The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-07-24
Our Common schools.

SIR VIII you allow me to reply through
your columns to one OF our school patrons
who must have been grossly mislnformed IN
regard TO matters pertaining to our school. L
am teacher in the school and claim to know
as much about school affairs as he possibly
can. lie says reEonstrance against hiring
Prof. Burked has been signed by one hundred
| or more tax payers and school patrons. Now
the truth OF the matter is, that the remonstrance
was drawn up and put in circulation to gratify
| personal spite on the part OF few individuals,
and the names were many OF them obtained by
the most gross misrepresentation OF many
things pertaining to the school, and some did
not even know the contents Of the paper which
| they signed and were much astonshed after
ward to learn the nature OF the document to
which they had placed their names. 1t was al
80 presented to many young people about town
! who were neither taxpayers nor school patrons
but who signed il to crafty those who urged
then. TO do 80.
"When we find large number Of high
school scholars Directing to his stay here it Is
but far to conclude that there is some point
open to criticism" | will venture to say that
school patron cannot find one good reliable high
school scholar who will object to Mr.. Burked's
stay. On the contrary when some such talk
as that just quoted reached the ears OF the
high school scholars one Of their number drew
up petition asking the board to hire Prof. b.
and 1t was signed by every scholar in attendance
And at our closing entertainment, one OF our
young men the chosen representative OF bis
q N
any school, expressed his estimation of the
school and of Prof. b. in way to do the heart
OF any teacher good. So much for ault-fnding
among the high school scholars.
The reports with regard to hardness is the
next point taken up by our estimable patron.
In the case to which he refers the young man
must have been inexcusably careless not to
have known that the last bell was ringing until
he was within few rods Of the school house
for 1t always rings ten minutes, five Of which
il is tolled so that there need be no mistake.
and in that time scholar can 60 a good many
rods, a pupil who lives one mile and half
from the school house has no business to de-
pend entirely on the ringing OF the bell, and
that boy didn't get confused about the bells
again. AS is intimated by Patron an absence
from such cause is marked unexcused and is
regarded as dishonorable, though slightly less
SO than tardy mark, but our absences from
this cause are very few indeed, and such
scholar instead Of losing "all his classes for
the day" only loses them for the half day, and
he is not compelled to go home as one would
infer from what Patron says, but if he chooses
can enter the school room and take bis seat on
what is known as the tardy seat above which
in most of the departments is card with the
words ''no tardiness until case occure, when
the card is turned over and the words "tardi-
ness is disgrace" are brought to view. This
ID the only punishment for tardines and is the
treatment which Patron regards as so vindic-
tive. Perhaps Prof. b. did tell him that he
preferred that he should go home for he knew
that the boy would feel disbonored before his
schoolmates, and it would be much pleasanter
for HIM to lose the half day and the lesson
would be apt to prove 30 effectual that the like
would never occur again in his case. hope IT
is true that mo child in the school district
would enter the school building knowing him
self to be tardy," and think it Is true that no
child IN the school district would lose two half
days in the year from this cause, if not detained
by Its parents. 1 wonder if Patron used to
find fault about the time lost by pupils when
they used to stay out half the forenoon because
they didn't feel like going into the school-room
or because they had not their lessons, as some
OF our best scholars have confessed to me that
they used to do, or when as many or more tardy
ones would come in one day as the whole mum
Der or our tardy and absent unexcused during
term, (and our absence unexcused is lot all
on account Of failure to arrive IN time). Prof.
sits in his office during roll CALL" wonder If
he does. But he doesn't SIT there idle. Prob
ably Patron doesn't know what he is doing.
neither does Prof. Il. know what Patron is
doing many times when he is probably busy
about affairs belonging to his particular occu-
patton, which he knows much better how to at
tend to than Prof. Il. would. l hope he doesn't
intend to insinuate that the assistant IN the
high school room isn't capable OF attending to
roll call in the absence OF Prof. B.
The children were told just before examina-
lions that, If they would bring in their parents,
five per cent should be added to their standing.
This was believed to be just, as no child wishes
its parent to witness poor examination, and
1t was believed by the teachers to be an added
stimulous in their preparation. The per cent
was only added in that particular study the ex-
ANIMATION In which was witnessed by the
parents. Notice that Patron says, THE children
were favored with the added per cent, though
the person brought in, in some cases, renamed
; only from morning opening until first recess u
1t is never - taken as an offence when our
school management is looked into and not taken
for granted from the reports" it is only taken
as al offence when it is misrepresented and be-
lied.
What Patron means by formalitles and red
tape / do not know, unless 1t Is that Prof. b.
, tres to teach good morals and good manners
, and introduces the school with devotional ex.
ercises, which is what should suppose such 9
, man would object to. Occasionally during re-
views some class was left to recite to one OF
their number, while Prof b. was busy at some
thing else. What Of that? We are proud thai
we have pupils who can be thus left to them
; selves and will go on quietly with their recita
tons. maintaining the same perfect department