Throughout the entire period of school life, and even after their children leave school, the parents can be of very great assistance to them.  During the time that the school is in session, if the child is away from home, the parents should write not less than once a week, and oftener if possible.  These letters should contain all the little happenings at home, no matter how insignificant and uninteresting they may seem.  If these things are expressed in simple language, using short sentences and common words, the letters will be one of the most efficient means of aiding the children to an ability to read, that the teacher possesses.  The child is full of eager curiosity to know the smallest details of the familiar home life.  He will exert his mind more to dig out the meaning of the language of home letters than he will to understand a story in a reader.  Miss Worcester has suggested one or two little letters that would do during the first half year at school.  By the beginning of the second year it would be helpful if the letters read something like this: 

     “MY DEAR BOY: 

“We got your nice letter.  Thank you for it.  We always like to know what you do at school.  We like to know the names of your schoolmates.  We are glad when you tell us about your books and your teachers.  Mother, Tom, Jane and I are well.  We talk about you often.  We are glad you can go to school.  A cat frightened the hens.  The hens ran.  The cat was naughty.  I drove the cat away.  I think the cat wanted to eat the little chickens.

“Tom hid behind the door.  He jumped out quickly.  He frightened Jane.  She screamed.  He laughed.  Jane cried.  Mother scolded Tom because he made Jane cry.  Tom said Jane was a baby.  Jane said Tom was a bad boy.  Then Jane laughed.  She forgave Tom.  Tom said he was sorry.

“We all love you.

“Good-by.

“Your loving
“FATHER.”

Each year the letters can be a little more grown up and they should always be frequent.

XXVI

DURING VACATION

When vacation time comes and the children come home for the summer, the home folks will probably have some trouble at first in understanding their imperfect speech.  Do not be discouraged.  The speech will steadily improve from year to year, and you will soon be able to comprehend it, even when it is very faulty.  But do not accept from the child anything except the best speech he is capable of.  When the boy first arrives you will, probably, not know just how much to expect of him.  To begin with, it will do him no harm to ask him to repeat what he says, even if you really did understand him the first time.  He will probably speak much more distinctly the second time than he did the first, and you will see that you can demand of him more than you at first thought he could do.  He will not be discouraged by being asked to repeat.  He is used to it.  The price of good speech, like the price of liberty, is eternal vigilance.  During the school period, teachers and parents should give unremitting attention to demanding of the children, every time they speak, the best enunciation of which they are at that time capable.