The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-04-08

VI win NNe '1~ w yoo ""AN
them to do?" She answered, 81 want
them to be missionaries to India"
Then came to me the appropriateness
of that last prayer of the Great Master
when He prayed the Father to take
them out of the world. 1t is not the
purpose of the teachers Of the public
schools to take the child put of the
world, or away from the farm, but to
give the best of the child to the world
or the farm, so that they may be true
workers. knowing how to do their
work better and how best to serve
mankind. If we wish to teach the
children the dignity of labor, we must
teach them that it is just as honorable
to do one kind of work as it is to do an
other kind. | have yet to learn who is
the most important man on a railroad
train, whether it is the engineer, the
fireman or the conductor. You will
find if the fireman does not do his
work the train will not move; if the
engineer does not do his it will not
move, and if the conductor does net
do his work you will arrive at your
destination sooner by walking han by
being on the train. | have yet to learn
which Is the most important work in
a school, that of the board Of educa-
ton or the teacher that they have hir-
ed. In my opinion if the board does
not do their work properly the teacher
will take it for granted that there isn't
much required.
Nothing will help the teacher in a
school so much as making the ac-
quaintance of the parents, getting
them to understand what she is trying
to do and enlisting their sympathy and
cooperation. In the old days when
the teacher boarded around" she
came to know her patrons by the end
Of the term,-not soon enough to do
much good. But now during her en-
tire stay in the neighborhood she may
see none except the family with which
she lives.
1t would help materially, If within
the first two weeks after coming into
the ne%ighborhood she would invite the
pupils and their parents to an &C
quaintance gathering, where they
should have a good time with her and
with each other. In every community
there can be found at least one fam
lily which has a monograph which a
readily be borrowed for the occasion,
for the amusement Of the whole COM
pany. A little lemonade, or a candy
pull or a corn popping will add to the
entertainment and incline the people
to come again.
These gatherings should be held at
a time when the men may attend;
they should occur at least monthly;
and their Interior purpose should be
cultural.
A good article or story read at these
meetings, a collection of insects about
which teacher and patrons can ex-
change information, a little investiga-
ton of the soil formation of the vicin-
ity. or a study Of the geography Of the
heavens, will capture the interest of
the children and the adults alike.
1t has often been noticed that If one
has a particular ailment he hears of
scores who have been similarly affect
ed; though no one W before had
mentioned them to him. 1t is COM
munity of interest that calls the stories
forth. In the same way, let the teach
er once manifest her interest in plants,
or soil or bugs, and children will bring
her all kinds Of specimens, mothers
will send odd looking flowers, and
farmers will stop their plows to pick
up and send any unusual thing they
may find In the furrow.
1t is wonderful how much a little
effort of this kind will do to awaken
a community spirit which will tighten
the toll of both teacher and patron;
for nothing is drudgery when the toiler
has pleasant company in his thoughts,
and the teacher will be surprised at
the eagerness manifested by certain
dull pupils and at how much she her
self can learn of trees and insects from
the lad who finds arithmetic too hard
for him, or like Mark Twain would
rather be ignorant than to know so
much that "aint So" And when that
surliest of boys, of his own accord
brings to school a snail shell or a
maple leaf, the teacher may know that
she has him solid and secure, for the
root IF fho form