The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1913-08-01

criticism of our public schools. our
school system is far from perfect;
our State Schools, also, have many
faults, and much of the criticism they
receive is just; even the publishers
OF our school books are receiving
their share of the blame which is also
just. They all need investigating ana
correcting.
But homemakers can do much for
the school in which they are directly
interested by improving the home
life of their children.
Years ago Gembetta saiG:-"Why
befuddle our brains, our reasoning
faculties with i'll favored dreams.
Let us wipe away the cobwebs and
accept the glorious truth, that any
government rises or falls on the vir-
tues of weaknesses of its homes"
The home is the keystone of human
existence. The true thinkers of to-
day are pointing out for us the neces-
sity of the ideal home, where the
father and mother are united for all
that is the best and where the child
lives in unity with the parents. With
in this true home gossip and envy do
not dwell; the good reputation Of
neighbor and friend is held sacred.
There are no bad habits, no Wrang-
ling among members of the family,
no skeleton to keep securely locked
within the closet. The parents stoop
if necessary to understand child life,
and the childs thoughts are lifted
up to the parents. There is mutual
respect and love; harmony, content
ment and peace abide therein. Our
schools, as well as the community are
greatly benefited by the true home; it
is not difficult to attain such a home;
it comes by practicing the simplest
virtues, truthfulness, thoughtfulness,
kindness and making the most and
best of self and each other. The prac-
tice of these virtues produce the true,
successful home and this becomes the
keystone for all action. The destiny
of the home, which controls the deS-
tiny of the nation, is within our keep
ing.
The child's education begins in the
home; his rights are respected, and
he is taught to respect others. If he
feels the spirit OF respect in lis home
surroundings he will reverence those
things that make for right in his
school life. He learns that respect
for the rights of others is big thing
in more ways than one. His conduct
speaks of an education not only of
the rights of others but of self-control,
independence, and all that makes the
good citizen. If parents would con
slider more of what is necessary to
develop the good citizen much of our
school difficulties would be overcome.
Home and school are two factors in
the child's life that cannot be abso-
lutely separated; their course must
be connected in many ways. Parents
should secure the most cordial and
close cooperation with the school
their child attends; we should know
what happens to our child there;
often school life reveals a phase of
our child's nature of which we are
totally ignorant.
Our magazines, ministers and pub
lie men may work and talk for years
to come on the perfecting of our
schools for the benefit of the child,
but after all they must recognize that
the true home is the child's first safe
guard, and that practicing the simple
virtues are the means which produce
the home life we need. While blam-
ing our schools for not doing the
work we think they should, let US
look to the spirit of the home which
is the most potent educational factor
Let US commence today to make our
homes places where there is an ap-
probation of the beautiful and true,
where there is an atmosphere of re-
finement and moral Writ e. which the
child absorbs and assimilates. If we
have such home we have done much
toward fulfilling our duty to the
School.-Word and Works