Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1883-07-11

uuuon0 auu Tolerant. Minor affairs OF
the school room should be regulated so
as 10 conduce to the welfare and hap
Nness OF pupils. The intermission may
De means OF great benefit and pleasure
to pupils, but serious evils have existed
through the unwisc directions of teachers.
Delicate children have been compelled to
20 out, and to remain. out against their
own and their parents expressed wishes,
When their health was injured by the eX-
posure; or again recess has been abolished
Wnen many pupils and parents believe it
to he to the detriment Of pupils. So long
as Inc recess has been instituted for the
chlldren's benefit they should be allowed
to 20 out if they desire to do so, and if
they desire to remain indoors from indis-
position or to study they should he per-
United to remain in their Seats. In the
lower grades, among smaller children, suf-
1erlng has long been complained of on
account of the brief time allowed in
which to get water. Often on account of
some i'll behavior on the part of one pupil
the cup has been set aside or the time has
expired and all have been sent to their
next intermission for the desired drink
OF water. Avery slight consideration on
the part OF the teachers would relieve this
dlf1culty. Again pupils have endeavored
day after day to ask the teacher ques-
tlon or to deliver message, but have
been refused and turned aside. 1t would
be q matter OF great convenience to pupils
as well as to parents, if teachers in the
lower grades would appoint the recess
time or some other time for listening to
the requests of pupils.
Again our teachers should be ladies and
gentlemen whose language and manners
will have tendency to refine, and whose
moral character will tend to elevate.
Even small children are quick to discern
a fault, a mistake, weakness, or rude
ness on the part of the teacher. Some
will initiate those faults while some may
ridicule them. 1t surely is a matter of
great importance what person stands be-
fore our children day after day as an ex-
ample during the whole year.
We have just cause to feel a pride in
the schools of Austin, for their usefulness
and eHectual work in educating the
young, still there is a prevailing senti'
ment that looking forward toward rer
lection, the work has been carried little
too fur; so that little relaxation is nee
essary to relieve the tenseness of the
strain put upon the young. Punctuality
is matter to be considered always, yet
we know that children must sometimes
be absent from school on account of sick
ness, and there are other good reasons
for absence and even hardness, which a
teacher should accept and freely excuse
the absence or hardness. If parent
has work or IN amusement which he
deems more profitable for the child than
his school work the teacher should accept
the parents excuse and receive the child,
not as culprit, but to do the best he can
tn if n0cSIh1Q r0ruin rUhof no hoc lost 1,xy
absence. A teacher in his desire to slim
ulate love for school and school work
should avoid creating a nervous fear on
the part Of pupils, to be always haunting
them during their hours of necessary alb
sence, and perhaps of sickness, on ac-
| count OF the consequences that are to fol-
low that absence
A course of study is we'll to have, yet
it is sometimes too rigidly adhered to-.
Ii parents desire to have their children
omit certain studies for any reason the
pupil should be allowed to pursue part
of the course, in any grade.
| Occasional examinations are necessary
and perhaps beneficial, but when they
| occur twice each term and are difficult,
dreaded and feared by the pupils from
| the time one is over until the next occurs,
entered into by the pupils under the strain
OF excitement and anxiety, and with a
feeling OF nervousness, stimulated by the
teachers previous references to the exami
nation, and by the fear of failure, they
cannot but work injury,
Examinations have been followed by
illness on the part of some pupils, and
the strain produced by the examinations
and over-anxiety upon the nerves of chill
dren is known by many to be detrimental
to the health and well being of pupils.
! It is earnestly hoped that some means
will be devised to relieve this strain upon
the nerves of children. Pupils should
study to gain useful knowledge, not tc
"pass," they should be thorough students
in the grade where they belong and moi
aspiring to. by some means, "get through
into higher grade. Perhaps a review
at the close of the term, or upon finishing
a study, conducted and carefully attend
ed to by principal and teacher. would re
veal the standing of pupils in the lowe
grades, to determine in regard to promo
| items. Even in the High school the re
vi>lws might be made to lessen the impor
taltce of the examinations,
The work OF both teachers and pupils
should be happy. The teacher should b.
happy in his efforts to lead the yohn&
forward In the pursuit of knowledge, ant
the pupils happy in gaining knowledge
for it's own sake.
1t is hoped that next year we may hav'
efficient teachers, and wise and toleran
regulations. X