The Wrangell sentinel., 1921-02-10
"The Pdrenf- Teacher Association, Its Pur-
 pose and ,Power''
By GRACE A. TOWERS

The Parent T Teacher Association. it's purpose and power
 The paytose of this association is. to produce better men and women. Its pozver is unlimited in scope, when one stops to consider the far reaching influence of education.
 It is education of the brain that develops the prince of finance, ex- perts in trade, government and in- vention-and it is education of the soul that subordinates the bestial in man and produces the painter, sculptor, poet, musician, artist and evangelist. All that is lovely in life, has its foundation in education.
 The most important factor in ed. ucation is not learned in the school or college. refer to the education of the moral and spiritual elements of character that are taught by the parent or guardian. beginning in the cradle days of the child and go- ing on through infancy, childhood, youth into manhood and woman hood.
 
 The child not only receives nutri- ment from the mother who nurses it, but it receives the influences of her nature-what she really ts in character. Her emotions flow into the child with the milk. If the mother is cross and tired, the child will be peevish and fretful. Doctors do not allow feverish mother to nurse her child. If the mother is irritable, lustful, jealous, mean the nursing child can absorb these impulses from her. 1 speak at length of this particular time in the child's life, for it is the one to which is given the least thought as factor in the education of the child. People look on or think about an infant as a little bundle of humanity, without intelligence and are sometimes aghast to see gusts of temper, appetites and pas sions displayed in babyhood. The parent tries to lay it to some great grandfather or ancient ancestor, but the probability is. that the cause lays quite near home. With the birth of every child. there comes to the parent, the obligation of giv- ing to the world, a true, clean minded, honest man and pure minded, sincere, womanly girl. Many mothers sadly neglect very young children and leave them to the care of indifferent relatives or maids, while seeking their own pleasure. They love their little ones and believe they have per- formed their full duty when they make sure the child is bathed and fed. But the young child needs watchful care every moment of the day. The mother cannot be too careful of the playmates of the very young child. Habits of cleanliness should be taught at a very youth. full age and it Is possible to teach proper mental attitudes towards ways of living. Some quite young children are regular little snobs. It is because from infancy, they have heard their parents speak with scorn of working people" and of the value of clothes and possessions. They learn to value a person for what they have instead of for what they are. Such children gre very cruel and rude. Their finer, kinder instincts become more and more blunted and if they remain in such an atmosphere long enough. their souls wither and they become hate full, insincere worshippers of style" and display. For a child to be subjected to such mental train. ing in the home is highly detrimen. tai to its. later happiness, for as about s5% of the population ot&he world has to earn its living and as riches have a way of leaving us unexpectedly; it is important that the child has 8 respect for labor, an appreciation of work we'll per-