The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-03-27

by w. E. Larson and is full of thought
for boca teacher and parent.
THE RELATION OF THE SCHOOL
TO THE HOME.
l Many people look upon the school as
having no direct bearing upon the life
of community. Indeed their are per-
sons who consider the school very
much as they consider wart, a corn
or bunion--something that has grown
upon the community with no bearing
upon its life. If we could look upon
the school as one of the vital organs OF
society the attitude that we should take
toward this institution would be very
much changed.
The school is not an institution that
exists for its own sake. The home is
the fundamental institution OF society
and the primary purpose of the school
is to aud the home. The home is the
unit on which civilization is built. In
all our educational work we should con-
slider the up-building of the home as
the ultimate end of our efforts. With
the building-up of better homes the
community, the nation and mankind
itself will be better.
| The principal function of the school,
therefore, is to aid the home in the
bringing up of the children. OF all the
tasks that the people have there is
none that is of greater Importance
than the training of the younger gen.
GRAFTON. All other efforts should be
means to this end. In this great work
the home must always share the great
est responsibility, for there the funda-
mental habits are formed-habits upon
which success or failure in life largely
depend. Among these habits are obe-
dience, respect and industry The
child who is taught to obey early in
life and who is taught to do the COM
mon, everyday duties of life cheerfully
has foundation upon which the school
can safely build. On the other hand,
if the home neglect the formation of
these fundamental habits in the child,
1t is difficult for the school or any 9TH
er influence to build up suitable
character
We have schools because we need
them in the bringing up of our chill.
dren. In training them for their du-
ties in modern life there are many
things which the home cannot readily
give.
1t follows from what has been said
above that the school must be consider
ed rs part Of the home. If we had
no homes we should have no schools.
The teacher is the parents helper in
the training of the children. The pur-
pose of school training, as well as home
training, is to fit the child for his work
in life. The home and the school
should work hand in hand, each con-
tributing its own share to the develop
ment of the child
The success of this training depends
to great extent upon the way that
these two institutions work together
| There must be honest team work.
Both must realize that they are work.
| ing for the same end, each pulling
squarely on his own side of the load.
There must be no conflict between the
two as to the proper exercise OF au-
thority. AS in the case of team we
must remember that there is pole
between them, and in order to secure
the best results each must pull the
load on his own side of the pole. Moth
| ing is to be gained by one interfering
with the other. Just as the parent
must be held responsible for the home,
so the teacher must be held RESPONSE
BILE for the school. 1t would be out of
the question for the teacher to enter
the home and give the parents orders
as To how they should manage the
home. In the same way it is out OF
order for the parent to go into the
school room and give the teacher or
ders regarding the management OF the
school. Even If the teacher is not an
| ideal manager, or instructor, nothing
can be gained by the parent interfer-
ing with the teachers's work or the
teachers management
In this connection it may be worth
while to call attention to decision of
our supreme court:
"a teacher is responsible for the
discipline Of his school, and for the
progress, conduct and department OF
his pupils. 1t is his imperative duty to
maintain good order and to require OF
his pupils the faithful performance OF
their duties. II he fails to do so he is
unfit for his position. TO enable him
to discharge these duties effectually,
he must necessarily have the power TO
enforce prompt obedience to his lawful
commands. For this reason the law
gives him power, in proper cases to
innict corporal punishment upor re-
fractory pupils" as Wis, p. 1907
Let us not be misunderstood, how
ever. No parent should feel that lie Is
to be excluded from the school rooia
The school is really part OF every
home in the district, and every parent
should feel entirely free to Ienter the
school at any time for the purpose Of
visitation. II parents would visit the
school more they would realize some OF
the problems with which the teacher
has to contend, and there would be