The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-27

tDid you ever say anything to your she did for him?
 Did you know whether her work was worthy of appreciation or whether it would have been better for him to have been out of that roomg
 Did you try to find out?
 Did you ever eriticise that teacher per- sonally or as a teacher?
 Did you know your criticism was just? 7 If you found that it was did you try to help her. or did you either make it harder for her by criticising or else pay no attention to the matter?
 You cannot do your duty and be nega- tive towards your child's teacher and to- ward his life at school. In all probability you will not have to help the teacher out of any difficulty, for few teachers are employed who are not competent to meet whatever conditions they may find in their school; but occasionally there Is a teacher whoTis confronted with more than she can manage, and she needs you to help her. If you can lend a hand to straighten out things for her that is 30 much the better, but at least you can live her your friendship.
 ' It is especially hard for a girl who goes to school in the country or in one Of the mining towns, for there the in ferests are few and often the school is made to bear the brunt of gossip and III feeling between people in the commun- fly. In a short time the tearchers are Involved and a thread of discomfort runs 1r< ..f tl.f tIs a large school in a mining town not far from here It could be of the very best schools of its kind in the state. but for years 1t has been handicapped by spite and discord among the pat cons, who drew the teachers into the con- troversy.- This year they are losing one of the strongest grade teachers that the county has ever had simply because of the conditions under which she had to work The people there doubtless think they want good school. and yet they have themselves prevented that for term jhfter term.
 Don't be one to make 1t harder for the teacher who takes charge of your child or who goes to your community. During the institute of the past week teacher said One of my patrons told me last winter that she knew her children's un- satisfactory progress in school lay in the fact that she herself talked too much about the school in their presence Was that fair to the teacher, to herself to the children?
 If parents could realize how much harder they make the teachers work by doing this and also by their failure to teach their children good manners and consideration for others and self-control, and how great a handicap they give their children, surely, surely they would do their part
 As a rule the teacher is anxious to do ' her best in every way at school. and yet her work is often hindered by the parents themselves.
 certain mother gave 8 teacher of her two daughters some anxious moments during the time they were in her school room in an Alabama town. The mother was a "don't worry advocate. She wouldn't worry. She was most spon- Naneously happy and care free, with no more sense of responsibility than a child. and her family was going to rack and ruin because she wouldn't worry, or at least devote enough thought to her hus- band to supply the companionship he needed nor to her children to train them Her daughters were IA, and 16 years old and in one of the upper grammar grades The older girl was frail, thin, threatened with tuberculosis, sensitive and timid. It was almost impossible for her to study because all her energy was needed mere ly to live. The younger girl was < robust tom-boy, restless. talented in many ways, warm hearted, unrestrained She needed above all else the restraint and mental discipline of school She can never amount to anything unless she be sbeld down to study and to the perfec- tion of some one of her talents, while her sister bids fair not to live to need the education for which she is sacrificing her health.
 The teacher went to their home more