The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1876-05-01

Editor Democrat. by order Of the
Board Of School Commissioners, the
Weston Graded School will close on
the 18th Of May; and in view of this
fact, desire to offer few suggestions
relative to its future standing aud pro-
grcss. Tho school for the present
year has been an unusually large one,
numbering, at one time, $50 scholars !;
tho general average being about 25y
and at present tho average daily at
tendance is about LIS, showing. as it
always has, that as tho end Of tho term
approaches, tho number Of scholars
gradually diminishcs. 1t is therefore
necessary that this serious hindrancc
TO tho standing Of our school shall be
avoided. This unfortunate state Of
things, it seems, is partly attributable
to parents who, without considering
tho effect of their course. allow their
children to quit school for tho most
trivial excuses, and thereby cause
great arrangement. not only in the ar.
rangcmCut Of classes. but also in the
classification and advancement Of their
children when they begin school again
either retarding them iu their stud.
les or advancing them to q grade
beyond their Notwithstanding
which is always dcplored by those who
may have the tuition Of their children
Such thOughtlessness aud manifest III.
difference on the part Of parents al.
ways seriously affects the standing and
progress of q class; aud if Of a class.
how much moro Of the entire school.
Some remedy should therefore be pro.
vided to eradicate this evil, SO that our
citizens might have an opportunity Of
witnessing the result Of the lubors Of
the teachers employed, and co1sc.
qucntly DO better able to judge oftheir
qualifications to ill the positions they
occupy. It has been suggested. (aud
| think the suggestion good onc)
that by shortening our school term to
six or seven months, md paying teach.
crs better salaries, this evil, to some
extent, may DO avoided. But as it
now is and has always has been just
before the close Of the school term oil
every year, teachers cannot do them
selves justice in n public examination
for tic reasons above indicated. Tn.
der such circumstances rs these out
examination cannot be- what it would
have boon had not our best and most
advanced classes been intGrfered with
and broken up by scholars dropping of
But we still propose to lot tho public
witness tho result of our labors for the
present school year by extending the
invitation to all concerned to honor III
with their presence on examination
days, Thursday and Friday, the It'll
aud 18th Of May, 1876
f. S BLAND, Principal.
Weston, April 26.
From other sources comes thu
same complaint of non.attculauce, b.
reason of tho neglect of parents. Th
following, taken from the FairmOn
Mdcr, shows q much worse state 0
things than are referred TO by Prot
Bland:
1.-THE public schools of this tow
will have to be closed 10 very shor
time, solely for tho want Ofattcnlanco
Tho time for closing these schools
not until about tho last Of May, bu
for tao past few weeks tho atteuaanc
has been co very small that it will nc
justify the expense for tcachcrs.-Tht
| is shameful. aud We cannot SEQ wha
the parents arc thinking Of. TIL
people these days seem not to appreci
ate the educational advantages oGere
their cnildron, and for tho smallest an
and most pitiful excuses allow thcu
to stay at homo, Something ought t
be done 10 eradicate this Oyil.'