Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-01-09
HER LITTLE FREDDY WOKE THEM ALL Up.
Mothers Perfectly Proper lndig-
nation at Awful Way the
Daring Was Treated.


sighed. "They certainly have queer
teachers in the schools nowadays" sne
coniided to the woman In grape color
"Your Evangeline is in the same class
with my Frederick, isn't she? Well,
what do you think of that Miss Etter.
lex they have to teach them"
TT don't know" confessed the
woman in grape color. 1--WE been so
busy getting the house cleaned and
doing the other fall work that ! haven't
had time to visit the school," '.. .
Then you'd better!" solemnly de-
clared the woman in heliotrope. my
dear, some one ought to do something!
why, when l think OF Frederick IN
that Miss Etterick's charge all year.
and with his sensitive nature, / am
terribly upset! Do you know what
that woman did? Wrote me note
saying that Frederick was not doing
well in his arithmetic. She said he
evidently needed to put more work on
1t!
well, after the receipt of that note
went to the school just as fast as
could! r 49,
"'Miss Etterick,' i said to her. I
don't suppose you realize that when
you criticize Frederick you are crush
ing all the life and spirit out of him
He is not like other boys / said. He
needs encouragement and help and in
terest, and l am sure he works very
hard!'
"She sort of sighed and looked at
me in cold way. You could see she
was not trying in the least to make
herself agreeable. Help! Interest!
she repeated the words.
"And then she declared that she de-
voted twice as much time to Frederick
as to any other boy in the class and
that she was perfectly discouraged at
his lack of interest. She said he knew
nothing at all that day about the les
son.
II explained to her that Frederick
had had no time to study at home the
previous evening because had taken
him to children's party-and she had
the effrontery to say that children
shouldn't go to parties on school
nights! That was too ridiculous, for
the party was at the Bertons. | told
her so-and she said stolidly: What
of it?' The Bertons! Why, know
women who'd give their eye teeth to
get their children noticed by the Ber-
tons! Of course your Evangeline
wasn't asked because you've only lived
here two years, and Mrs. Berton is so
particular with whom her children as
sociate. She selects only the very
best. OF course, II she really knew
Evangeline l am sure"
ooh, think we can live without the
Bertons!" declared the woman in
grape color, frostily.
I'm sorry you take it so hard" said
the woman in heliotrope. But we
were speaking about Miss Etterick.
told her that Frederick was nervous
and sensitive and that was not going
to have him ruin his constitution
studying and become nervous wreck.
pointed out to her that what she was
being paid for was to get children
through her grade without bothering
the parents, who have many cares and
responsibilities.
aft you we're capable teacher.
Miss Etterick,' said, instead of COM
planning about poor little Frederick
and making his life miserable with
your nagging you would know what to
do to push him ahead! am sure that's
what a teacher ought to do
Really, my dear, I thought for a
minute that awful woman was going
to be insufferably insolent. She said
something about it's not being her duty
to furnish brains for her pupils, but l
ignored it. She is utterly impossible.
"T shall expect told her, firmly,
good reports from Frederick from
now ONT
al am sure she said, I hope you'll
get them! But If you want good re-
ports from him you must make him
study!' -
"'Miss Etterick,' replied, I am en-
deavoring to bring up my son in way
that will encourage him to do things
without being made! l would not in
suit his intelligence by ordering him to
do anything! $
"'With your heartless ideas about
children told her, I wonder how you
manage to hold your position. If Fred
erick fails to pass to the next grade at
the end of the year shall know the
reason! 1t will be because he was
worked to death by you and his nerves
shattered!'
"Then walked away and left her
speeches.. think 1t was shock to
her to see her real self SO accurately
described. My dear, l advise you to
60 and see what that woman is doing
to Evangeline before it is too late!
The idea of her trying to make my
Frederick study against his will when
Frederick Is SO !"-Chicago
Daily News. as "