The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-03-28
The Teachcr-MOthcr<.

While the members of the Board nf Edit
home by keeping the mothers from I'LL
ing positions as teachers in our pubic
schools. the mothers are just Is sura
that they are not.
The board claims that il the mothers
are allowed to ill positions as teach-
erS. II would ncCesSitate the neglect Of
| tn" duties OF the home. The first and
| most important duty of the mother j.
to hold and b" governed by right ideals.
for Il silent example is worth more than
many prec"pts. Then come the duties
| of wifchOOd. motherhood, and home man
asement. With all she must maintain
| peace and harmony i'll the home. II
| sn" fuiftlls thrS,. duties, could any on,
say that she was not protecting the
home?
"" must all admit that teaching in
! the public schools cannot in any way
| lower h"r ideals. in fact. it should hay"
| IN" opposite effect, as she is constantly
| brought III touch with the highest
thought. AND is associated with those
! whose primary interest is. o.! should nc.
| the moldinS Of tc" child thought to the
] very highest ideals. No one can deny
that woman with the right ideals will
| faithfully serve the duties of wifehoOd
\ and motherhood
| Secondly. Il good teacher loves children.
and motherhood is the natural express
| sion of that love. There is absolutely
! no use in trying to solve the race suicide
| problem by rules. Many rules and laws
| have been mad" for that purpose, but
| still statistics show that the birth rate
1 is decreasing instead III increasing. So it
seems that IT is time to try some other
method Of solving the problem.
q. L.
| est man? No; but if in some way We
can give the boy right ideals. So that
he will consider honesty the best policy"
| make him see That to h" honest is to he
happy-thc state for which are all
striving in one way or annth"r-we have
an honest man. who needs no rules to
regulate his conduct. Why would not
the same method of correction apply to
the race suicide question?
The trouble iS. Our girls do not >s"e
motherhood in the right light. They have
not the right ideals: something is want
ing in our system of education. May il
not be the living example OF motherhood
Would it not ne worth while to try that
plan and sec if that vexing race sucd"
problem cannot bc Sulved-not by eNClu'i-
ing the mother from the public schools.
but by admitting her?
Next comes the question Of division of
interest. We know that in the life of
every woman there is. and il is right
there should b.. primary and second
AIRY interest: and is thera any competitive
interest to homCmakinS in school work.
providing that he primary interest is the
home IL not. the fact is very evident.
and the teacher should be asked 10 re-
sign.
Then com, : the question al time. Does
the time required to I'll position as
teacher hinder her in the performance Of
q .Es,- 7.
the loss of one year. or even two years.
to which an automatically dismissed
teacher objects: 1t is the permanent dis
miSSal. She would even he willing to
give up her position altogether. to become
a mother. if when the prescribed one or
two Years had elapsed she were par
mtted to return to school work. But.
SAYS the Board of Education. She must
remain at home and care for her child.
That IS their opinion. hut | do not be-
lCve there is Il mother who VIII agree
that if 4 child IS put in tn" care of Il
competent nurse. during IN" necessary
absence Of the mother. IT vii! suffer IN
any way. Then ut the age of five years
the child goes I" school. and soon after
that its hours away from home are iden-
teal with tusSc ii its mother. which
would not he true If shr We're engaged in
any oth"r work except houS"work. which.
although that would not take her away
from home. requires considerably NOR"
than five hours Of her time. 80 1t seems
that a mother. who is a teacher, has
more time to devote 10 her family than
on, employed in any other way.
Then comes the question Of child train
in-s, the gradual vcluDmvnt of perfect
manhood and wumanhuud- As "A tCdCher-
is tn. mother not i'm constant training
under the supervision Of those VIII" nav"
made that very subject If" study.
Could that training b" considered other
than an aid to the mother in tn" por-
Torrance Of that very important duty
child training
Lastly. let Us consider som" ways Tn
which the mother would b" aided n
peace and harmony in th1
home. by nllinG position a. t"a"h"r.
First. her training should aid her N
self-coutrol: hence. i'll child discipline.
Second, having another important in
terest she would he likely To develop
scIfshncss in her children. by too iittls
Of her own rights. mis-
take all too common amOuE mothers.
And last, but not least. she has an in
dividuaI income. and no ono can deny
that 2 feeling Of Independence IL very
conducive I" peace Of mind. not only to
an individual but by reflection to those
with whom she associates.
Also n wife could often be Of great
service TO her husband. and at the
same time not neglect her children II
she were able to become temporarily
the family bread winner. thus eIimi-
mating that great peace destroyer,
anxiety.
That the statements which / have
made are true. any mother will affirm.
And if true. can il be said that the
home is protected" by enforcing
Rule 10" Mrs. J. II. ANDERSON.
Question OF Freedom.