The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-05-12
Now I think that parents ought to have

very good excuse indeed, if they let q
single examination pass off without THEN
attendance. 1t certainly discourages
teachers and pupils to have their hard
work so little appreciated But we are
thankful that there are some noble souls
who do appreciate our work, and the
childrens efforts for improvement-these
noble men and women, in every school
district, keep the fire of hope alive
and the heart from growing sick-and
the wheel of improvement keeps turning.
God bless them. We are truly grateful
to those of you who have been so fire.
quently found in our school, and we hope
you will come still moro frequently in
the future, influencing others, who have
never been, to come with you.
Especially should the Board visit
the school frequently; aud though | do
not advocate corpora! punishment l
think our School Board need little
touching up of some kind; for they have
really been negligent in this matter and
though they have done well in many
respects they have not done their whole
duty. | venture to say some members
of the Board have never heard IA single
recitation in the school, AID DO not
know but that some have never been
within the School Building, and | think
very few Of them have ever visited the
school, except on some public occasion.
Now | think we have very good School
Board, better and more efficient than
most school boards, and the success Of
our school, thus far, should be largely
accredited to it, and all that | ask now,
more than we have received is the pres
encc Of it's members more frequently in
the school-room
Parents may greatly promote the in
tcrests of the school by preparing as far
as may be the children for their work.
They need amusement and recreation, q
good deal of play, and should not be de-
prived of 1t; but should be judiciously
guided in ways conducive to correct
habits and good heelth. Late and ir
regular hours are most detrimental to
the student. Health and cheerfulness
are all important to the boy, or girl,
studying hard. Eight hours sleep reg
ularly taken each night is not too much
for the health and happiness of the stu.
dent Young people are slow to exer
else their own judgment in the matter
Of running about nights They have
yet to learn many important lessons of
self denial, in order to succeed well in
life. Self.dcnials are, indeed, among
some of the first hard lessons of the
young student. We have some pupils
in the lowest grade Of our Grammar
School department, who honestly tell
me that they might now be 10 the upper
grades and in the High School, perhaps,
had they learned to deny themselves
and had kept from going to so many
dances, thus having been out late so
much nights, that they we're untitled for
my cheerful, hearty mental or bodily
exercise sufficient to make good students.
They now have reason to regret that
heir parents did not restrain them.
Ia some of our schools, especially in
he country, many of the boys and girls
Who have 10 other time to 60 to school,
n the winter spend most of their time
n frivolous amusement, and they get
tut very little schooling, though they
'retend to go to school the winter term
# each year, for several years, Where
UGH persons predominant the schools
re almost entire failures in consequence
f their unftness to do any good work
themselves, and their influence upon
theirs. When We realize that some of
hese children, and perhaps, majority
f them weuld make passable scholars
nd honorably fill high positions in soci.
ty were it not for the over indulgence
f the parents, who, through mistaken
indness, let their children run unre.
trained, we exceedingly regret the lax
ess with which parents hold the gov
reins, and the very children
ow demanding the greatest indulgencies
nil, by-and.by, curse their parents for
rantiDg them. This is a sad thought
'r over indulgent parents; but it is
evcrtheless true. | am glad that We
ave pupils in our school who are GULL
lg sweets from higher sources than the
all-room who have got taste at the
rings of knowledge, and, with that
aste they have the key to unlock the
oors to interminable pleasures. These
upils give character and influence to
lr school. and though we may have a
W " sleepy heads" made so by their l
ight wanderings and dissapations, with I;
hose conduct the good pupils are dis
listed, the most of the pupils keep them
lives in good working order and with {
lr regular attendance, punctuality, '
entail labor performed, discipline at l
lined, etc, we have great reason to be s
ghly gratifed. Though l may be i
ther puritanical in my views in regard t
dancing, as carried on by our young i
,ople generally, | do not wish to be 3
lderstood here as waging any war at il
| against dancing itself, as an amuse- il