The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-05-04
For the Lancaster Ledger.


attendance al School" which is so well.
tuned. and so appropriate to our section Of
the country, that | feel constrained TO re-
quest YOU TO rcpubish it. lrregularity in
, attendance at School is an evil which cries
aloud for redress. There is, indeed, moth
ing. as the writer fifty remarks, so powerful
! in rendering n youth of fine parts stupid
and dull, and in destroying his fundness for
study, os absence from School one or two
| days in every week or even in every month
! There are few persons who :hink that Il
day, occasionally. lost from School, is pro-
ductve of any harmful results and when
! they perceive the child beginning to flag
becoming depressed, and showing decided
! Indifference 10 his books, there is always at
hand some plausible reason which clears
them, they would fnin hupc.-lcssons too
! lor g-too much confnrmcnt-too many
studies, or something of like character
/ whereas the true reason, in most cases, is
/ found below. aud consists in this that
every recitation missed causes gap in the
! thread of the di~cours which, when per-
/ severed in, gives the child but n confused
idea the whole subject m after, and can
/ only, M is observed, be remcded 10y don
| BILE amount of labor, and that too when the
child has rs much ~ he can do before for
The teacher who honestly performs his duty,
/ will prescribe for each scholar nn amount
Of labor propurt"ncd to his ability. suff
cic"t 10 keep him employed all his time,
| allowing reasonable time for wholesome
! recreation and exercise. The article speaks
for itself. Let every parent read it, and
consider it addressed, especially, to himself
and PROFIT by the wisdom therein cGGtained
"Dnc of the most serious evils connected
! with our common school system. arises
| from 'hu ihoughilc~sucSS and negligence of
| pnrvnt3 We Nluic To the irregular aItrn
dance of children at school. The school
t. turns "f Massachusetts show that the nv
! eragr Attendance "t schol ~ regularly en-
| rolled in the pnL!ic scnc"ls il only about
! SEVERITY five per cent Ouc-fnurth Of the
"ducaion which the children should receive
~ lost b their absence. One quarter Of
IN" privileges so liberallv provided for all
! ny III" public, are thrown away. One quar-
ter al the SliTI,iSS -ui~ud last year for
| the support Of schools WAS usclcS-ly cy.
pended. Ont; a small fraction nf the non
aii"ndanc" can be regarded rs una?"dtblr
| MI who are at ali familiar with our schools,
KNOW that IN the great yHi"ritv of cases, /,
! arises from Insufficient causes The evil
may be ascrib,d mainly to that parental
weakness hich permits the chi, d To rule.
and To that thoughtlrssnrss which rob, him
Of an inesimnble boon for the sake Of a
little present gain or convenience There
ar" parents who hold up to the mind, of
their children the pr.rHcge &C ahS,rcc from
school .s re,cgrd for iitclty and Obedience
at home
"N must be evident To anv one. on u
moments r,tlo",ion, hat the effect, of use.
less aO:'en"e from SChuot mu,tL, very mis-.
chrNiuus, no: only 10 the irrnrrIIur puniI h,,
1" his whole class. the links That u,i,,.
one day teachings To aGO'h,r's are surh
that the occasional absence of a pupiI ma,
make wreck OF al he sight ul arryis,.
have iearncd during the term. But IN. evil
stops not with one pnpil, more rrrqurntIy
Wh"l" class and tie GcHuuiarr Elected. Tn,
class mast necessarily experience an in,cr
rnpu"h III their course whenever a lurmb,r
Is absent Those Interruptions often spoi!
ali terms study 10y their frcqucncy.
Gov. boutwell,, in one of his Schoo! r,
ports, apily ooScrv, :, That the child who
never enters the sShu', hOus,., is guiltI.ss
of any pC,I'Nr special wrong To the ,chooI
but The occasional presence, or the occasion.
al absence OF a scholar, is an injury TO him
sci: and to alr his associates. When pu.
pII misses recitation, wrGng Is commit
m'tied which can only be- rcmedied b. the
prrPetr'i"n "t another wrong. in n good
srh"" each pupil has nj amount Of Lnily
[ ls,tn .A -,
and lost lesson must be madl up by c,.
trn"rdinary physical and mental l.t.or.-
This OF course, il an evil Ia most cases
however, tie neglect is O, erluoked. and the.
pmpii Is retained in he class, daily losing
hrH interest in Whit he does not understand
while the other cmbers are kent back nv
one whose neglect has been common m
jury
In some towns this evil has been felt 80
, severely tha' 'h" extreme penalty of eypul-
Sion las been resoIted 10, and pupils who
are absent certain number of times I'm
less detained ut home by sickness. or nb.
sent from town, fu;i felt their seats in In.
public schools Nor can we see nny iniu..
tee in This rule. The irregular aite nGant
not only defeats the object Of the school so
TAR M he ID himself concerned, but he in.
tnHses upon Ihe rights of others Iii
therefore just ahd right that he should be
T expelled, alter proper warning and proba.
ton Bat parents should not compel school
c"mmi'ltes and teachers 10 apply SO harsh
" remedy. They uun easily cure the evil
Themselves. Let -IEem s.tiye to Great. a
sentiment which shall lea J The pupils of the
n"'ghh"th""d and tuwn to be COMPLAINT and
pn"ciua' ia attendance; let them strictly
p."hibit oil unnecessary ab>engs let them
u necessary, cuLtrul the wishes uf Ih,,r
children, or ield their own convenience, in
matter OF so much personal, family md
public importance let thrrn exercise for.
bearnnce and charity towards teachers and
committees, and never withdraw "A child
from school Tor amy but the most grave and
Imperative reasons let parents rus fulfil
Their duties To their children and To tn.
Scnool. md the evil under consideration
will cease" -
LYING IN BED.---The following hint cn