The Lykens Register of June 21, 1900, took the occasion of the reappointment of Ira S. Wolcott as Supervising Principal of Lykens Schools, Lykens, Dauphin County, to editorialize on their views of well-run schools:
Schools for the Eighth Term
The School Board held a special meeting on Tuesday evening and re-elected Prof. Ira S. Wolcott of this place, Supervising Principal. A great many expressed regret that he intended to retire from the profession when he purchased an interest in a manufacturing plant in this place. Later he decided, at the request of friends to continue in his chosen vocation. His interest in private enterprise roused bitter opposition, and after a contest in the schoolboard a tie resulted. The other candidate did not desire to oppose Mr. Wolcott and asked the board not to consider him a candidate. A few days ago Prof. Walcott sold his interest in the box factory to his senior partner after which he was elected, Messrs. Duncan, Riegle, Lehr and Haverstick voting for him, Smith and Johns against him. There were several vacancies in nearby towns from which we know he received encouragement to apply and no doubt that had a new principal been elected here Prof. Wolcott would have been elected elsewhere. We are perfectly neutral on the subject of election of principal, but believe in giving every person their just dues, as the old adage: “If you can’t say a good word about a person say nothing at all.”
The teacher in the exercise of his duties in the school room is constantly parading before his pupils facts, habits, methods of thought, and styles of action which are quietly assimilated by his hearers. Each on is involuntarily or unconsciously laid away in some mysterious hiding place, each one helps in the formation of character, and all combined unite in thus affecting the happiness and well-being of the coming man. Prof. Wolcott fully realizes this vast responsibility and on the principal [sic] that virtue can be taught only by virtue, he is a constant example of uprightness of character and true manhood.
Some men seem to have been born with or to have cultivated an eye for blemish (reference to no particular one only using the express as an illustration of thought). They can see nothing but the worse places and errors, utterly ignoring the many opportunities for speaking or smiling or nodding approval. A short time ago there was a partial eclipse of the sun. The daily papers told us that a certain individual determining to see the blemish with the naked eye was blinded by the brillancy [sic] of the light. Men look at the administration of McKinley and, ignoring the thousand and one almost sublime acts of the president, they hamper on one which does not entirely meet with their approval. They visit the school room and is one in a class of fifty is not correct in position, they condemn the entire school system. Would it not be at least fair and polite simply to mention in passing that forty-none were just right?
We must give the administration our firm support whether in church, the government or the school for only in that way can the great purpose of life be attained. The home, the school and the church are three great influences in education. The school and the church work together but too often the home is a variance. Every disparaging word about the school or church should be discontinued in the home. Where it is tolerated there is a sort of tradition that it is not wrong, but rather the correct thing, to take what advantage they can of the teacher, and cheat him into a good opinion of their ability. The notion is that the teacher and pupil are two antagonistic parties in some sense at war with each other; and the pupils fully recognize the old proverb – “that all is fair in war.” Out of this root-error come more than half the pranks and mischief so common in schools and colleges. Later on in life violations of the laws of the state follow in their train. The man shields the criminal because the home taught him to oppose the ferreting out of school mischief and the bringing of offenders to justice.
The remedy for all this is for teachers, pupils and parents to understand that they are co-adjutors, not enemies, that they are all seeking one common end and that end is the best good of the school and of each pupil. When this theory comes to take the place of the other there is peace instead of war, co-operation instead of opposition. And yet is all our schools were really operated on this theory it would take some time to banish completely the pernicious influence of the old error. We must learn that a long accepted tradition is very slowly dying.
On the other hand a principal or teacher must have the welfare of school at heart, devoting his exclusive time to their advancement. His efforts in other directions are of secondary importance.
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Editorial from Newspapers.com.
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