Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1921-10-27

of every child within its bounds. But
some do not seem to realize that they
have duty toward the state, and
that that duty is to see that every
child of Sabotage in the state is in
school every day during the session
when it is possible to do so. The
state needs this in order that its flu
ture citizens may be so trained and
educated that they will guide the fu-
ture ship of state into the proper
Ihaven.
No one can rise above his ideal.
Ideals are built up from material fur
nlshed to people in the form of
ideas and thoughts. Ideas and
thoughts come through the five sep
cial senses from our environments in
the home and in the school and other
places.
! There are three periods in the child's
life that are of much Importance to
the parents-birth, entering school and
marriage. Who knows the ecstacy,
the hope, the fear at the child's birth
except the mother? But are our young
mothers qualified to guide and direct
the new life that is placed unde their
direction? When we consider that the
average age of the young mother is
probably not above Is, and that she
has had practically no training for
motherhood we must conclude that she
is not qualified.
Then, where shall we go for the
proper training of the child? The
school is the next to the family. The
schools will be great failure with
out proper equipment; and the most
important part of this equipment is
the teacher. Money spent on the
teacher who teaches for short period
simply as an annuity is practically
wasted.
If public education is to save our
people, there must be permanent
teaching class with we'll defined ira
ditions, rights, duties and preroga-
tives, and the members of this class
must not only maintain their own
self-respect, but they must secure the
respect of the public. They must
constitute one of the leading profess
.slons. The teacher must be one who
lures to brighter worlds and leads
the way" The immortal influence of
the teacher is due not only to his in
tellect, not alone to his method, but
largely to the soul that is within
him.
The second period in the childs life
that causes so much pain and ioy and
hope in the parents breast is the dav
when the child first leaves the pa
rental roof to enter school; there. for
the first time, to enter under the care
and control and guidance of one who
stands in loco PARENTS"
What culver and a flutter in the
breast of that mother when she
watches that child march awav for
school on that first dayi How she
hopes and wishes that the right
teacher and the proper environments
have been provided for her child that
It's destiny may be shaped and di-
rected as she has already planned.
The third anxious period for the
parents in the child's life is when it
takes mate and thus places itself
IN as equally responsible position as
It's parents. But generally speaking.
there need not be very much worry
about this period if the other two pc
RODS have been properly cared for.
Many years ago the teachers would
argue that if the state wished to re-
tain the best qualified men and wonl-
en- in the schools it must pay them
better wages. But am now wonder
ing if the qualifications and the
ability of our teachers are higher and
better today than they were Is years
ago, when the state was spending
about half as much on each pupil as
it is today. The state is doing better
on its part. Have the teachers stood
up as men and women and matched
their appreciation against our states
iberality?
| have very high regard for the
teacher. I was a teacher myself for
Is years. Only the parent takes a
higher place in my estimation than
the teacher. Many men and women |
have wrought well and stood in high |
places in this world.
The financier, the philanthropist,
the statesman, the warrior, the phvsi-
clan, all have challenged the world to |
strive for higher ideals. But all these
had q beginning. They all had some
one to direct the course Of their lives,