The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1856-03-12
g educational.
TOT the SeH'iNe'
Irregularity in Attending School

.iBolhgE evil scarcely isss ruinous % the
vitality aud prosperity Of schools ihan 'n'se
already allnled to in former articles. m'5e'
be nemed in this connection.
We refer row To the practice. 50 common
among farming communities. Of heep'ng |
their children (or The older ones OF 'heRl at
leas, at home until late in the season. ''to |
help DO up the fall work on the farm."
This practice is so universal that it needs
no specification in order to be understood
In such cases the winter schools usually
prorress from one to four weeks before
these scholars are perEitted to enter.
Then again. many families are not pre-
pared to send their children the first week
or two OF the schesl in consequence OF .
want Of proper clothing. Indeed they think
it scarcely necessary that their children
shcud be at the school room the hrst NOR
ming Of the school, and hence no very viSor'
Gus effort is ma1e in preparation, sup.os'
sing, as a matter OF course, that hey can
commence Just as advsntaSeousiy on the
second or third week as the 6rst.
ThRs, perhaps, the first month of the
school is tiihed away in vain attempts, on
he part ofaae teacher sad those conling in
first, to organize, classify and accommodate
these discordant clements rs they come
in from time to time. Then again in the
spring. these very pupill. perhaps before
they get fairly settled down-belore they
yet their minds, that have been occupied
hitherto with matters Of stock and crops,
fairly fastened upon thcg studies. thss are
again interrupted and called home "to COM
mence the spring work on tue farm"
These practices were more common for
nerly when our schools were unclasslhed
and in fact tEey we're more endurable then,
| for the scho,ar could then commence whea
he pleased, and where be pleased, and 60
home whea he pleased, and the Interrupt
lion was scarcely fel' By the rest OF the pu'
pills, because he had no correction with
them farther than 70 perforra bis own andt
viduai labor in the same place with them
He came to school. did bis "sums" (anc
generally too, his sum Of mischief, "said'
his lesson and departed. No ono, perhaps
was wiser, better or worse for the humble
part he had acted.
Bat not so in our present system. Ever
member Of the school is a member Of SOM
, classs in that school, and hence forms somt
distinct part OF the body polite; and if th
individual member suffer the whole bod
f Esvmpathises with is, and that sympathy
in direct ralo to the part acted by the III
+ diyidual. IIeuce it will be seen that n
i such change can take place without injarln
y more or less' the health oad prosperity {
Z the school.
Now, we have TO disposition wbateTe'
: 70 question the pre-emnent right OF Ibe pa
rent to control his child in all things pei
! tanning to his or the public good; but we d
+. most seriously question his authority whe
il interferes with ether Of these. Netht
:, do we question his right to judge Of what
% for the good Of both, but we do say thi
h those parents who th4s triAc with the scho
Z. are sadly mistaken 10 their policy both f
h heir own interests and that of the pubb.
N We say that similar policy in reference
10 other matters, Of even leAs moment, @ou
% excite UNIVERSAL condemnation from q seLi
il ble community.
le What, Tor instance, would be thought
pt that farmer who. in putting in his fall cro
u because, foesooth. he did not chance to ha
qaite enough wheat threshed to SOW t
We whole field, should go forth and scatter wi
<; little he had over the whole field, harrow
an ii. and wait patiently for few weeks, 'u
be til the fall wolk was done up (as in the CT
i. Of the SCHOOL, and then when the whit
in sown had got fairly up to SOW another SO
ms ing On the ssne field, harrow it in amo
ms the tender blaAes already sprung--tl
.tb destroying them and then again, on
following May or June, on making the
on cvyery thai his wheat was not quite th
b. enough on the grouad, should repeat
is same operation? Now suppose this co
ye. be doas without destroying the entire CT
/ il what Kind of harvest would thai y
tin have? Hos would he manage to gat
M bis different soSings since they wouldt Al
o- at different times? Why, you would
that such man was either crazy or
and yet he would adopt the same policy
reference TO his wheatfeld that many <,
- farmers aad good citizens do in referenc
their children The only imaginable dit
ence we can conceive is, the 6rst would
- iure or destroy wheat crop, while
latter would destroy, perhaps, for all Ii
and for eternity 100, the immortal be
s. God had committed to his care An
IN former case money might be lost, in
'l9g latter both mind and money.
iate We do not say that destruction is sur
gan follow this foolish practice, fol counterac
4 circumstances often intervene to cheek
ave evil tendencies; but the practice is dan
ssa Gus one--yea. absolutely pernicious,
ests therefore should not be indalged.
ITO Now, this is no forced compariso