Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-15


No article upon a subject near and
dear to the parental heart has been
nuhlished during the past year. or
which carries a more tender appeal,
than that prepared by Mrs. D. n. SIMS
of the Magnolia Street Parent-Ieacher
association.
It reaches out and grips, for the sub
ject is the child. In this paper one
must recognize the vital fact that CO.
oneration I1pon the part of the moth
ers and fathers is absolutely necessary
If the future of the country is TO DC
safeeuarded, Therein is a lesson tor
the recreant one who has lent no cI-
fort to the forwarding of the magnlil-
cent cause represented by the congress
of Mothers. The field of labor OF thls
noble organization has broadened ana
developed amazingly during the past
wear. But the army Of children is SO
great and the demands for aid and
strength from many quarters are SO
muItitudinous that the personal enorts
of all men and women are needed TO
produce the most ideal conditions IN
the school, in tho homo and In the
community.
Mrs. Sims article on "The Relation
of Mother to the Parent-Teacher Asso-
ciations' should add many earnest
converts to the throng of self-sacrl1c-
ing women and men engaged IN the
cause.
This address, which should be read
thoughtfully, is as follows;
Early Training imperative
"In dealing with a subject such as
this the mind quickly and naturally re-
verts to the child, for how mother
without child, how teacher without
child-mind?
with mother we, who have cuddled
the little mite of humanity-the result
of a kept pledge at an altar-and held
it tenderly to our hearts, looking for
b the first time into its little pink face
and peeping eyes. awaken to respon-
sibility that comes only to mother
hood, And as though standing before
a court of divinity, we realize this ut
tie bundle of flesh has soul and that
we are to shape and fit it's life for the
final return back to the God who gave
1t,
Parents Are Responsible
we arc responsible for it until 1t
reaches the age of discretion and more.
For even though it should reach ripe
old age the way of living and thinking
will greatly be tangent to the circle
within which the young life was spent.
Mothers, we are assured that our pest
work must be done before the child
reaches the age of z. Children are
never too young to learn, but often
too old.
Darwin, who searched deeply into
the lives of men, once said mother
who asked him when she should begin
the education Of her then 21a-year-old
child: Madam, you have already lost
two and half years!'
Words seem inadequate to impress
the importance Of teaching obedience
and self-control to the almost baby
child.
Teaching Gift
"Fortunately babyhood is but few
steps back when the portals of school
are open to him, and here he finds his
next best friend-his teacher.
And, mothers, / am constrained to
declare that teaching is gift Vo-
cation not followed by those in search
of fowery beds of ease, nay, but by
men and women, broad-minded and
natural-born uplifters of mankind.
"They know not the spell that leads
them nor the call that put them shoul-
der to shoulder with the God fearing
and loving mother for the good of the
child.
"They seem to be summoned and
care not to resist; to be willing to en-
dure hardships and disappointment If
only they may see the beautiful open
ing and broadening Of the child-mind
and realize that these boys and girls
will make better men and women for
the lessons they have taught,
"Agassiz, that grand and beloved
old teacher and leader of young nat
uraIists, wanted no epitaph save
Teacher To him the one word was
nearest his heart. 1t expressed moro
usefulness, sacrifice and benefaction
than all the eulogies poet might sing.
Mothers, it was a divine inspiration
that brought about our Parent-Teacher
association. The power of the cradle
has long been acknowledged to surpass
that of monarch. but who can find
words to reveal the combined influ-
ence and power of mother and teacher?
Even Webster fails us.
THE nearest realization of the full
ness of our power is CLEANED by at
tending the mothers congress and
looking into the faces of those noble.