directory. - Surrounded by Reality

IM ADI SON, 1858.MADISON DIRECTORY. 110var iety of children as ar c often brought togeth er in th e sameschool.In 3. major ity of cases, those par ents who censure moststrong ly the discipline their children receive at school, wbo declaimloudest against t he tyranny and ar bitrary rule of thet eacher, arc th e very persons whose chi ldren nrc most disobedientand badly govern ed at horne. If, instead of complainingof the te acher, and that, t oo ofte n in t he pre sence of their children, they would visit the school, invite t he teachers to the irhomes, and take some pains to become ncquuinted with them,t hey might impart much valuable informa tion concerning thedispositions, habits and tendencies of their children, whichcould hardly fail of being ndvantugeous to both.Teachers thus situ ated would forget the weary toil an d car e ofthe school room, in the satisfaction of k nowing t hat the ir effor tswere duly appreciated, and would embrace every opportu nity tomake t heir lab ors worthy of st ill gr eater att ent ion. H ow muchtroubl e might be saved and how much positive good might heaccomplished by the combined wisdom of both teacher and parent.I t is a gratifying fact that not a single complain t aga instany of th e teachers now employed in th e public schools, has, tomy knowledge, ever been made by nny parent or guardian whohas visited the school dur ing the past year.Th e school house grounds should be pr operly enclose d assoon as practicable in ord er that req uisite apparatus for physicalexercise may be prepared an d the pupils have an opport un i­ty of suitably orna ment ing the grounds with trees and shrubbery.Al though the finan cial embarrassment which has fallenso heavily upon the country begets n desire for retrenchment inall public expenditure of money, I am confident that our citizenswill be slow to commence wit h the most importa nt and indispensable of all, and the only one which is ulwnys sure tomake ampl e returns for th e most liberal investments. Ourschools arc worthy of all that has been expended for th eir support.T eachers ha ve st ruggled to overcome obstacles, which onlyteachers can appreciate. They have lab ored dilligently to makeour public schools what they ar e. and are determined that noeffort s of th eirs sha ll be wanting to br ing th em into JlOnora blccompetition with th ose which haveIence.at ta ined th e highest excel.R espectfully submitt ed,D. Y. KILGORE ,City Sup't of Schools.