CHRISTIAN SCIENCE AND THE SCHOOLTEACHER

ALICE GARDINER KNAPP

Schoolteachers who are Christian Scientists have reason to be grateful, for Christian Science enables them to prove that there is not a school problem which cannot be solved if they obediently apply its rules.

In her textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy gives the following as the spiritual definition of children (p. 582): "The spiritual thoughts and representatives of Life, Truth, and Love." The teacher who steadfastly holds to this concept finds an opportunity in every class for correct thinking about children. The so-called discipline problems, which to many teachers are the ogres that prevent successful teaching, vanish through the true understanding of God and His children. There is no disorder or inharmony in God, divine Love, and God's child, Love's representative, cannot express anything unlovely. A realization of this truth banishes the false sense of responsibility as well as the false sense of discipline, as that term is generally used in teaching.

One Christian Scientist, a teacher who was told that she was to have a class which included several so-called problem boys, saw at once that her great need was to know more of God and His children. She had already learned in Christian Science that the Principle of the universe is Love, or God, and that man, His child, is the reflection of Love. Then, she reasoned, there can in reality be no problem child; man, God's reflection, cannot express anything contrary to intelligent good, nor can His child express any quality contrary to Love. All of God's children are obedient, truthful, loving, and governed by God alone. The teacher held to these truths in spite of appearances. After a few days, disobedience and unruliness disappeared, and the boys were co-operating with the rest of the class.

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