THE HOME AND THE CHILD

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIII, Issue 73, 27 March 1919, Page 7

THE HOME AND THE CHILD

HOW THE TEACHER. CAN HELP. “The Home and the SchooT’was the subject of au interesting address given by Mr C. T. Aschman, the retiring president of the ' North ' Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute at the annual meeting of that body Saturday trio tiling says the Press. The home) said Mr Aschmart, was one of the most ptUent influences in fitting the child to take its place in the world. The child came to the teacher as the product ot a home, and, therefore, the-con-ditions of tlie earlier period of his life should be of paramount interest to the teacher. They speaker touched briefly on the influence of heredity, and of the '‘dominating influence” of environm-nt on the young child, and continued tl-at whatever the truth might be regarding the relative influences of heredity and environment, Tour duty was obvipus, namely, to see that by wise restriction? 6very child got a “square deal” at birth and was given thereafter a chance of full physical, intellectual, and nojal development by surrounding him with favdurabj© environment; in its most comprehensive sense. The duty >f the State was to see that real homes were possible for all its children. ~ / i After speaking at some length regarding homes which were below (inn(lard. Mr. Aschman indicated a few directions in which efforts couldl be made to remedy the defects; He reiterated the need , for*a teacher to know from personal knowledge the. home conditions of each child. With' regard to children 1 who were left to their own ‘devices during the day, owing to the mother having to go to work, he suggested that they might be sent to day nurseries up to the age of three years? and to kindergartens from three to fiv©. fife strongly commended the compulsory regular medical inspection of schools, and. the appointment of school nursee, and; impressed upon his hearers the importance of the housing qhs&tion, remarking that every house should have a minimum of essentials. Mr Aschman also 1 advocated a cou rae ■of , instruction in the laws of health, that the ohihl at everv suitable opportunity should be taught how to live in a healthy manner. The pchoofl,, > considered, was only jilst awakening now to ds’responsibilities i*L regard to the health of Mm children. Teachers were living in a time of special ’dflficultv and rcßnpthihility, but they fihpuld he sustained mjr the growing'sense of the power of education to remedy' social diseases, to T -• •• a the amount of distress. and failure in lib;, to anreitd Itnwledee; selLhslpMiim. The profession iivaSvi'iPing mors steadily in public esteem, and.the rate of progress’would depend' upon whether members of the teaching profession were puttingMt to the largest: ..uses m thservice of mankind.