Warren telegraph. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1857-1861, 1857-10-03
lofal 4flatters.


previous intimation, propose to Gull attention to
some of the causes of unnecessary and unreasona-
BILE absence Among these, days OF public amuse-
ment or display hold prominent place. An ex-
curson, military parade, or public celebration
of any kind is always sure to occasion a thinning
out of the ranks at School. Indulgent parents /
permit their children to hurry on board the steam
or or the cars. to follow the Artillery Mt home,
or to Seek the centre of attraction abroad leaving
the cassosa School with buthnlf or two-thirds Of
their usual number, and filling these with dissatis-
faction and encouragement. Their parents, pla-
cling higher relative estimate upon the value and
Importance of School duties. havs insisted upon
their attendance but they can, In such circum-
stances make little actual progress, and they are
left to hate their School, the Of deprivng
them of the pleasure which s shared by their usual
companions. In such instances have sometimes
inclined to regard tho sessions Of the School as
positively injurious rather than beneficial. On
such day very little progress can be secured.
Nearly the whole work must be pursued second
time and under circumstances of increased difficult
ty. A part of the pupils dull from discourage
men, and tha rsnb sDsm the faith excitement
Of tue previous day One-third Of the pupils must
take time and make confusion in ascertaining the
lessons of their classes. Numbers fail at the reel
tation, and failure ceases to be disgrace. Eve
rything lsnguishes: emulation subsidies and inter-
est slumbers. Weeks and months can neither re-
store the loss nor repair the mischief The dam
age cannot be reckoned in dollars and cents; sill
yer aud gold cannot repay the loss. And yet the
evil has existed in the past and still continues TO
exist. At the last celebration Of ST. Johns Day,
| in Bristol, more than One-third Of the Senior De-
partment If our School was absent. Every parade
of the military decimates our number. Even since.
the commencement of the present term, immedi-'
ately after the long Summer vacation, aboundng'
in excursions clambakes, and every reasonable
means of recreation and amusement, more than
one pupil out of every six was absent on an excur-
sion to Rocky Point. And still more recently, for
various reasons, during one Of the finest mornings
Of the season, upwards Of twenty per cent of the
pupils in the same department were absent, leaving
some classes with only One-half their usual mum.
Der.
Now, in this state Of things, something is OBJ
vousy wrong. Either there is not a sufficient
number of holidays, or this embarrassing absence
is unreasonable. If more holidays are necessary
let them be accorded, but in such manner as to
be enjoyed by erery member of the School,. If
shared at ALL it ought not to be by fraction-even
large one-of the pupils, to the serious injury of
the rest II as many holidays allowed, at pre-
sent, as are either necessary or judicous then
erery pupil ought to be kept punctually in School
in spite of excursions, pomps and shows. Were
all required thus to be in their places, few would
be dscontented. They would not even expect to
be away. Scholars can generally understand sve.1
handed justice, ana quite likely TO be satis-
fed F" in the long run" with its decisions, as with
any weak indulgence of their momentary inclina-
tions. Many parents nerer allow their children to
be absent from School, when it is possible for them
to attend. Many pupiis-and teachers not like
ly to forget who they are-will be in their places
at any possible sacrifice, ready to perform we'll
each task assigned them. These parents and pli-
pills have the most undoubted right to complain of
those who, by a weak aud unreasonable indulgenc
mar the general success. Still it is almost the
universal fact that those who occasion most mis-
chief are the first to clamor, and clamor the loud
est. The recreant pupil first sounds forth the key
note of complaint-his parents first catch up the
strain.
Much injury and waste is occasOned by pupils
entering the School late in the term aud leaving
before its close and II is significant fact that the
same pupils often leave early that enter late.
moments thought is suf cent to apprehend this al
+ a source of mischief The proper classification Of
the School and the arrangement of studies are de-
layed by failure of part of the pupils to be pre-
sent ut tho opening of the term. A teacher may
think this part of his work done for TIE third OF
fourth time aud for the third or fourth time find
+ himself disappointed. At the commencement o
the present term several pupils were tardy fo
what appeared very insufficient reasons, and five
$ in the Senior Department, did not enter until th,
3 third week.
Except for the best of reasons, it 10 both unfa
and unjust for pupil to leave School the clos
of a term. The moral effect of it is bad, especial
r ly when the object is to shun the examin ton. !
! is a tacit acknowl .dgement--in most instances
. of remissness in making sutible preparations TO
, the occasion, aud for this very reason should M
: be permitted. The unflthful scholar ought to b
! obliged to remain and risk the modification Of
, failure as the proper un legitimate punishment 70
a his fault. The absence of unsuccessful pupils fror
0 public examination is, also, calculated to defea
!, the chief object of the exampation itself. In OF
+ der that those whose duty or right it may be +
G form an estimate of the condition and progress
the mhoie School, may be able to accom- 'lish this
u satisfactory manner, it is necessary that the pl
: pills Of every grade and degree Of success shall Al
pear before them. To defeat this object by leavin
n unnecessarily is to practice cheat. Were 1t tn
!. proper object Of an examination to make the gren
est possible display 1t might be desirable that ev
ry unsuccessful pupil should absent himself; but
its object be what it ever should be, to furnish
rs those who have n right to know, fair and hone
CT exhibition Of things they are-without conce'
of mcnt aud without disguise then all should be pr
he sent and be subj ctcd to proper aud imparti
n, teets