The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-14
March 10. t9fG.


Editor Vrginsan:
sir.-What is the matter with our public
hools7 This is the question that Is heard daily in
Virginia Well. don't know whether / have had
experience enough TO answer this or not At
least, l am going to express my opinion freely
The fault Is not In the teachers always
think it lies with the patrons Most people
blame the teachers, bu1 friends, for the sake OF
fault with your teachers. She has troubles OF
her own; YOU know children tell her everything
YOU say and / tell you things told by school
children cut deeper than two-edged sword
A teacher has feelings as well any other per
son. and she IS human being as we'll as you
are 1 cant imagine what some people (wen
don't know whether they belong to the race
we call people or not; in soma cases they still
nave that heathenish twang swinging to
them take teachers to he. Do you expect them
TO make pets out of your children Do you
want her to go with each child home every
afternoon 10 get the other children from look
ing at your children or even speaking TO them?
Or do YOU want her to have carriages TO send
them home i'm Do you want your children To
hc set up az models for other children to 30
by? Do YOU want them paid the respects by
teachers and ch Idren as the Engiis1 people
pJfd Queen Victatia ~ ring the Diamond Jubilee
Just because You let them come 20 school?
DO you think it is doing the teacher any
good for them TO Gomez
1t seems to some patrons think they are
doing the teachers great harm to keep their
Now / wonder how many have so little gray
matter to think that. Do you think you are
harning the teacher? Well, can tell you you
are vastly mistaken. I shall tell you whom yon
hsrming, II is your own Child--your own
child you are njuring.
The child is growing up in ignorance. oh! my
sympathy goes out when / see people, with chill
dren, who have little thought for the good
of them, Fathers and mothers is that the kind
Of love you have for your children? DO you
call that parental love? VOL, If my parents
have that so-caied love for me. ] tell You now l
don't want any OF f.
Another thing is the lack of cooperation
Patrons do not cooperate with the teachers; in
stead OF giving them help they pull back
The teachers need your help. and when you
hear person say II disguised with free
schools" you know what l think? l just con-
slider the source. The best place is the bottom
OF the ocean for such people ] heard "a patron
say not long ago. that schools forty years ago
were better than schools of today tried to
point out the difference and make plain the
advantages We have To-Day, but l could not
change him mite. You know what | did ? /
considered the source
I don't think any man with common sense
could stand for schools of forty years ago in
place of schools Of today.
When patrons listen every little hing the
children tell them you will hear them say: Well
can stop ~ children. have work for them
to do at home. Now what child in the
first, second and third grades do a farm?
Yes. let them stop. The teacher is not the
loser; | dare say the teacher will worry over
the child and wish for the child TO come back,
as the child is the loser. But the teacher ought
not to worry. Parents--patrons-yo are the
ones that viii reap the harvest least,
Your children will reap the harvest. The-4eacher
sill not.
Patrons, patrons for the sake Of harmony,
please try and help your teachers cooperate
with them, and don't he more ready to listen to
the voices Of your children than TO your teacher.
New. any good teacher will do her. aast for
the children, and instead OF parents running
TO the teacher telling her how TO run the school,