Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-12-07


er these hints:
Irregular Attendance at School.
The following is from report of r. S. Rust
State Commissioner of Schools in New lamp
shire. II contains much truth, aud is as applica-
Die IN this section as in New Hampshire TO all
parents and guardians, we say read the following
and prof, by it.
Hyeguiur attendance is prominent defect in
our Schools. 1t has proved a fruitful source Of
Encouragement, both 10 tcacher and scholar, and
has rendered the schools Immensely less niluen-
tal and useful than they would otherwise have
been. 1t presents appalling obstacle to odu-
cauonal reform, and renders other improvements
Of doubtful utility. When good school house
has been erected, and competent Instructor
procured, great oXertlOns should be made TO Sc.
cure the constant Attendance Of the children al
School, or these liberal expenditures will be was
ted, and the fond anticipntions Of parents aud
friends be blasted. Provision has been made by
the State for the education Of lis youth, and If
this provision be neglected, a great wrong is in
flc,ed upon The children and community sustains
a severe loss in the diminished amount Of incl
lgonce and virtue. Slight excuses should new
er detain child from school, and parents should
make every necessary sacrifice that their chill
drcn may be punctuGl and constant IN their at
tendance, and thus secure its valuable advanta-
yes. The neglect of this duty has proved
prolific source of misery, and has wrung
many parents heart with anguish when it was
too late to repair the fatal consequences result
ing from such neglect. Youth, who neglect the
school, usually resort 10 places Of amusement
and dissipation, and there squander in dleness
and vice those golden moments which should be
spent in obtaining that preparation so important
for the discharge of the duties otlile. Children
appropriately educated in the school, are orna-
ments of society; while those reared in the
street md in the tavern, become worthless to
community, and perhaps scourges TO the race
Children by being detained from school, form
habits OF rregIlariy and lnattcltlon, which Will
follow them through life and prove great OBJ
Stacle to their success. Such rarely become
good scholars for superficial nttainments must
of necessity result from frequent absence. The
child, IN order 10 make commendabe progress in
study, must advance by gradual and connected
steps. Any luck Of connection discourages the
student, and scnlters confusion along bis path
a II would condemn the teacher as unfit for his
work. aud insist that it would be utterly impossl-
BILE for him to make thorough lnathemaiicluns, if
he should occasionally skip over or omit an i'm
portant elementary branch Of this science. So
lar as tie practical result is concerned, 1t makes
but III Se difference whether the beauty and uul-
Ivy Of u science is marred by an occasional O..
mission of some elementary rule, or the pupils
absence from his place. The teacher may eX-
plain some difficult point, which is absolutely me-
cessarY for the Advancement of the class, while
several are absent. Hence, such explanations
must be repeated, or they will grope along in
doubt, or becoming dishearlened, give up in de.
| SPAR. No instructor ST. ould be reproached for
the SLOW progress Of his pupils, unless they are
puhctnai; and 1t is cruel for parent to blame
MS chlIdren Tor stupidity when he has 80 fre-
quehlly detained them at home Children de-
tanned for irdlDg purposes, nier That education
Is u matter Of only secondary importance, and
will make but little eXerlon to secure 1t. 1t is a
fact that should slarle every citizen OF the State,
! that neatly one third of the money raised for the
purposes Of education is literally lost through
irregular attendance.
PoLIrENEss IN THE ScnooL ROOM On q
VISIT to one OF the Primary Schools IN Roxbury
me olher day, we had the pleasure of seeing the
school dismissed in manner which must have
an excellent influence on the habits and charnc.
ter OF those children during their whole lives
The practice OF true pollleness cun no where
else be nculcated so ellectualy as in the school.
This is the teachers Archimedun lever, by
which he can remove the stubbornness and way
wardness of those passions which lead children
constantly astray. In the school we refer TO-
when oil were ready 10 be dismissed, a row OF
scholars rose in their seats and simultaneously
babe their teacher good morning" The teacher
responded in mild pleasant manner, and then
one after another started to 60 home. Each row
OF scholars was dismissed in a similar manner.
This does away with the difficulty of bidding
eueh scholar separately good morning, or good
evening" which becomes tedious, and sometimes
very awkward and formal. Whatever is done
OF this klnd, should be done well. The cultiva-
ion oil THIS habit of pollleness, in both teachers
and pupils, VIII do much to soften and subdue
the rough manners and passions of youth, ana
tend 10 unite in one common brotherhood the in
terests, affections and purposes of the whole
school. Boston Excelsior.
'Thi' was at the elose oftho forenoon session.