk Of proper height and
Adjustment Is the temperature and
ventilation what il should BET Is the
child comfortable in his seati Are hA
seat and desk of proper height aud
adjustment ls the temperature and
ventilation what IL should bef IL the
light properi Can he see the work on
the board from his position without
straining his eyesi Are his sight and
hearing normali l. he old for his
gradei Il he defRient in part Of hi.
work while up 10 the standard in the
resti II so, try aud determine tn,
cause aud apply the remedy. The ner
vous child like the nervous horse re
quires special treatment. lie should
be given requent opportunity for ex
ereise IN the open air. His periods OF
confinement In the school room, espec
tally in his seat, should be short. Child
rem in the primary grades should moi
be kept in the school room too long a.
one time. Two hours in the forenoon
and two hours in the afternoon is am
PIE time, even then there should b,
frequent opportunity for exercise asid,
from the regular intermission period
The teacher is AN important factor
The boisterous, Seeding, nagging
threatening teacher, with "a harsh an,
rasping voice has no place In th,
school room where such children ar,
found. In fact, she has no place Il
the profession. The neatly dressed
attractive teacher, with her well modu
lated voice, pleaanst manner, spmpathe
tic heart and good common sense IL tn
most important factor in the child
school invironment. Her diplomas AM
degrees her high certificates and laudinI
letters; her years Of training and ex
perience are Of small Importance in com
parison, The saying, AS the teaehe
so is the school" is an old but tru
one.
Granted, we have the proper teacher
the comfortable, not necessarily elegan
school room, heating, ventilation an
seating as nearly proper as possibl,
let us turn our attention for a momen
to the question Of making the schos
room home like and attractive. Tn
nearer the school room can sppEoae
the IDEAL home, and the ssseAsr IN