Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-04-05

corporal punishment had in no way been
the child had been corrected NV
word, and from this had grown the en-.
OrmOus story of cruel treatment. The
blank book was reliable witness in
favor of the teacher.
Stories OF corpOasl punishment of more
recent date, and equally exaggerated and
untruthful have been circulated which
when upon investigating tho record
have been found to be essentially false
The teachers have wisely used this right
and no parent need have anxious solic-
itude in regard to the just discipline of
his children. 1t is the duty of the pupil to
submit to all reasonable requirements, and
If he will not do 80 without severe dis
cipline, it is right and just, that such
Discipline follow his non-submission.
Every parent acts upon this principal.
and the teacher can do no differently, for
he is 'fn loco PARENTS. But the cases
OF corporal punishment are comparative
ly few in the schools; there would still
he smaller number il the child was uni
formely taught implicit ohedient at home.
The boy and girl who are submissive to
parental authority viii! prove loyal and
obedient to school requirements. The
pupil in school is true representative of
the home and its teachings, and when
ever the home is in full sympathy with the
school, then there will be no need of Sc
we're punishment. If parents were always
keenly alive to the best interest of their
children, they would be more constant
~ careful that no word of theirs should
create rebeilious spirit. Individual ill.,
Gritty means liberty subject TO lsw, and
the first and most important lesson the
child has to learn at home is obedience
to law. If not learned here il must be
at school, for the pupil is 10 20 out into
the world a citizen and lie will find there
that the demands for loyalty and obo-
dience are most exac;lng and imperative,
and that no loving father and mother
can IN any way here step between bim
and merited punishment, SO that it is
the most prudent wisdom to learn this
lesson of cheerful obedience at the home.
leave this subject Of discipline by re-
peating what have already indicated,
that in all my school experience I have
pills, on the whole, than here.
HARDNESS.
think it is the testimony Of all teach
ers, everywhere, that Hardness is ono OF
the most pernicious evils In school. The
pupil who 10 frequently faulty in this re-
spect not only is doing himself . serious
injury, but his influence upon the school
is positively banefal. Such an one is
generally lags.rd in his class; having
no heart in his studies and no ambition
to maintain even y respectable position.
while to c1cel never comes within ths
range Of his thoughts. But more perma
mont injury is being done the child by
this tardy spirit than ever shows itself In
school life. The tardy boy will become
the tardy man, and it 10 the experience
of every department Of life that success
is only for him who Is up and doing Al
the appointed hour. Our schools are moi
entirely free from this miserable fault ol
which write. It is true, I think that q
very few in al the rooms need to better
their record in this respect. In our up
per rooms, together with the Intermodi
ate, we have few pupils who, nearly
men and women in growth and years
have numbered from ton to twenty tardy
marks during the past term. Their sx
cuscs are various, but in my estimation
without any good reason. To give yos
some idea of the excuses, will copy 4
few "for samples" ~ written by the pa
rent, with the exception of the name O
the children bringing them:
please excuse my boy for being tardy
this morning, as he had to 90 down towr
after some meat for dinner, and obligl
his mother"
"Plcase excuse my child for being tar
dy this morning. as our clock stopped
and obligc, &c"
"Please excuse my child for being tar
dy this morning, as we had late break
fast, and oblige, &C."
please excuse my child for being tar
dy this morning, as he Gid not hear the
bell ring, and oblige, &C."
please excuse my child for being tar
dy, as he had to 60 out to the farm aftel
the horses, and oblige, &c"
And SO on ad infnitum. The excuses
written for children being tardy are al
similar to the above exact copies, mean
ing nothing but the most culpable care
lessness and indifference on the part O
the pupil, and more especially on thu
part of the parent. It is true that THU
fault belongs to the very few, compare
lively, but this does not lessen our anxi
ETY. that an immediate remedy should h
found and thoroughly applied to thes,
few tardy children. The good of the in
dividual pupil demands it; the highest
good and the more perfect success of thu
schools most emphatically demands it
Parents, will you see to it that our mex
term is greatly improved in relation te
this disagreeablc hindrance to schoo
work. We urge it upon your immedi0t.
attention, and trust that you will give vi
your entire aid in Kidding our rooms o.
this evil, and the benefits will be yours
and your children's.
ABSENCES.
The school should be of the fret tmnor
tance to the child, and all else should bs
subordinate to 1t. Sickness of the pupil
or Of anyone of the family Of which the
child is member, 10 sufficient excuse
for absence, and any abseIuts need Of the
child's help, the parent not being able Il
hire the services Of others, 10 another
good excuse. Aud these, I think, are thu
only good reasons for absences; and yel
occasional EXCUSES are brought in by Z
limited number. asking that the boy Of
girl may be excused on account Of visiting
with some aunt, uncle or cousin who
could make only short visit, or the boy
or girl went out Of town to visit some
mate or relative. However pleasant
these little visiting seasons with friends
may be to the children, they do harm to
the school. Absences for such reasons
arc disorganizing In their influences, and
much good is lost which might otherwise
have been secured. We ask your earnest
CO operation, parents, in making the rsg.
ular attendance of our pupils the first Of
school duties. Will you give as this
help?
1 should be doing injustice to the
schools were to leave this subject with
out speaking word OF commentator
for tho goodly number Of pupils In the
different rooms who are prompt and reg
ular upon all the exercises. Their habits
of promptncss and industry have already
secured to them the beneficial results
that come from constant and earnest
work. Those pupils Who hsvs been IN
our schools constantly. prompt and Fegy:
lar, have shown thCmselvst, ~ / have
learned, the most efficient teachers ID
our county schools. And thpg win It ~.
or he-the boy 10 father to tho man.