Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-12-29
THE AUSTIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Words Of Wisdom From Prof. Keyst

EDITOR OF THE TRANscR1pr:-Thr
last session of the Public Schools tor
Term l., 18S0-91, was held Friday after
noon, Dec. II. The reports Of examinn-
lions were distributed, announcements
for the following term made. and the pu
Pills dismissed for vacation OF three
weeks,-tllrce weeks of rest and pleasure.
And while the children are pursuing the
festivities OF the holidays and rccuptrat-
ing fur future study, it may not be ind
visab'e FOR me t" submit few facts and
figures for the consideration Of all who
take a deep interest in the education of
their children.
The attendance has been good; but
owing to the severity of the weather and
to numerous cases of sickness, it will
merely hear comparison with that of the
corresponding term Of last year. In jus
'ice to the school it may he remarked
that the major part Of the tardiuess and
irregular attendance, is chargeable TO a
few families, whose want Of care robs us
"fan cnviablc record. Naturally enough,
the habi'ually :ardy, irregular pupils,
most need the benefits Of the school, and
theirs are the parents who forge, that go.
ing to school is a business, and not con-
ven!ence for killing time until spring
opens. So long as school must yield to
everything else, so long will children at
tend it with false idea, and fail to ad-
vance steadily and Systematically in their
studies.
The discipline maintains the standard
reached last year. 1t will not e boast
i;'g to say. that it is steadily Improving;
and, indeed, it ought to improve. We
are all painfully aware that the youth Of
Austin are not wholly free from bad ha!,.
its and an impatient desire to- be older
than they really are. 1t is a matter of
regret,-more than rcgret-that profan.
ity is so prevalent among the boys Of Aus.
TIN. 1t finds lis way to the school
grounds; it fouls The mouths Of some
children who 60 to Sunday Schools; it is
not confined to The children of the non
church. goer, or the proflne swearer; It is
everywhere. old and young, parent ana
child. are addicted to it, How can a
Principal, or teacher, however faithful.
check an evil which is nourished out
side the school? How can Principal
punish boy who says that his father
swears, that everybody swears? This is
also true IF the use Of tobacco, and other
vices. The only means of crushing out
these evils is the earnest endeavor of
parent and teacher in hearty COO ,eration.
| The teacher alone can do !lt,le; tor he has
charge of the pupils less than six hours
Of The twentv-f"ur. The expulsion and
Withdrawal. Of several bad boys and girls
| have removed some of the cen,ers of con.
| taminating influence; and So soon as it
is generally recognized that our Public
Schools arc not reform schools, and that
1t is better to allow II few vicious pupils to
grow up in ignorance, if they will not
| behave properly, than to have all at school
contaminated 10y their language and act
ions, $" soon can we purity til, conduct
Of our pupils and he held more strictly
l." account for their behavior.
Regarding the amount anil character of
he work accomplished this term, I can
| speak very highly. The desire to make
fine shoe has no been manifest. In
TACT ii has not existed, if carnrslnrss and
inquiry Tor information beyond the plane
Of examinations, b" evidence OF its n",,-
xis'encc. In the General Lesson, m my
valuable facts aud new ideas have been
imparie>! 10 the pnpl. IA III Il corrc>pouI-
| .nyly Increased breadth of mind ana ill.,
crest in study is observable In The fun
'iameh'"l branches pupils have been drill
ed TO d' QUICK, accurate work. pri"ci-
| )les have been taught in order that by
heir use Work can bc perform more
rapidly and CORRECTLY. The improvement
|" The use of capitals, punc'uall"n M ,rks,
Language, and in accurate solution OF
er"bIems, is very markell, and there
should be improvement; for the world Il, .
| mands not men who know only pr,nci
pies, but who ctn use principles and
| make no mistakes. We have put this
henry Into practice in The marking of
| examination papers, as lie lower Stand.
ing OF many pupils will Indicate Here
after no credit VIII he given Tor erroneous
results, even if they be based on good
principles. Examinations will be lis,
It capacity, accuracy, power to use
| knowledge, rather than to ascertain the
amount Of text committed to crammed
| memory. If :his be wrong, we Will glad
ly abandon it; if ii he necessary for tho
rough scholar ship, let the parents give us
! firm support, even though it check the
unhealthy progress OF their children.
The rapid advancement of children in
school is a matter Of justi6ab!e pride
both to parents and teachers and the am
| bition which evokes earnestness and tho
roughness iD the pupil IS landable, and
should be nourlshed in every proper war.
But when pupils seek higher classes
merely for the name of being promoted,
or pareuts wish their Chi dren classified
in certain grades because their neigh
boris children are in those grades, then
| adv ,nccment becomes AL evil and delri-
'nent 10 real progress. Undue crowd,ng
of CHI ildrcn in their studies is productive
of supcrficiali'y and n,al deleriol alton.
n" one expects mans work from Il boy
twelve years old, in manual employ ments,
and why should we look for mental
strength in the same boy at The same age
sufficient for the perform ance of work re.
quirng comparatively mature minds? It
is cruel to urge pupils forward so fast
that a good foundation for knowledge
cannot be laid, ard the mind strengthen.
ed rather than weakened by its tasks. Ii
is now generally believed that the Oody OF
clnlI runnnt no .,v.rvt,rlx. 1 .ri;hnut