Helena weekly herald., 1888-09-27
School Board Rules.

| EDITOR HERALD-I have been some
what amused at the protest Parent" make:
in last evenings HERALD, and the commu-
nication from Anxious Mother" in this
mornings Independent, relative to a rule re-
Gently adopted by the Board of Education
to the effect that pupils can not be excused
| from their school duties for the purpose OF
| taking instructions in music, dancing,
French, German, etc.
Parent" thinks her children should be
excused for music, and Anxious Mother
states that her children have no talent for
music, but desires to give them some 80
ciety accomplishments in perfecting them
in the art of dancing.
Of fmy own knowledge know that the
School Board was also importuned on the
subject of French and German, that they
should grant leave of absence from schools
for Instructions in these branches. There
are also other parents who would be glad
to have their children excused for instruc-
ton in the gymnasium, and for drawing,
ornamental painting, embroidery and so on
without end. If the subject of music
only was before the board for considera-
tion it would seem probable that the per-
mission might have been granted, though of
the expediency of this have doubts But
how can they consistently draw the line
on music? Are not the arguments of
Anxious Mother" good? Who shall say
that my neighbor's child can be excused
from school for music, while my child,
having no natural talent for music, shall
be debarred from taking time out of school
hours for French, German or dancing
May not French, German or dancing be
just as proper and necessary for one child
as music is to the other? Who shall de-
eide, the teacher of music, or of French,
or of German, or shall it be left to the
dancing master? Or shall the school
board, looking carefully at the difficulties
in the way of any discrimination on this
subject, conclude that school duties should
be attended to in school hours?
If the course of study in our public
schools is not arranged so that every child
attending has plenty to do during school
hours with school duties, then surely
something is wrong with that course of
study, and it should be changed. 1t GER
tainly will not be contended that the ma.
jority of pupils in the public schools shall
be kept back in their studies in order to
the small minority in the
schools who are taking French, German,
music or dancing, during school hours.
Vocal music is provided for and taught as
a regular study in the public schaols, by q
teacher whose competency is doubly proven
by her success. And the laxity of the |
rules contended for is never allowed in the |
best conducted schools of the East. For
my part commend the action Of the school |
on this subject, and |
hail with pleasure the Inauguration of a
system which prevents my children from
being retarded in their school studies from
the fact of absence of others in the same
class, who surely do not and can not re.
turn to the school as we'll prepared for |
,chool studies as are those who have lost
40 time. by absence. First of all, want
ny children to acquire q good thorough
,ducation. And l hope also that they
nay be adorned with some Of these other
heretofore considered.
But these may be attained outside of
chOol hours, in the evenings and morn.
ngs. Saturdays and vacations.
Yours for good public schools.
OBSERVER.