The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-12-03

Teacher Association of that school
has held a street carnival for the
past two years and raised several
hundred dollars to use for play
ground equipment and up-keep.
At the West School the Parent
Teacher Association has equipped
playground and furnished many
things for the school. They raise
funds by an annual luncheon.
At the John Eaton School the
Parent-Teacher Association has
equipped grounds and provided
benches, a comfort rarely found in
a Washington school playground.
The association furnished the lum-
Der and the manual training shops
made the benches. There are SIS
children in the Eaton School and
because of portables in the yard
they have less space for play than
when the enrolment was 200.
The Parent-Teacher Association
has petitioned Congress to buy a
piece of ground opposite the school.
Meanwhile to hold the land the as
sociation is paying the taxes and
interest
This is by TO means complete
list OF what these associations have
done but will give the reader some
idea of their activities and accom-
plishments. But how about the sec
tions of the city where there are no
Mothers clubs or Parent-Teacher
associations to do this work? Or
II there Is an organization the moth
ers cannot afford to supply the
equipment purchased by parents in
more affluent sections of the city.
capital the equality of opportunity.
that is guaranteed by our public
school system. is being deEied the
children who most need it. Who is
going to give cleanliness. beauty
and the opportunity for healthful
play to the children in the congest-
ed sections of the city whose only
hope of a right environment is the
public school?
The Parent Teachers Association
deserves special commendation for its
work. but il should never be neces-
sary for such organizations to sup
ply the schools with necessary equip
ment. They should not be turned into
mite societies. Their purpose is to
secure cooperation between the school
and the home, to help the parent and
teacher to join hands in educating
the child and not pull him in oppo-
site directions. Only the dire need
Of the schools has called these or
ganization into the work of supply
ing what the school authorities should
supply.
But certainly no self-respecting
city wants it's schools carried on In
this way. Let the Parent Teachers
Association and the Mothers Club
continue their good work OF bringing
the home and the school together
and of cooperating along any line
that will help the process OF educat
ing the child. But let the taxpayers
support the schools.
Motherhood has grown beyond
the protecting and sheltering Of
ones own child. The Mothers
clubs of the District prove this, for
they are working for better schools
for every child in the city. for good
Fairgrounds and equal educational
opportunities.
But if the mothers OF the United
States. who have been asking Con-
gress to appropriate large sums Of
money for the better protection and
education of children in the various
/ States. could visit the schools of
the National Capital they would
withdraw their quest for help to
| the States until the children OF the
| District of Columbia are given a
/ fighting chance for an education.
/ They would ask Uncle Sam to leave
/ his nephews and nieces to the
| parent States, but to give immedi-
| ate attention to the long neglected
step-children that sit on the very
| dOorsteps of his mansion