Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-11
COUNTY CORRESPONDENCE,
NECK.

Owing to the amoung of work that stares us in
the face by day and haunts our memory by night,
we have not been able to write Cabbage Neck
items for some time; but. as the New Year sets
In, We have made many resoluiions-one of
them is to be more regular in our correspond
ence.
Wheat is looking fine under the snow.
Health good. except coughs and colds.
Corn is selling at 81 25 per barrel In this
neishborhood.
The last tide of the old year went camly out,
and the light of the new one shines coldly upon
US.
Stock water ia getting scarce, notwithstsnd-
Ing we have to wade through about two feet Of
1t at all times.
1t Is too amusln to see ''these country boys'
20 to town in their old sleighs, with mule teams,
to take the city girls sleigh riding.
Unfortunately there are no marriages to re-
port, nor any prospects Of any that We can hear
OF. No deaths within Il respectable distance.
The holidays passed Off quietly here. No en-
tertainments at all. and the young people say
they are glad that such a Christmas comes but
once Q year.
We would especially urge our directors and
patrons Of public schools to visit their schools,
that they may see what both the teachers and
Ase e~ " ~ ING
school they can judge lntellIRently of the work
accomplished. If they will adopt this course
they will stimulate and cheer their children
and the teacher. We would not ask them to
come that they may assist In conducting the ex-
erctses Of the school, but come to see and to
hear, and thus give some real evidence that
they ieel an interest In the subject Of education.
Children attend school month after month, and
see no parent within the room. The teacher
urges upon their consideration the great value OF
knowledge. day after day, and repeats his earn
est desire for their Improvement; but after his
words ana interest are almost neutralized by
the indifference and inattention of their dearest
friends, they begin to think that education is of
little consequence, and that 1t matters not
whether they are Industrious or idle. AS they
never see their parents III the school room, they
begin to think that their teacher is the only in
dlvidual interested In their progress, and that
he Is 30 because 1t is his business. Hence q
teachers injunction and example often fall
powerless for the want of the quIckening in
duence Of . parents interest and u parents en-
d%orsement. Therefore. we would urge parents
to visit their children at school; II will increase
your own interest and redouble theirs. Depend
upon 1t, children will cheerfully apply them
selves to prepare their daily exercises when
SuS ~ tA9S khSkA kuS VI ~ iAny oS
present when they are called upon to recite.
WHAT child will not be ambitious to do well al
such . time? And while we are upon this sub
ject we would invite the attention of the parents
to the Importance of q regular attendance Of
your children. We have reason to believe that
some parents have NOT given merited attention
to this point. Children are often kept from
school or sent late without any sufficient reason
II children are allowed to be absent for Insult
cient reason they are virtually taught to look
upon their school and Its duties a. of quite sec.
ondary importance. Again, II children are
often absent they will fall behind their class.
mate In their studies, and, consequently. lose
much of their interest. and. perhaps, acquire ar
actual dislike for school and all its exercises
1t Is very essential for the progress Of a class
and its Individual members that no scholar b.
absent from q single reclt ,tion, for frequently
the loss of a single lesson may affect u scholar
interest and advancement for u whole term
Let us take an instance to illustrate this. A
teacher has a class in arithmetic, and it Is otter
necessary for him to explain some principle
the clear understanding of which. by the pupil
will serve ss o key to subsequent lessons. To-
day he occupies some time in explaining SOM,
| principle to a class Of ten. of which your Chile
isa member, but unfortunately an absent one
tomorrow he comes to school, but is unable t
comprehend and perform the exercises Of tn
| day on account OF his absence the previous day
Therefore the child should not lose u single d.,
| during his or her connection with the school
VALE.