Evening star., 1937-03-20
Standard
Of School
Important
Teachers Play Large
Part in Character
Growth of Child.
BY ANGELO PATRI.

~ fhA~NAAo "a
How good is the school and how
shall it be measured? The school
is not the building and the equip
ment, the course Of study and the
teaching staff, although all these fac
tors are important. The real school,
the force that affects the children,
is not material, but spiritual. 1t is
not to be measured in terms of per
cents gained in passing examinations,
nor by the numbers of its graduates,
or its show exhibitions. 1t is justly
measured in terms of the character
Of the children it turns out. That
Judgment Is rendered by time Ac-
cording to their works you shall know
them.
The course Of study is the tool that
the teachers use to create character
in their pupils. In that phase of tho
work the teachers character is OF
chief importance. 1t Is the tolerant,
generous, honorable, hard-Working
teacher who implants those qualities
In his pupils. There are teachers who
make such impressions upon their
pupils that one recognizes their work
as readily as though they had signed
it. Their names are written clearly
upon the character Of their pupils.
In the confusion Of today, when so
many voices are raised against estab-
lished orders, it is wise to take ac-
count Of the quality of the school
and the effect of the times upon it.
There are many things wrong with
the world, it Is true, but then that
was always so. Times are changing,
but they always have changed. Some
things are not to be changed because
they have been found good down
through the ages. Never have men
reached the standard OF character
they have set for themselves, 50 that
standard must still serve. We will
hold fast to that which is good.
Then let us measure the school by
what good there is in it. Are the chill
dren happy in their school? Happy
children are good children and they
reflect good teaching. Is the work
they do done as well as they are able
to do it? Thorough work is the ex-
preston Of sincerity, and sincerity Is
fundamental to beauty of soul, beauty
in living, beauty in any phase of life.
Do the children set about their daily
business cheerfully? A cheerful spirit
speaks well for the mental and physi-
No1 hao1fh nf ho hoipo xry1,o
it. Cheerful children are going for
ward to some chosen goal, and for
ward-going children are growing chill
dren. Are the children helpful and
cooperative? When child becomes
conscious of his relations to other
people and understands that he goes
forward In company with his group
or fails, he has achieved an UNDER
standing of life that will go far to-
ward making him success In what
ever field he chooses for his own.
Where do you place the emphasis
when you measure your school? Are
you 50 busy criticidng the teachers
dress and peculiar tastes, 50 busy
scolding the janitor, finding fault
with the Board Of Education, push
ing your child on from grade to grade
that you have no thought for the real
school, the real growth Of your child?
Then ask yourself this question:
What character-growth is my child
making In this school? The right
answer will be the just measure of
that school where it concerns your
child. Nothing else Is so Important
Copyright. 1879