The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-09-15
THE PARENT AND THE SCHOOL.

With the opening of the schools
may ask themselves with pro-
fit whether they are giving proper at
tention to the work their children are
doing, or attempting to do, or whether
they are neglecting this plain duty.
1t is to be feared that large MAORI
ty, if the question were answered
would be obliged to plead
guilty to the charge Of neglect. Nat
uraliy certain courses of study must
be adopted and certain rules laid
down.
The suggestion that parents should
take a more active interest in the
schools is not made with the idea that
there should be any interference with
the curriculum or the discipline of the
schools, but rather that there should
be more frequent opportunities to see
how the various subjects are being
taught, what the educational sur
roundings are, and thus to get in
touch with the atmosphere of school
life.
We believe, and rightly so, that we
have good schools, therefore we take
the child to the proper teacher at the
beginning of his school life, and trust
that everything will be all right there
after. Possibly we attend some prize
speaking or grammar school gradual
ing exercises, but more often there are
no visits between the initial one with
the little chap first entering the low
est grade until he graduates from the
High School.
This is not as it should be- 1t is
true we are all very busy, but we
ought not to be too busy to share in
some measure the work our children
are doing and to gain an intelligent
! Idea of the progress they are making.
We find time for the things that ap-
peal to us most strongly, and the
equipment of our children for their
! life work ought to be considered OF
supreme Importance.
! Human nature is fallible, and it
would hardly be safe to say that teach
ers never make mistakes, never are al
fault, but it is true, nevertheless, that
in the misunderstanding that arise
between parent and teacher, the parent
is more often at fault than the teacher
Children have very vivid imagina-
lions. 1t is very easy for them to
persuade themselves that they have
been abused by other pupils or by the
teacher, when they themselves are the
chief offenders, and to go home with
tale of distress suitably embellished
for the occasion. If the parents are
of credulous or jealous nature, OIL
do not take pains to investigate the
matter they blame the teacher fol
harshness, or injustice or failure
properly to protect the little ones en-
trusted to their care. Perhaps they
send some verbal request to the teach
er. and are indignant because the re-
quest does not meet with compliance
They fail to consider that the fault
is their own in not sending written
request. Small children are not like
" to deliver a message accurately and
it is not always safe to take such re-
quests at their face value.
If parents lend willing ear tc
- al traotn1ant thpu are like
ly to get plenty of them. These tales
ought not to be ignored, as a rule
but they should be investigated care
fully, starting with the theory that
the teacher is trying to do her duty
Boys and girls who need restraint a.
home do not become models OF de
pertinent when transferred to the
school room, where opportunities FOL
mischief are multiplied. A temperate
and courteous statement of suppos
ed grievance in ninety-nine cases ou
of one hundred will be met in the
, same spirit by the school officials, and
if an injustice has been done the evi
J will be corrected.
Very seldom is there any occasion
/, for going to the school room in II
of anger of for writing ill-tempere'
notes to teachers. The parent shoul'
i be very sure that there has been un
fair treatment before charges are mad
: and then a quiet and temperate de
> meanor will accomplish far better re
, suits than an angry scene ever cal
, hope to do If the pupil realizes tina
> the parents have confidence in tn
teacher the complaints will diminish
5 in volume very materially.
All these reflections are exceedingly
= commonplace and should be entire
0 ly obvious to any fair-minded person
and yet the teachers continually nm
their burdens increased by the iil-na
tured charges of misinformed parents
e who take the complaints OF their chill
8 dren as evidence that needs no fur
r Their verifcation. We ought to kee
y more closely in touch with the wor
o OF the schools, and we ought to b