The Falls City tribune., 1910-02-11

schools The school is the chief con.
Germ of most parents and children for
nine months of the year. 70 other
institution. unless the churches col
lectiteh. touches So many lives II
Is the institution Of the paoplcswhore
the rich and tho poor. Tho strong and
the weak The exalted and the lowly.
meet on euuaf forms No qualification
OF rank or influence, not Even citi=
zcnship is required; only residence.
that is all hat is necessary for ad-
mittance to the public school
As ordinarily considered. good
teachers are the first requisite Of
good schools. Garfield said that the
University for him consisted oil Il
log with Mark Hopkins ON one end
ence being that the most essential
characteristic Of a school is the per
sonal contact of teacher aud pupil.
There Is no greater truth than this.
And this fact implies the ability to
instruct properly. And this ability
depends upon natural fitness aud mo-
tive and training and experience.
AdaptabiIity and preparation are in
deed essential, hut without a real
desire TO do the work, they are un-
awaiting No good teacher gets paid
in coin for her work. TO be able to
meet the demands made upon her
strength. patience and Judgment, and
skill. she must See a ~recompense in
service for others far SURPRISING in
value the pittanee she receives for
an unreasonable contribution To so
ciety. She must be alert To minister
To many different needs, a friend 10
the discouraged, Il check Ia the viii
full, kind in the asking. firm in re
quiring, a guide aud an inspiration TO
tine seeker after knowledge.
But while we still recognize the
paramount importance OF the teach
or. we are coming more and more to
understand the need of efficient tools
in the teachers hands. These tools
consist of the material equipment OF
the schools. There was IA time
when children were herded with Il
rod on backless benches, around a
Hrau1n,, nr vAJ hot .t,tr, th,t.
faces baking and their backs freez-
ing. 1t is impossible 10 believe
that they really studied; they could
emily appear to study. afraid to do
anything else. Experience has taught
us the scientific study of the child's
mind, has revealed to us that edu-
cation can be the result only Of a
willing activity of the child's mind.
It is a leading out process, not n
forcing in process. In no field of en-
deavor is the spirit of the old saying,
You a lead a horse TO water, but
you cannot make him drink more
applicable than in education. Know
ledge of this fact has caused Il con
tinuous improvement in the condi-
tons pertaining 10 the pupils com
fort and health and pleasure.
We commonly assert that it is the
purpose of the school to develop
boys and girls into men and women.
clean in body and mind, broad and
generous in spirit, and Industrious
and intelligent in action. These re
suits cannot be as accurately meas
ured as can the merchants profits,
and for this reason the waste cannot
be $ easily detected. But if we
spend money 10 teach pupils by
giene and force them to violate the
very laws they are trying to learn by
requiring them to sit in seats o at
all suited 10 their size, the inyestmen
is not bringing its adequate return.
There are few school rooms in which
there are moi many pupils ia insult
able seats. Not only is there an in
jury to the health but there is loss of
NNoulPllSulltul III many SubJctISi
~penmanship especially suffering be.
cause of improper position. Again
we require the pupils to breathe owe
again the air which their playmates
have once breathed. Every parent
and every child would revolt against
the requirement TO drink water il
which others had washed. but if ",
could only SEE. breathing SECOND
air would be much more reyoltine
and it is known TO be infinitely NOR,
injurious. Few school rooms with
out a means of forcing air in or on.
get a sufficient change. Foul air yer
soon causes stupidity, matteutiol
again is a loss; first, in pupils health
4 decreased vitality caused by in
haliug poisonous gases, and i'm increas
ed tendency TO catch cold, secondly