The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-26
VIEWS OF AN Ex-TEACHER.
Holds Parents Responsible for Faults
of School Children.

To the Editor of the State Journal
Please may I speak?
I believe in all the discussion on
school matters the teacher has had
nothing to say and as an ex-teacher
7 would like to present the subject from
another viewpoint.
It seems to me that the comparison
of the school room to an auto factory
is out of place. In all my work I found
very few children who were much like
The material used in making machine
of any sort. If the material in the
auto was bad the manufacturer was to
blame for putting it in. but can not
understand how the teacher is to blame
for poor material she may find in her
pupils. When the machinist works his
material into a certain shape, it stays.
1t is powerless of it's self. But who
would dare to say that with certain
set of lessons or precepts he could make
his own child into just what he want
ed him to be? 1t seems if parents be-
lieve this they would not leave so much
for the teachers to do.
Yes, agree that the schools should
be judged by results-as a whole, how
ever. and not by individuals any more
than you would Judge our whole city
by any one individual.
How many girls in Beloit reform
school are high school or even Eighth
grade graduates? Without figures I
would venture to say-high school none
and very few If any from Eighth grade.
The reform school for boys is nearer,
suppose you investigate there. While
you are doing that ask the boys why
they are there. I venture not one will
say it is due to the school or a teacher
but directly or indirectly to the home.
do no: believe there is teacher
anywhere who is so narrow as to think
&c Cohnni system is nQrfocf and
know teachers in general are conscien-
tious and painstaking people and are
trying to do the best for the majority.
The children in the grades are under
the teachers care hours a day for 1SC
days or 900 hours year. What are
they being taught in the other 1886
hours of the year? If they are not at
home whose fault is it?
Some one objects to the teaching OF
sewing and cooking and now another
wants it taught to perfection What
shall we do to please all?
If the athletics which are now car
ried on are so detrimental to health
how is it that those boys. and girls
who play in these games come out OF
our schools the most robust?
If the teacher is to teach "book
larnin','' business methods, morals
housekeeping in all its phases, proper
care of body and mind. and all other
things which will cause them ito marry
and live happily ever AFTER ana real
a model family, in hours day what
on earth are the parents going to dc
| in the other 10 hours of the day?
How many parents let their children
go out or stay up night after night an6
then send them to school in the mcrn-
| ing and expect them to do as good
work as the child who goes to bed al
o'clock every night?
How many of you knew that YOU
| child was near-sighted. or that it wa.
running its stomach by eating its fingel
| nails, or that he did not always tel
| the truth until some teacher told you
| How many knew that your boy had al
| inclination to music or that he would
n. AXE a good carpenter or draughtsmal
l or that he had powers in debate or ora