The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-26

joints the United States on the south west, that Columbus did not come from Spain or Italy. but from Flu rope, and when a disgrunted parent who allows her child to stay at home half the time complain that "her boy don't learn nothin' at school, he's got such a keerless teacher; and times when a victor comes in just after child has pulled a shade off the roller, sees the wreck, criticizes the teacher blessfully unconscious that the same teacher had just been mentally con- graduating herself on not scolding the child and having self-eontrol enough to take the accident seriously.
 Nothing, nothing but her sense of humor will save the teacher when these things come-and blessed is that teacher who has a generous supply of humor
 The story which follows was written by that kind. She is Miss Sammie Hale of Huntsville, and she wrote this Mod ern Fable sometime ago when she was teaching in Jefferson county school. 1t was thoroughly enjoyed by seevral of her friends and she consented for it to be used again.
 The accompanying illustrations are from the school at Powderly, and are the work of some of the pupils in the drawing classes of Miss Annie Jones.
 A Modern Fable
 "In a certain town In Alabama a young woman, fresh from an eastern college, secured a position in a public school. She had graduated from a To- cal high school and had then selected one of the eastern colleges for her Alma Mater. because it spelled culture with large capitals. She studied all the isms and ologies in the curriculum from mysticism to sociology, including a course in child study conducted by Bostonian.
 Graduating with distinction and taking state teachers examinations at a bound, it was quite easy to secure a position in one of the new schools just being launched on its career of illumination.
 Behold her now on this opening day of school, ready for the fray. Armed with text books, notebooks, record books, and above all, with generous supply of fresh, new theories, she ap- pears at school
 She meets her pupils first, second, third and fourth grades in a two- teacher school with a conventional l smile, not too slight lest they fail to be attracted, not too engaging lest they grow presuming. Her model schedule is in plain view and she knows exactly what she Is going to do every minute of the day--at least I she thinks she does.
 Things go fairly we'll. She tells a pretty story. lets the children sing a little song, and interests them in some occupation material. This ends the first day. Five days are the first week and four weeks are the nrss | month.
 Inn hn nh No ginning to lose their holiday freshness and often come to school looking as if ! they had missed their dail scrubbing Some of the little girls have to be but toned or pinned up frequently, and the supply of towels in the cloakroom seems inadequate.
 Tn the Thursday evening experience | meeting the new teacher asks advice The teacer of long standing instructs her, when they come to school in that state, send them home to get ready all over again
 But won't the mother be insulted?
 ".We can't help that When she will not keep her children clean, we must
 "'Oh. I see. We must be stepmother or mother-in-law; the young teacher thinks this over and tries ts be a good stepmother.'
 Next the principal inquiries how the
  instruction in physiology and hygiene. "She says very frankiy:. T am not doing much. I tell the children about the importance of fresh air and clean Illness, talk to them a little about germs and try to get them to hold themselves erect and to breathe deeply. and I keep the room well ventilated and try to keep an even temperature. "But you must tell them about proper food and the effect of alcohol and to- bacco on the system. An ounce of prevention is better than pound of cure says the up-to-date principal
 Then I must be also a chemist and a physician as well as a stepmother," Is the conclusion forced upon this ear nest young teacher.
 Again the principal inquires: What do you think of beginning instruction in vocal music? Can you teach class singinR?"
 Dear me- mol One of tho greatest disappointments of my life is that can't carry a tune in a tin bucket with the lid on. I cannot teach music"
 "Oh it is very simple. Anyone of ordinary intelligence can learn to do it. It Is too bad for these children to be so neglected. We positively must be- gin 1t next year"
 "I see," thought tho young teacher. T must be a musician. whether or no. if I am able to keep at respectable distance from the rear of the process sion."
 "How much time are you giving to drawing and manual training2'
 Thirty minutes on Friday afternoon, It is all have been able to epare,"
 ''Very good. l am pleased to see you take so kindly to these subjects and trust you will be able to arrange for more work of this sort. oh horrors! Whatever else I can do or must do, l. cannot make more than 24 hours in day she thinks.
 At just about this period of the school year, there is an appalling.