The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-02-13
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Permit me through the columns Of
| your paper, TO offer II few suggestions
in reference to the time of opening
our public schools in the country.
| The oljeat aimed at in this communi-
catlon is, to point out an error in the
time of year the schools are opened.
Gibson county has manifested aliber>
ality in providing for common school
education. The county and state
fund will give us public money enough
to run our schools at least seven
months in the year, provided the
property, of the county is fairly as
sessed and a better collection of poll
taxes can he brought about. The
money.so literally given should not he
spent on schools at season Of the
year, when it is impossible for the pu>
pills to attend but little more than
half the time. The consequence is,
there is hut little advantage gained by
those who attend, nor can teachers
make much character for themselves
where such irregularity exists. Our
country schools are usually opened
from the first of November to the first
of December, and have varied in the \
time taught from five to three
months, a difference | am not able to
explain. Any one will trouble him-
self to investigate the attendance at
school during the winter months. will
find the average attendance to he but
little if any over half the time taught
during cur winter months. Another
objection to winter school is, our
school houses, as fule, are not such
as they should I've, in which to teach
a winler school. My observation of
winter school has led me to this cons
! sc,loSision. :, that tbey.ape ofhat littleben-
eft, and to some extent waste of
the public money. 1t Is said to oe
much easier to find fault and condemn
a thing than it is to offer remedy. l
propose to give remedy for the evits
complained of. Ii is this: Open
our country schools the first Of July;
give to each school in a district the
same length of time and close when
the public money is exhausted for the
year, and save a large fuel expense
for educational purposes. My opin.
ion is, there would I've much better
average attendance during the sum-
mer and fall than during the winter
months. How many little girls and
boys who attend our winter schools,
but little if at all would go to a sum,
mer and fall schoolif they had an OPP
portunity-the expense of prepara-
ton being less OH their parents than
to prepare them and keep them so for
a winter school. Those who have to
labor on the farm would lose moth
ing by the change of time for the
commencement of our schools, hut in
our opinion make gain, having the
benefit Of about three months at the
beginning of the schools. and after
crops are gathered if we have seven
months school, at least two mo. e
months, giving them a better oppor-
tunity to acquire common school
education than they could have from
a winter school. How much better it
would he for our girls, and little boys
who do hut little work on the farm,
to have the benefit of schools at sea-
son of the year when health is not ex.
posed to inclement weather. But,
says one, we could not have a school
during cotton picking time; little and
big will have to go to the field. Bet.
ter stop so much cotton picking. as we
have picked the most of the fertility
out of our soil and have realized hut
little for labor if anything. and give
to our children an education that will
enable them to bring more skill in
farming than has bcen displayed by