Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-30
CHAT


Schoolward the minds OF parents and
children are turned. Schoolward also are
turned the minds Of the teachers. and
sometimes my sympathies are all for
the teachers. Before I had made my
low 10 the public and had heard the
other side OF the story I thought that
those FIRST DAYS were worse for the chill
dren than for anybody else My mother
used TO 20 with me and herself make
the acquaintance OF the teacher, and /
can see now that her sympathies were
with the girl who was a stranger in a
strange land
Once in a distant state l saw a young
man who seemed in the depths Of despon-
dency The rest OF US were having such
a good time that ! asked his sister If he
was sick. and when she said IL was be-
cause he had to take a new school the
next Monday / asked II he was afraid
OF the big boys or could not do the work.
Both questions amused her very much
for ne was a big fellow and well edu-
Gated.
Child he said. when she told him,
.'you don't know what il means to go
TO q neighbOrhood and not even know
the people YOU are to board with. IL
you are reserved because you don't know
how they viii take mere friendliness you
may hear afterward that the report went
out that you are stuck up. II yQu
try TO be friendly they may label you
fresh You go to church and every
eyeii Is on you. but mighty few hands are
extended 10 greet you. The children shy
around and you are conscious of meas
urements being taken that put you at a
disadvantages, Can you wonder that
am Ike an eel on a bed of Goals? am
>gOing TO just such a place. and I do not
enjoy the prospect"
Since then I've heard girls tell of their
experiences; each thinks theirs worse than
any other. 1t has put me to thinking of
the stranger within our gates and the
easy thing Il would be to give them the
welcome they should have.
Just a few days ago a question was
asked me that I am sure I've answered
hundred times. II is a very reasonable
question. or IL would not be in the minds
of>so many Miss Thomas. didn't you
nearly die of loneliness when you were
IN Japan2 I don't believe I could have
spent a year there. inconsistencies is
something that cannot contend with"
Ny invariable answer is: 4 didn't
allow myself to get lonely; there WIS
too much to be done from the very
day ! reached the school II there IS
nothing else 10 do one can get book
that required ones undivided atten-
ton. and IL may be that one mast
read a page over and over to get IN
idea Of what is on IL. but after a time
one forgets to be lonely" However,
I've decided I'd rather be a stranger
In strange land than encounter some
Of the experiences some OF the young
men and girls undergo when they
start TO teaching.
Mothers are now busy getting
school clothes ready. books are being
hunted up. baskets are being airso
and new napkins hemmed. How many
parents. for here is where there
should be the heartiest cooperation.
are talking TO their children about
courtesy The real courtesy thar
shows ones best side 10 teacher ant.
feIIow-pupil.
Some great man once said that
~heu We revenged ourselves on an
enemy We merely got even with him,
but when We ignored rudeness OF
malice We showed our superiority
And when parents teach their children
that true culture cannot be obtained
merely BY reciting lessons, that IL
takes politensSs. helpfulness ano
friendhness as we'll as book knowI-
edge 10 make culture. they are starr
fas their children along the RICH.
path Education is Of inestimable
value. riches fly away. health is 70,
dependable. and both are more enjoy
ed II educatical is combined with them.
but I've seen men and women whO
could not write their names who wer.
OF natures nobility. So don't let the
children get the idea in their heads
that mere knowledge OF books will list
them above their honest old fathers
and mothers.
Last June some girls and boys came
from college very much huffed up;
their one, two or three years had lift
ed them higher than any one in The
neighborhood. / hope they have learn
ed better ere this. Don't blame the
school; they are snobs. pure and sim
pie and they would have displayed II
even II they had never gone TO any
school: money or something would
have brought IL to the surface.
Schoolward the minds OF the people
are turned What sort Of teacher did
you select? Did you get one that 20
years from now viii be quoted as an-
thority BY some good man or woman
Have the lessons in gentleness. fhe
stories OF nobleness and cleanminded-
ness that we're told last year chung to
your children, and have you helped
that teacher BY telling him or her OF
the good done your child2
What sort Of school house have you2
Here Is where there must be co-opera-
ton. The yard must be plowed. flowers
planted and the premises kept In good
order. I heard a man laugh about his
BOY drowning the flower beds Of a Ger
ain school. he went back after the 9TH
rs had gone and did his sneaking work
felt like telling him that I would give
hat boy three years OF gradual mean.