Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-01-16
Hardness and Irregular Attend
auce.
Mr.. President, FeilOU Teachers, La
CAUSES AND CURES

| i. DlelSICc 10 COult 70 eCuOOi-
| 2. Age OF pupils.
8. Condition of the roads aud weather.
! 4. Parents the cause.
| 8. A general disregard of school.
| 6. Truants.
We must admit that pupils living
in the country and having two miles
or more to come to school cannot get
there as early as those having but a
short distance to go. We also have
some pupils living near the school
and are tardy quite often; their tar
diness we must attribute to some 9th
er cause, while those who have far to
come make great struggle to get to
school, those living near are in no
hurry. The little folks can not walk
SO fast as the older pupils. We know
that children are close observers and
they see many things of great curl
osity and then they must stop to ex-
anime or look at it closely No diff
ference how often they pass along
the same road, they will see some
thing that they never noticed in pass
ing along at other times. Children
think an hour is long time, and
they don't see the necessity of hur-
rying to school; for no doubt they
get tired of the long day till 4 0 clock.
When the roads are muddy and the
children must pick their steps slong
the lanes, it retards their travel very
much. Sometimes We have deep
SHOWS, and in the country some of
the roads are not travelled enough
so that children can walk them. In
such cases pupils are compelled to
stay at hc.ne a few days. 1t is com
mon thing in the country schools,
for the small children, when the
weather becomes cold to stay at
home until nice day come. We find
some parents take no interest III the
education of their children, and are
very negligent about sending them.
Now, where irregular attendance is
the fault Of the parents, it would be
unfair for tie teacher to administer
any punishment beyond that of loss
position in the schooland class stand
ing. We cannot blame the child
when the parent is the one deserving
blame There are some children who
have a general disregard for school.
They ike to escape whenever an OPP
portunity will present itself. Hard
lessons, by being disconnected, and
loss of class position may discourage
pupils and then they have no pleas
ure in going. When pupils have a
dislike for school and hate to attend,
they viii play truant, and then their
case is doubtful and adds deception
to irregular attendance. Truants de-
ceive not only teachers, but also, par
snt and classmates. Now, tins We
should stop, if possible, and the most
effective means of breaking up tru-
ancy is for the teacher and parents
to work i'll entire harmony. Crest
care is necessary on the part of both.
But / would not interfere with the
parents too much. Coming to school
late and missing few days now and
then interrupts the school very much
and no one feels its effects as the
teacher. How shall we secure the
attendance at school: We cannot
compel pupil to come to school,
we may frighten him to come and
the only punishment would be that
OF putting him in lower classes as no
is found to fall more and more be
hind his classmates. l would not
deprive him of his play time. All We
can do, is to throw out some induce
ments. We should try and make the
school duties as pleasant as possible.
When irregular attendance is the re-
suit of the pupils dislike for school
or his averrion to study, the teacher
should meet the difficulty by trying
to make everything easy and inviting
and create in tho pupil a love for
study as well as a desire to be in
company with the scholars at play,
having this accomplished, then teach
ing is made easy and the scholars
will study because they like to find
out something new. Az cure for
tardiness the teacher should have the
house warm and clean, in good time,
and then be ready to participate in
games on the play ground. Having
the house well decorated with pic
lures and other material may be an
inducemsnt. If the day be unpleas-
ant so as not to admit Of outdoor
games, then hs- should have some
thing like gymnastic exercises. But
in country schools it is beat to not
give boys too much muscle practice.
He should, by some means, arouse
their feelings and give them some
thing Havs some good story books
for the pupils to read, or let the
teacher read them a good selection.
II the teacher be person for Gu
riosity, let him take a tumbler and
water and he can show them some
interesting performances.
Remove the pith from a crooked
elder, or take q bent straw or any
hollow tube bent into the shape Of
siphon; with this remove the water
from one vessel to another.
If you can procure one ounce OF
potassium chlorate and one ounce Of
white sugar, grind them fine and
then thoroughly mix them; procure
a few drops Of Fulphuric acid in
vial, place little Of the mixture on
a board or a paper a foot or more
square, drop single drop of the
acid on the mixture, when it instant
" takes fire.
Again, press piece of paper down
into the flame of a candle, and OBJ
serve that it burns it in a ring, which
shows that the centre of the famo Is
not burning.
These things the teacher should
give before school opens in the morn
ing without any previous announce
ment, and if some pupils fail to see
it this time, they will be on time the
next morning.
E1tinguish candle after it has
been burning for some time, observe
a stream of vapor rises from the wick,