Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-01-26

Dack lou are doing but seldom pays q
visit to the school to see how his chill
dren are progressing. Even more
does this apply in town, where par
tend a circus or baseball game or
afternoon function without a single
stop at the place where their off
spring are busy at their tasks. This
lack of interest has its effect upon the
school. Teacher and pupil alike come
20 regard their labor as an enforced
unwilling and unpleasant one, shun-
1ed by those who should give it their
attention and cooperation, and they
<bsorb the feeling of indifference
loout 1t which permeates the COM
munity. 1t is not a condition pro-
ductive of the best results.
Much of the harmful present-day
spirit of evasion of duty originates
IN the school period. The pupil does
as little as he can and "get by" He
could often accomplish more than he
does by putting forth effort, but,
what's the. use ?" He can "get by
without it, and he, applies the effort in
ways that yield him more pleasure
an and amusement. He steps out into
NE with the same acquired habit
OF doing just enough to "get by" If
same principle, forgetting the pre-
cept that che who never does more
than he is paid for, never gets pay
for more than he does" Employers
quickly spot young people Of this
kind. They seldom rise and are of
ten hunting new jobs. If, back in
their school days, their ambition and
enthusiasm had been aroused, it
might have meant a great deal to
them in after life. A pupil satisfied
with q passing mark in his studies
when he could have stood higher has
the sarmarks of ultimate failure, or
at most mediocrity. In school, as
elsewhere, industry, diligence, per-
severance and determination to rise,
count, and the things to be avoided
are love of ease, Indifference and out
right laziness. The mark of success
In school is not wholly rank in schol-
arship, but the requirement Of proper
habits and the surrounding Of diff
culties by applied effort A naturally
dull scholar who fails in subject but
who tries his best has profted much
more than q bright one who scores a
passing mark when he could have led
the class.
The Newport newspaper refers
critically to the distractions of out
side amusements upon parents. How
about those to whom pupils are sub
jected? Ask any teacher what the
worst deterrent to progress in his
work is and he will answer, the in
1uence of outside attractions. I'm
questionably, in every village and
town, these are carried to excess
They take the young people out late
at night when their time could be
spent much more profitably at home
either in study or general reading, OF
which among the young there is very
little. They rob the physical body OF
the refreshment that comes from
sleep. They turn the mind from
things of substance to frivolities
They leave very little that is good and
often much that is harmful. They
exalt the passing pleasure to the hur,
of the real virtues of life. And they
send the student back to school un
tasks of the day. Teachers depre.
ciate it, warn against it-but are in
fact helpless to combat it while par.
ents and the home influence permit il
to continue. What school or schoo
system can make Roadway against
such q strong counter current?
The real need in education today
is not so much an improvement in the
enginery itself as in a changed anc
cooperative attitude on the part o.
the public, with the consequent chang,
that would surely follow on the par
of the pupils. If it were possibl,
without too great detriment to wip,
out all public education for five years
we might then awaken to realization
of what we are so poorly approaching