Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1882-06-24
PICNIC AND ASSESSMENT
TIME.

AHe PGHlC seasou 10 ilttio Oool
yet and people are diffident about
making arrangements too far ahead
lest cold day should spoil the fun.
Children anticipating the delights of
sitting in mosquito grove eating
lunch literally sprinkled with sand
anxiously consult the patent medicine
almanac weather predictions; but
another diversion of the early Sum-
mer months is of certain recurrence,
and 10 inclemency of weather can
interfere with the active prosecution
of the sport. AT this time contribu-
lions from the scholars are solicited
for the purpose of purchasing the
teacher gold pen or gold-headed
cane as q token of esteem. Each
pupil, no matter in what Strengthened
circumstances the parents may be,
is permitted to throw its might into
the fund which will be applied to the
purchase of gift with which to sur
prise the expectant teacher at the
closing exercises of the term. The
utmost impartiality is shown, and
each little one is told that it may
contribute what it sees fit. 1t is well
understood from long and thoroughly
established custom that the teacher
althoug receiving salary much
greater than the earnings of most of
the working men whose children are
under his tuition, has no false pride
about accepting gifts which are sym
bols of affection, and may be sold
for fair sum if he should remove to
another field of labor. Some unrea-
sonable parents think that the impair
tislIty is carried to too great an ex-
tent, and Others, who are supposed to
be prejudiced against the common
school system, even oppose the Gus
tom of school presentations with the
attendant contributions, which to
them appears like levyino an assess
msnt ia q delicate manner under an
inoffensiye name. 1t is claimed that
the children do not like to be thought
either mean or poor, and while the
parents, understanding TIE rarity of
genuine sentiment in the formal pre-.
sensations which are now almost
looked upon as part of the legiti
mate perquisites of teacher, would
have the moral courage to refuse it
the application came to them, espec-
tally if in their opinion consl dering
the comparative financial conditions
they needed the money more than the
teacher, they do not care to infict
upon. their children the modification
of appearing stingy. 1t is easy to
say that none need give unless will
lingly, but when Mary sees Sarah's
name down for fifty cents she is
wretched unless her name has an
equal sum opposite. Tommy does
not lose caste with his schoolmates if
he is not as liberal as they with his
fathers money, but he feels that he
does and suffers accordingly. 1t is
not his affection for the teacher which
prompts the desire to have his par
lents pay the assessment, but the dread
of being thought poor or stingy. A
fear that the teacher next session may
notify the delinquents by extra tasks
imposed or additional force applied
to the descending rod also assists in
making the unpaid assessment lists
for school presentations very small,
comprising only the names of those
pupils whose parents are absolutely
unable to give even to crafty the
greed and vanity of the teacher or to
save the feelings, hands or backs OF
their children.