St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1909-02-27

may Jet vindicase my cause be.
fore the parish board, and as ]
wouldn't have the place now, with
all sorts Of favors thrown in, / an
bidding you ''adieu;a not forever,
perhaps, for | half way promised my
pupils that maybe under happier con
ditions, in happier days, / would re-
turn to them!
And now as my lengthy explana-
ton is concluded, let me beg Of you
parents, especially mothers, keep in
closer touch with the school, know
the person with whom your children
daily associate, and not only know
her but understand her; such an affair
as mine could hardly help but the
outcome when / say that only three
of my pupils mothers ever called on
me and only four other persons be-
side those, during my stay here from
last September. If you would have
a Mothers Club, a School Improve
ment Association, d Parents Day,
monthly and the teachers a faculty
meeting oftener, as is done in other
parts Of the state, you lite imagine
the good it would do. Visit your
school, see its workings and then
compare it to others close by, see
how it stands. Then, judge if / was
wrong when I tried to do my part to-
ward making one piece of it, a little
better, just as each teacher, in his or
her own way is doing.
Who saw more to paper being kept
of the grounds than T? Who did
more to get pupils to be punctual,
than /? Who worked more for and
with their pupils than I? Who played
with all the children and loved them
all more than I? Who tried more in
every possible way, TO inspire the
children With high ideals than I?
Who gave more Saturdays to work IN
their rooms than T? Who helped
more to get up Thanksgiving and
Christmas entertainments for their
pupils than T? Who tried to do more
or was more enthusiastic ever the
institute work here than i? I would
like some one who really knows how
much Of my life | have put into
school work here TO answer, I did it
not for praise or credit or pay of
any kind but because / loved to do it
and my only regret is, / didn't do
more Of what | had planned to do
later.
How was I rewarded for these ear
nest efforts? First, by being almost
forced to resign, not knowing whether
I could procure another position or
not, no one knowing whether | was
perniless, homeless or what not and
| suppose, caring less. But, IN my
humble opinion, I have won my great
est earthly reward in this affair. I
have found many true friends and
kindred spirits which, otherwise I
would have never known; | have won
the confidence and respect and good
will Of the vast majority here, / have
fought 8 battle for principle and So
far as my knowledge extends, The
victory is mine, ! have enjoyed great
~ the Bible class work I have done
every Sunday afternoon, Che Sunday
school work here has been q pleasure
to me, the Reading Club which I
helped TO organize has been among,
not the cheapest Of my rewards.
My work in the public school, though
not fraught with roses, has certainly
been pleasant inasmuch as / feel that
some children will be better for hav-
ing known me.
Again let me beseech of you par-
ents, for the sake of those sane
children We all love, never In. their
presence utter aught against a teach
er. IL Isl one Of the greatest wrongs
you can do your child, any prominent
will tell you. Whether It
be FASTING up arithmetic answers, OF
being kept IN a month, or this, that
or the other, go to the teachers own
home and talk it over reasonable, re-
mem6ering that where you may have
only sig to deal with. she has six OF
perhaps ten times as many, and then
think what that means! Remember,
too, some Of US, at least, / believe
most Of US, are doing just all We car
possibly do for the good Of your
children. Not i few Of us have
this as d profession and have
given every Bit Of cur lives to it.
Why should SIC not appreciate your
cooperation Truly, ne do.
Nov. 81 bid y~oa-ffiends, patrons
md pupils, farewell, lean sruthfuIIE