Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-09-26


 ces leading to them, and the consequences resulting from them, we be- come convinced that it is, undoubtedly, much greater evil than many parents inn agine.
 The state has, by the unlimited power which it has accorded to it's officers in mat ters of truancy, and by the heavy penalties which it imposes on delinquents, gwen to this vice most unqualified condemnation.
 Sections 33 and 34 of the School Law
 ''The police in any city, and bailiffs, con stables, sheriffs and deputy sheriffs i'll their respective precincts, shall arrest all boys between eight and sixteen years of age who habitually wander or loiter about the streets or public places, or anywhere beyond the proper care of their parents or guardians, during the usual hours of the school term and stop any boy under sixteen years of age during such hours, and ascer- tain whether he is truant from school, and if he be shall send him to such school. Any boy arrested the third time under the provisions of the preceding section, if not immediately returned to school, shall 1 be taken before the judge of the criminal | or police court, or any justice of the peace | in the city, borough or town where such arrest is made and if it shall appear that such boy has no lawful occupation, or is | not attending school. or is growing up in ! I an habitual truant, he may be con-
 mitted to any institution of instruc- 1 tion, or correction, or house of re-
 formation in said city, borough, or town, l for not more than three years, or, with the l approval of the selectmen, to the State Re 1 form School.
 Nor can we justly entertain the thought 1 that these laws by which parents are de- | prived of that natural and sacred right to 1 bring up their own children are severe. It 1 is not merely matter of little, more or l less, learning for boy. Interests of deep | import to the moral welfare of the commu-
 nifty center in this question. Truants are | he bane of every school that they may happen to attend. Their absence produces 1 disorder in the rooms, their bad example l tends to demoraliZe others, and their deti- ciency serves to retard the progress of the other pupils of their class. Yet they I themselves are the greatest sufferers. l Truants are conscious that in failing to attend school they are transgressinS the or dinance of the State, disobeying the wish and commands of their parents, and as consequence violating the laws of God. By these frequent violations habit of indif- 1 ference to and not rarely of hatred of all law, human and divine is acquired. If we combine with this criminal indifference, that threefold evil necessarily consequent on frequent neglect of study viz: ignorance.
 dleness, weakness of intellect, we will al ready have every requisite to form the worst possible citizen taking deep root in the heart of the child.
 edy this evil It may not be possible fully
 to abolish this pernicious habit amongst
 boys, but every community can, with due
 care, reduce it to minimum.
 The many visits of the State Agent. Mir
 Potter, to this city, have had very saluta- | c. 4. II Al. ! Truant Officer, and the commendable
 promptness of many of the teachers in re- porting truancy, have wrought much good but full success is attainable only when ev- cry father and mother and every guardian of children will devote to this duty the at tention that it demands.
 If those having charge of children would spend in studying the causes and occasions !, of truancy in the individual child the time l that is too often given to ill-timed , complaints and vain regrets, their labors , would be crowned with more success than : often bless their efforts. If indeed they B truly desire te succeed, and good will, We believe, is not wanting. they should more f over, first, inculcate, by precept and exam pie, respect for the law whose aid they : themselves invoke for their own welfare
 and that of their children; second, often
 point out to their children the advantages , of education, the profit, the respect, the honor, the power, the manhood which it 7 brings. The old Greek proverb says, He } who loves learning will have learning"
 Third, never upbraid timid children nor 5 taunt those who find it hard to study 3 fourth, give the children every opportunity of holding all honorable position in the } school by
 ,t Never keeping them at home except I, when absolutely necessary.
 l Providing for them all the books that } are requisite for their studies.
 ,t Giving them time to study tie lessons . appointed by the teacher; and disposing , them to do so by we'll ordered home. ' Fifth, cultivate in the hearts of the chil- ? d.'en a spirit of respect and love for the r teachers. Never attribute to the teachers a , personal or unworthy motive in any o1 ' their actions. Never speak slightingly ot
 them in tie presence of the children, nol r subject them to unnecessary or harsh criti l cism.
 fl Sixth, teach children to be scrupulously
 neat in dress and habits, not forgetting ts 2 bestow equal or greater care upon the heart, rendering them truthful, honest anC g pure. and making them desirable pupils fol I 1 the teacher, and desirable companions fol = the best pupils in school. This done, the
 rest may be safely trusted to the zeal anC . wisdom of the teachers.
 f RESIGNATION OF TEACHERS. During the SCHOOL year LIe DOaru TeCelV l ed and accepted the resignation of the fol e lowing teachers: Mir k. W. Hine, Mis: : Sarah J. Gibson, Miss NJ. E. Coleman s Miss Mary Felter, Miss Katie A. Hart anC 5 Miss Lizzie A. Somers.
 APPOINTMENT OF TEACHERS. l. Mir E. V. Hovey was appointed to sue Q ceed MT Hine. Mrs Nelligan was chose-
 to fill the place of Miss Gibson. As the re V maining teachers resigned at the end of tn, t year only, it was not necessary to appoin q their successors.
 IT Owing to the largely increasing attend V ance at many of the schools, the Boarc d found it necessary to appoint other teach a CTS. Misses Shanley, Weston, Egan, Moral is and Grimes were chosen. As, however e there was no corresponding increase in thu ,t number of rooms, these young ladies wer 9 assigned as assistants to the teachers il o Sperry street, Clay street, Bishop street d Long Hill and Elm street schools. In ad IS dition room for younger children wa