Pocahontas star herald., 1910-06-24
Environment
AS A Factor In A Child's
Education

per that was prepared and read last
week at the teachers institute by
Rufus Kale Baker and we publish
it by request of number of the
teachers;
"The child is the foundation OF
education. The home environment
of many of the children in our prl-
mary schools is not of the very best
For some reason the parents do not
always see their duty toward their
children, and much of the work OF
the primary teachers is to make the
home influences better by getting
the child interested in the right
line of work. The environment of
the child very near always deter
mines his future life. If he has
good surroundings in his youthful
DAYS he will be more than likely to
cling to the good things that have
been taught him and let the bad go.
If the parents give th- child the
right kind of employment in which
to exert his energy, he will use
his energy whether it be in the
right direction or not, the good in
fuences will be so nodded into his
soul that they will stay with him
throughout life. The environment
of the child IN his home must be
eleyating if he is to amount to a
great deal. The powers that sur
round his home and the motives
that impel him in the direction of
right or wrong seem that it would
yet be impossible to see clearly the
causes which have made the child
what he really is. Religious faith;
circumstances of birth and country;
the national institutions and litera-
ture; the scenes of childhood; hab-
its whether good or evil found in
youth; these and hundreds of other
influences, often obscure and diff
cult to trace go to make up a hu.
man character.
The child who lives In the city
with all the convenicnces of life and
has an opportunity to attend good
school nine months in year has a
better future than those who live in
the country where they have from
three to six months of school. On
the other hand child who lives in
the enlightened neighborbood has
better environments and will reach
a higher point in the educational
world than child who lives in the
slums of the city and knows moth
ing but the ups and downs of de-
grading life. Take the child who
works in the dirty sweat shops in
the city andl contrast him with a
child who lives in a place where
they have good schools, plenty Of
fresh air and nothing but the good,
clean and pure is talked to him
for day in and day out for nine
months in year, and then have
good Christian mother to give in
structions along any line that would
be helpful to strengthen her child.
For child to get the most of his
environments his parents and teach
er must be in earnest. The school
room must be so that the child feels
the love and sympathy of his teach.
er, The teacher forcing a child to
act as if he were grown and call it
education, isabsurd.
Use the life of the child in what,
ever stage he is living. He is the
center of interest in the school
room. Therefore surround him
with enriched literature, and the
climax of his educational career
shall be peace, Joy, happiness and
sweetness of a future life. School
life should grow out of the home
life an6 into it at the same time.
Therefore the teacher should be
more of an inspirer and suggester
rather than a controller and dicta.
tor. The interest of the child
grows out of the different relations
Of actions, images, sentiments and
ideas, then the one incharge shodld
be very careful as to the associates