The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1915-03-11
HOME ENVIRONMENT
AND EDUCATION
influence of Environment in
Building of Character.
Individuality Created or Destroyed by Home
Environment, Leaving Its Impression
That Develops Into Making or Marring
The Future Adult.
The Riverside.

= The environment is strong ele-
| ment in the education of the child. 1t
= is there that it receives its first i'm
pulses of love, anger and obedience.
1t is there that it gets its first lessons
, in Initiating, planning and direct
? ing. 1t is there that they learn their
first steps in knowledge or education,
i, to see. to like, to desire and to have.
1t is child's wardrobe of mental
clothing, and to the child his parents
, are what Adam and Eve were to
the world-th first; therefore the
child's ideas are being centered on
the parents and the home establish
ed by them.
All children love, and the home
with or without love is sure to estab-
lish within the child a plus or minus
element for other people. The in.
dividuality of the child is either
created or destroyed by home in
fuence. Even to the mature mind
the words of those who know, and
the child's impression depend upon
the knowledge which prompted these
words. A knowledge Of obedience
and government develops from fami-
ly government. No child can re-
main in the presence of teacher
long before the home government is
plainly reflected. The pupil who
says, i will obey" is the child to
be appreciated. The child who says,
I will not obey" is the one to be
pitied, because his words are an
echo of home government. Gov
ernment and discord will never har-
monize; therefore harmony has never
developed in the presence of dis
cord. A home naturally contains
one or the other and the child con-
sequently is responsive chord to
either conditions. Isolated things
have no value to the child. He is
impressed and hears. Be fore we
dare criticize him, let us ask the
question, What is the home like?"
What the school does is an i'm
portant question. and without doubt,
is the most important question in
the child's education; because it takes
the child's ability and organizes and
uses it to the best advantage for the
child in the equipment for the de-
mands of life. The school is to
confirm the good ideas made at home
and to rectify wrong impressions
formed there.
The school interprets our civilization
to the boys and girls, and civilization
determines what the school should
do for their education. Teaching is
either a noble profession CT mean
trade. To the professor it is an
organization to regard the individu-
ality of the boy or girl by preparing
them for complete living and by
developing in them ideals of spirit,
home. society. In school their facu-
lties are discipline to those things
that are rational; things that occur
in our civilization.
The school is where the child is
taught how to help mould his own
character by overcoming habits
formed in opposition to instructive
tendencies by establishing standards
within upon which to build other
standards, by learning order system,
and application, and by the assis-
tance of teacher having facts put
into the order. School education
differs from that of home education
because it is acquired principally
through system, organization and a
strict disciplining of the faculties.
AT school both the teacher and the
student body are an inspiration.
The teachers personality and ap-
pearance, the atmosphere with
which she infuses the school room