Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1916-08-02
PARENT-TEACHERS'
DAY OBSERVED
Interesting Speeches And
Helpful Suggestions

served at the Delaware College
Summer School last Thursday and
proved to be one of the most in
teresting sessions of the sum-
mer's program. All the leading
educators Of Delaware were pre-
sent, and the conference was a
helpful one. The program OPEN
ed with a selection by the Glee
Club, followed by talks by Super
intendent Hardesty of Sussex, and
Superintendent Carol of Kent.
A strong paper defining the
work of the local organization,
prepared by Mrs. Garrett Harring-
ton, president of the Delaware
Parent-Teachers' Association, was
read by Miss Hulda Brust.
"The place of parents as educa-
tors has not been considered"
Mrs Harrington says, "in the edu-
cational system, yet it is true that
the home has the largest work to
do in the education of children.
From birth until the child enters
school, parents are the sole teach
ers of the child. and even when
school days begin, the home still
has the larger responsibility, for
the school has the care of the
child about 800 hours in the year
while the home has the care 7460
hours each year. The relative
Importance of home and school
education is clearly shown by the
comparison of the time each is
given for it's educational work.
"Teachers are we'll provided
with opportunities for prepara-
ton for their educational work,
and each year higher standards of
preparation are demanded. Most
parents are plunged into their
great educational work with ut
preparation. without knowledge
concerning health, infant hygiene,
mental development, or the forma-
ton of moral habits, and with no.
where to turn in order to learn the
Fundamental principles of success
full child-nurture-y ct without
such information the lives and
future well-being of their chill
dren are jeopardized.
"To provide opportunity for
parents to understand a baby's
requirements means at least sew
enty per cent of babies lives
saved. To provide opportunity to
understand methods of guidance
of little children during the habit
forming years of their lives, to
meet the thousands of questions
the children ask. to understand
the great transition period be-
tween childhood and youth, to
make the home a constructive ed
vocational force, means the build
ing of character on a firm moral
foundation, and the prevention of
crime"
Mrs. Harrington's paper defined
the aims of the state organiza-
tions and gave many practical and
helpful suggestions.
Professor Mary E. Rich, of the
Women's College. Dean of Women
at the Summer School, introduced
as "the one indispensable per-
SON." was greeted by the students
with prolonged applause. Miss
Rich talked enthusiastically of
the relation Of the teacher to the
association. "The teacher must
furnish the personality, the power
behind the association she said.
"She must get as many to work as
she can, plan to do definite piece
of work, and have an abundance
of enthusiasm if she would attain
success.
"The teacher must first of all
be enthusiastic" the speaker de-
clared. "She must believe in the
idea, be willing to work for it, in
other words be the cheer leader
of the association. She must
create greater interest in the
health of the community, for she
cannot safeguard the health of
one little child without looking to
the welfare of all. She must re-
member the range of the sympa-
thv determines ones personality,
and she must strive to stir a SYM
pathy in all child life.
"In most communities the teach
er is an outsider. That means the
teacher can come in and size up
not size down-the community.
She can stand off and look and
seize upon what is good. The sue
cessful teacher will steadfastly
avoid the petty differences that
keen the people apart. As a