The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-04-03
EDUCATIONAL.
(BY C. w. MEIsNEsT.)
THE RELATION OF THE SCHOOL
TO THE HOME.
Continued from last week

TO THE HOME.
Continued from last week
Since tin. school is part Of the home
it ought to be like home. The COM
munity should take special pride in
making and keeping this ''children's
community home" an ideal place for
the children to live. Here the child
rem are housed for six hours of the
day, five days of the week and at least
eight months of the year. The envi
ronment in which the child lives has a
| large influence upon the child's char
| acter. Just as cleanliness, orderliness
and attractiveness in the home have
an influence upon the development and
character of the children, so these
qualities in the school room exert ST.
lent but powerful influence which en-
ters into the very souls of the young
people assembled there. Every COM
munity should make special effort to
have its school room clean, sanitary,
comfortable and attractive. The mon
ey which is used in keeping the school
house in good condition is we'll spent.
Just as the walls OF the home are made
attractive by means Of pictures, SO the
walls of the school room should be tas-
tily decorated. A few good pictures
add much to the attractiveness Of any
school room, The school yard also
should be made attractive. A neat
school house surrounded by attractive
grounds has an elevating influence up
on the whole community and Indirect
ly influences every home in the neigh
borhood.
Both the teachers and the parents
should realize the Importance of the
fact that the teacher in the school
takes the place of the parent in the
home. 1t is not the work of the teach
er to merely teach reading, arithmetic
geography, spelling, etc., but it is to
look after the children in the capacity
of an intelligent parent. The child's
|
receive the teachers consideration
just as much as the advancement in
any particular study. The neatness of
the school room, the care of the out
buildings, the heating and ventilation,
and the regulation of light are matters
which should receive the teachers
constant attention. The playground
is also factor of school life that should
receive the teachers attention. The
playground may be thought of as civic
laboratory. BY it many lesson can
be taught that will have a direct in
tiuence on the children's lives. A
game properly played can be made the
means of impressing upon the children
fairness, consideration and respect for
the rights OF others, and obedience to
law. There are several reasons why
The teacher should be with the child
rem on the playground for part of
the time, at least), but the most promi-
nent one is that the teacher, taking the
place OF the parent, must be held re-
sponsible for their well-being and we'll
doing during the time that they are
entrusted to his care. This feature is
emphasized here for the reason that
there are parents who find fault with
the teacher who is "playing with the
kids Ii we stop to consider this mat
ter seriously we should rather compli-
ment the teacher who keeps an eye on
the children or is with them when they
are on the playground.
Another phase of this question de-
serves mention. We have been urg-
ing that the home should stand back
of the school and uphold its authority.
This suggestion Is sound and should be
followed, but there is supplementary
suggestion that is equally vital: The
school stand back OF the home and help
the home to develop In the children
those qualities which will insure sue
cess. What are some of the Things
that the school can do to bring about
this relation? If we consider the
bringing up OF children from It's broad
est standpoint, we shall find that one of
the most important things is to deve-
lop in the child the love of work. One
who early in life learns to dc things,
to do them well, and learns to love
these activities Is assured of success.
TO induce the children to enter into
the common, everyday duties OF the
home in the right spirit is one of the
fundamental problems In child-develop-
ment. Here is where the country life
has greater advantages for the child
than has city life. In the country
there are many things which child
can do, and generally does do, that de-
velop in him feeling Of responsibility.
1t should ever be the work OF the teach
er to impress upon the child that the
performance Of these duties In the home
is an essential part OF his education
] The attitude OF the teacher toward the
duties and responsibilities of life has
much TO do with the child's attitude,
and aside from the parent, no other
person exerts so great an influence.
|, n the teacher shows on every possible
occasion the right attitude toward
common labor, his influence will be
felt in the whole neighborhood and
reflected by the children through the
attitude they take towards these duties