The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-04-26

or Parent Teachers Associations.
The teacher should know what
demands the home makes upon the
child and what helps and hindran-
ces he oencounters there. On the
other hand the parent should know
how he reacts TO the school and
what the school expects OF him.
When the home projects itself into
the school the home finds out lot Of
things most useful for the home TO
know-useful for the boy or girl
and useful for the community Of
which the pupil is to become re-
sponsible member.
The whole attitude Of n school
faculty is changed when its mem.
bers know that the parents really
care. In short. direct assurance
from parents 10 teachers that the
home is as anxious about the child
as the school is. gives the school
new motives and new courage. II
transforms the whole situation.
We have come 10 agree that the
supreme effort Of the school is TO
train the individual for social ef-
flciency. for intelligent and effective
participation in community life. II
such is 10 be accomplished the boys
and girls are 10 learn that respon-
sibility is not a thing 10 be submit
ted 10 but 10 be sought for: that
duty is not an object Of surrender
but Of devotion: that every man is TO
be not merely consumer but a
producer and is to add his full share
to the useful activity in the world.
In this, school and home must work
unremittingly together.
To my mind the purpose Of Par
ent-Teacher's Association is three
fold:
First: II should make possible 10
the parent thoro understanding OF
the aims and problems Of the school,
thus leading 10 practical co-opera-
tion between parent and teacher,
and closer companionship between
child and parent and also between
child and teacher.
Second: u should instruct the par
ents concerning the care Of their
children.
Third: II should promote the so
cial interests Of the neighborhood.
In one association with which I
have been somewhat acquainted,
special instances were pointed out
where the parent could assist the
teacher. She explained why a tired
and hungry child could not do the
intellectual work Of the school. A
talk was given on the evil results OF
children playing in the streets;
How Parents Can Cooperate with
Teachers. Cleanliness in the
Schoolroon." One speaker showed.
that soilcd and torn clothing and
nnkcmpt bodies lessen the child's
selr-respect and place him below
the moral standard Of the school.
On one occasion the teacher OF the
district conducted an investigation
and made a report on the way in
which the children OF the district
spent their evenings and how the
loss Of sleep rendered them unfit
for school the next day. This shows
some Of the efforts made by the
teachers 10 make the parents &C
quainted with problems Of school.
Similar practical questions have
been suggested by parents. One
mother spoke Of the fighting among
the boys of the neighborhood, others
ON playing marbles for keeps, novel
reading, habit of spending too much
money for cheap candy, children
playing in the streets, bad condi-
tions Of some streets and vacant lots.
Committees were appointed TO in
vestigate and report on several OF
these subjects. Books for Children"
has been discussed in many places
and | believe that here a visit OF
the mothers TO the Lower Library
where the books best for children's
reading could be shown them by the
Librarian would impress upon them