The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-04-01

REPoRr OF SOMERSET SCHooLs.-On Thurs
day, March 81 1855, the Borough Schools
closed once more for seven months-a long
long period of rest which the youth of the
town will, / doubt not, employ most indus
triousIy--in forgetting as much as possible
of what they have learned daring the past
five months.
9" To err is human thence / have no
doubt mistakes have been made in govern
naent punishments, in isolated cases, may
have been inflicted where they should not
have been inflicted, and, in not few cases
guilty persons may have been permitted to
escape. For the latter l will merely say
teachers do not possess omnicience, and
hence they may be deceived. Should such
cases have occurred, | regret it sincerely.
Mistakes may have been made. also, in
furnishing for offences OF which the child
punished was not gailty. know of one or
two such cases bat the thought that IMAM
fallible creature" has afforded me great
Iconsolation in the midst of my grief, and
that, coupled with the fact that teachers in
and parents as constantly denied, the for
Hmer being present and the latter absent, and
that little angels at home under the eyes of
fond mammas may be of quite an opposite
character abroad, and under the eye of a
watchful teacher. or when subject to the
workings of the rules OF a school, has COM
pleted my solaee. have already explain
ed. in several reports, the standing of the
Somerset schools so far as advancement,
etc, is concerned. Promotions will be made
at the beginning of the next winters term,
By whoever may be the principal. Examin-
ations were held in each of the rooms, and
the questions given aud GRsxneS. would
surprise many persons by their difficulty.
believe in rigid examinations, and as few
promotions as possible
Under the present " short term system
tions should not be made until the begin
ming of the Winter term, for the following
reasons Many Of the children attend school
during the summer, and in some cases their
advancement is such as to merit promotion.
Then the Principal must revise his promo
ton list" and insert new names 1t is very
little more trouble TO make a list than to re-
wise one,
Promotions must depend on merit and
not on any fayoriiism shown by the Princi-
pal on any account whatever. The Princi-
pal who viii permit personal feelings to in
fiuence him in any way is unfit for his po-
board with all haste. make these remarks
because some of my personal friends have
approached me thus. NY boy doesn't like
his teacher and viii not SO to school," Ia
beautiful state OF Affairs too, and showing
what it may show Cant you promote
him 2'' Any one can see that on the princi.
pie I have mentioned above, l could not
promote such boy. He would have been
a disturbing clement in the higher just as he
was in the lower room. Some bad boys
have been kept ont by their indulgent par
ents for the reason that they did not like
certain branch Of study, and still others
because their parents have weak eyes and
coald not see them on the streets. Educa-
ton like the great battle of life-is not a
question of like or dislike, but it is a ques-
ton of duty and ordinarily the absence of a
boy or girl who wishes to remain out of
school will be greeted with pleasure by the
teacher. Now in closing, permit me to e1-
tend my thanks, to the Board Of Directors
for their weekly yisitations. To the clergy.
:, ~, ono Of hon, hos f.;lad tn call ond uho
in this case merit the commendation sThou
hast been faithful in few things-- To. .as
citizens, ladies and gentlemen wko caAed-
to-these one and all l extend my sincere
thanks. -, ...4
s.hoo,s are NO. n,,so,s teachers an. M,
;o;,ars ana ,,,,.;is orc NO, ,,.;so,.rs ~.