The Relation of the Home School to Christian Education
By Laura C. Foster
THIS denomination has so far failed in the past in carrying out the instruction given in the Bible and the Testimonies, that our system of education may be compared to an inverted pyramid. We had, first, the college, reaching only a small number of our young people. Then academies and preparatory schools were started in many of our conferences, and thus more of the young people were reached. When our people began to see the importance of saving the children, then, beginning a step nearer the source in recruiting the ranks of workers, church-schools were started; with the result that in a few years the circle of influence of our educational work was greatly widened. But at the church-school age it is often too late to save the children, unless the work has had a thorough foundation in the home school. The home training should be the foundation of all our educational work. If that were the condition now, we should not see such a small percentage of our Sabbath-school children in the church-school, nor so large a percentage of the church-school children there under protest. The Jewish mothers are so often cited as examples to those who have the care of children to-day that little heed is given to it; but as a matter of fact, our whole educational system, not only theoretically, but practically, depends upon the training the child receives before he is of church-school age. All the children of the denomination have been in home schools of some sort, and to the extent that the work has been done which God intended should be done there,—to that extent, largely, are the church-schools a success; and starting on that basis, we can build an educational pyramid right side up. The child of eight years, if he has neighbors or playmates in the public school, would naturally choose to go with them when he enters school, unless he has been trained otherwise. The teacher's work is a delicate and difficult one at best, as all admit, but if the children come as unwilling victims, only a miracle can bring benefit to any concerned. Educational work can not be a success until there is more whole-hearted co-operation between parents and teachers, in order that no effort of one may be nullified by the other. In every grade of school work there should be the closest connection in the work, and the closest sympathy between the workers, with those of the grade above and the grade below; and while, of late, much attention has been given to church-schools, not enough attention has been given by the majority of our people to the home schools, which prepare the students for the church-schools. If we go to the root of the matter, we must see that failure in the home training, and a lack of active interest in the grades that follow, mean an increase of difficulties and failures throughout the course. Each part of our educational system should be not only not a hindrance, but a positive help.