The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-13

IL seems to me the people who are
to be held accountable for the lack
of efficiency in our country schools
are the patrons-the fathers and
mothers whose children attend this
same school. And this leads me TO
the main point--the cooperation of
the parents in making tho country
sch Dol a real success.
The Duty of the Parent to the
School.
L have repeatedly asked parents
when visiting school neighborhoods,
Have you good school?" Very
often the reply Is, mo, we have not
much of a school. The teacher does
not take much interest" or 1.-The
teacher has favorites," or 1--WE do not
like the teacher" some such answer,
which shows that the speaker has no
interest or knowledge or wish to CO.
operate In making the school a good
one.
Now school Is community
matter and a community RESPONSE
bility and no force should be strong
enough to interfere with the eficien-
cy of this best Of institutions If the
teacher Is weak and poorly equip
ped all the more reason then why
the patrons should rally around that
school and see to 1t that because Of
the misfortune of a poor teacher the
school itself shall not suffer.
Personalities and petty grievances
have no place when 1t Is a question
of the education Of the boys and
girls for future citizenship You
know as we'll as I of numerous in
stances Of foolish parents who have
withdrawn their children from
school, perhaps for an entire term,
because perchance some one was so
unwise as to laugh at or ridicule a
popularity Of manner or dress in a
member of the family. or because Of
a real or imagined grievance against
the teacher. You know, and l know,
of instances Of children being kept
at home throughout an entire term
because the parents had a grievance,
real or fancied, against another
school patron.
The boys and girls who are being
deprived of school advantages today
because OF petty neighborhood mis-
understandings real or fancied
wrongs. will have a number Of Sc
rious questions to ask their parents
few years hence when they face a
work-a-day world unequipped for
their duties
IL should be the business Of every
father and mother in every school
neighborhood to see to it that the
school attendance is 100 per cent for
the school term. 1t must be borne in
mind that one absent pupil retards
| the progress Of the entire school. If
: q parent is Jealous for the advance
! ment Of his child, he can secure that
! end by seeing to it that his neigh
hor's children are also in their places
! Nothing so handicaps the progress
I Of the school as irregular attendance.
Organize Your Community TO Work
for a Better school.
There is no force that will do
more TO make the country school
! what it should be than an organ
lied body Of school patrons who
! know what constitutes an efficient
school and who are pledged to see
that their school fulhlls the condi-
tions There are three organizations
of women throughout the South that
have done efficient work for our
schools. The Womans Association
! for the Betterment of Public Schools,
The School Improvement League, and
/ the Woman's Farmers Institute. If
me of these organizations could en-
ist in every school neighbOrhood,
with the united support of every
school patron. there is no limit to
the possibilities Of the country
school. These patrons would see to
it that education prepares for life
and for special line Of life. They
would sec to 1t that education be
both broad and practical; that the
school environment be sanitary as
| well as beautiful. Then we shall
nave school I'm the country that
VIII appeal to the imagination Of the
country boys and girls and will
arouse their enthusiasm for greater
intellectual attainments-Prog
| Farmer.