The Winslow mail., 1923-03-30
PARENT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION
HOLD INTERESTING MEETING TUES.

A very interesting but poorly at
tended Parent-Teachers meeting was
held at the Washington School audi
torium on Tuesday evening. This
will likely be the last one held this
year owing to the seeming lack of
interest manifested on the part of
both parents and teachers. This lack
of interest is partly due, no doubt, to
the fact that no meetings were held
during most of the year which allow
ed the interest to lag. They will be
resumed next fall with carefully pre-
pared programs along the lines that
are suggested by specialists in such
matters.
A good program was furnished
those present on Tuesday evening.
The seventh grade Grammar School
girls, under the direction of Miss Mil
Ter, music supervisor, sang two num-
bers. Then Miss Miller gave very
interesting and instructive talk on
art and music as to their influence
an effect in education. Then Mr.
Schultz, head of the training school
at the Flagstaff Normal School, and
formerly head of a similar school at
dress on the function ofaparent-teach-
er's association Following few
words of apology or regret on the
small number present to hear him,
by Professor Gammage, he started
out by telling of a preacher who once
had but two auditors, but did his best
and preached one of his best sermons
and when he took up the offering one
of the men gave one hundred dollars
and the other fifty SO he felt he had
done pretty we'll after all. Mr.
Schultz fastened to announce that he
would not take up a collection but
that he would do his best in speaking
to the small number present.
He said that he had some very
definite ideas as to the function of
parent teachers association and that
he was going to express some of these
ideas and that it didn't make any
difference to him whether or not his
auditors agreed or differed with him
He did not expect they would agree
with all that he said. He then put
the direct question to them: why
are you here tonight" He went on
TO mention some of the answers he
question. Among the answers given
were: "a place to co. Well, think
l ought to belong to the parent-teach-
ers association" 4" There is a new man
to speak" There is something in
the schools that | want to hear alb
out" ITO zee if | can get something
valuable" Somebody asked me to
60" Just as vaguely, he said,
would some people answer the ques-
ton, Why have a parent-teachers
association He told of his exper-
fences in getting people to write
down what they thought the function
of a parent-teacherS' association is.
One of the most frequent answers
given was-''To see that the children
are handled right by the teachers"
Others were: ITO learn to know the
teachers" ITO see that the children
are given the right care and instruc-
tion," ITO see that the teachers are
giving the right kind of service" ITO
see that the school property is cared
for" ITO see that the schools were
managed properly" ITO have teach
ers and parents become better ac-
quainted." mot one of these, said
he, lis worth the paper it is written
on" Il do not say, he continued"
that these things are not all right and
proper in their place, but if you are
dabbling in such things you are dab
bling in things which you have no
business with. These are things for
specialists to deal with, and you have
teachers to look after such things,
and if they are not competent to do
it get some who are able to do it."
He then illustrated his point by ask
ing what the editor of the paper
would think and say if he undertook
to tell him how to run his paper or
what the master mechanic at the
shops would say to him if he under
took to tell him how to run the shops.
something he knows nothing about.
Just so it is when those who know
nothing about running schools try to
tell the educator or specialist how to
do He or she is dabbling in some
thing they have no business with.
The speaker then explained what
he conceived to function of parent
teachers association to be. He said
we should come in an attitude of
learners, inquirers-to learn of many
things of the children-of the teachers
to get their ideas and viewpoints, and
to bring our own problems as we'll
He then spoke of some of the things
the teacher meets with on the part of
parents that often make matters diff
ficult to handle, for instance the par
ent that her child won't lie. And Of
ten that is just the child that is Civ
ing the most trouble. He declared
that all children will lie ON occasion.
In fact he said he sometimes doubted
if there was a truthful mortal on
earth. He gave a number of illus
trations on this point to show how
woefully parents are mistaken in
thinking their children wont lie.
Come to the parent-teachers' meeting
to learn the psychology of the child.
Be a learner and not a critic. In
spite of these apparently hard things
he said about the children he went
on to pay a high tribute to our young
people, saying that they were only
following out the suggestions and ex-