Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-11-10
THE REPUBLICAN
FALMOUTH IND.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1854.
OUR GRADED SCHOOL.
To the Inhabitants of Plymouth School
District. s.f

'tNhii1ts WI 'bC ADtttc GHU NOIUli EfHOO
Fnnd, and the large number of pupils wht
desire and need school privileges, the Cor
poration Trustees have. with commendabl
puilic spirit. appropi lated the sum o
Three Hundred Dollars for The support o
the school this year. which, added to TIN
State and county fund. will make a sun
nearly sufficient to give us three terms o
twelve weeks each of flee school durin.
the year. In view of this, it becomes ne
ce>sary that some more thorough and eili
cicnt system than the one now in opeIa
ton. should lie adopted We have her,
the material in money and pupils. Tor on
oi The best graded schools in the State =
There is a lsrge class oil intelligent boy,
and misses. between The ages of ten ant
fifteen years. who are Just beginning I,
realize the need, and appreciate the utility
cf a school education.
We have a decent seminary building
and with two or three ward school houses
we will have ample accommodations fo
all residents and non-residents who may
wish to attend school here.
But there is one serious trouLle. Pa
rents and guardians do not seem TO iee
any interest whatever in the school They
seem To understand in a general way. that
there Is certain fund set apart Tor The
purpose OF paving teachers for in>trueting
their children. anil they seem 10 think that
when they have furnished their hols aud
girls with books. and started them off to
school the first dav or week of the term,
their whole dnty in this respect is DONE
The matter j, then dismissed from iheir
minds and apparently they care no more
about it. They do not visit the school
very rarely make themselves acquainted
with the Teachers. and all they learn oi
the condition and management of the
schools and the progress Of The scholars is
from the casual remarks )f their own or
their neiehbors children. To my certain
knowledge there has not half dozen diff
ierent PERSONS visited our graded schools
ilurii & the two last terms, and ! 10 not
know oi any person not connected with the
schools making more than one visit each
term. Thi, is entirely wrong. and the re-
suit of this apathe,ic state of le' ling il
seen and felt ly teachers. and particularly
by pupils. M sc-ool can succeed as it
ought. unless patrons a, well as teachers,
take hold and show an interest iii it.
No doubt this seeming Indifference is in
some measure owing 10 tho fact that tho
school Is comm only called a free school
as many people have an idea that fee
school cannot, or ought not to bc as good
as select school This is an entirely
wrong idea. Our school certainly costs
enoreh. The tax ayers of this district
pay into the county and town treasury
nearly 500 per annum for its support -
10 be sure the school is open to all child
rem within the leqnued ages who wish to
profit by the provision thus generously
made for their education But scholars
ale expected TO give something in return
for this outlay. They are required ty the
law and by the rules laid dcwn by the
State Superintendent of Public In>truc-
tion. To give their time and attention, TO ap-
ply themselves diligently to their studies,
aud obey in letter and in spi,it the rules
and regulations # the school, 80 that some
brnefit may accrue TO themselves aud to
society generally from this large expendi-
ture Of money. And here let me say. j.
the point least understood by both parents
and rnpils a. regard. the rights and daiies
OF each. Parents generally think tha,
they have the right to send their children
10 "A free school half the time, or all the
time, just as they may think proper. and
/; they DO send them half the time during
the term. 1t is so much clear gain. And
many OF the children think it they get into
he - hool room two or three times LEI
week. in season to stand up with theil
class while the members are rea,ling Oh
Ieciting. and have good play spell at re-
cess. they can sav they have been to schouI
and that Is all that is required of them.
an & al tn say there are many exceptions
TO this. Many parents who appreciate Ilt
advantages Of free sch ,ols. and who desire
that their children should he benefited to
The utmost hy them; and many children
now pupils in the school who attend reg
nlarly, and apply themselves diligently t.
their studies. This school money is .
trust fund placed by law in the hands o
the school Trustee. 20 he expended in
careful and jndicious manner. for the pur
pose Of giving TO every child in the STATE 4
good education. Tae Trustee provides tn,
teachers. the school houses. and establish
es certain general rnles for the regulation
and government of the school Parents
and pupils must do the rest Every bod,
knows that the best means Of obtaining
school edn"ation is by regular attendanc,
at school. and dilisent appreciation I,
the studies there Taught. The acreage o
attendance shows how slack and careless
parents are as to this regular attendance
7 he four departments in our school nov
numbers upwards Of two hundred an,
thirty pupils. while the average daily at
tendance is hardly one hundred and TWEEN
~. This is a thing that must be remedi
ed If we intend to have a first class school
But all the school rules that can be print
ed, and three first rate teachers in each lie
frar,ment cannot alone remedy it. Parent
can io it. Let them zee that their child
rem are prepared and started off for schoo
every morning in time TO be there by o o.
clock and will warrant that the averag
will be 80 per cent of the whole numbe
of pupils, instead Of 80 per cent. noa
/ ] cannot write all wish to upon tn;
subject in one article, and in next week
paper shall continue. a'is'aeaih .