The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1891-08-31

There is something cheerful in the sight
that meets ones ewes to-day. He,e sld
there he meets a group of school CD dren,
weighted with books, states and o.her edu-
cational perqo's tes, bound 20 or from The
school house or zoe book store, full of
eager excitement and very evidently re-
joicing that the school days have again
be2ul. They have enjoyed their long
vacation and many Of them we're losth TO
see It's term grow sborter and the time of
work draw near. A I'd yet when the school
| day actually comes and The school bell
rings toey scamper off 10 their arilhmeLcs
and spelling with as much aacrity as if the
books we're dolls or base ball bats There
is an immense amount of enthusiasm ex-
pressed on The faces and in the speech of
our school children of all ages to-day.
Aud for the typical laggard, Creeping
Ike snail unwillingly to school," one
would have 10 search long and fruiLessly y.
#as
OF course Shenandoah children do not
all love school 1t IS not tbe nature Of
every child nor, perhaps, of many children
so TO do. The eminent Edward Everett
Hale has said, in recent magazine article,
that be always hated school and was en-
coursged 20 bate il, And, strange as such
words sound from one of the deepest
students ard most widely read scholars ol
the age, they probably pretty accurately
express the sentiments of many of The
aptest pupils of our schools 1t was Dr.
Hale's hatred of school, he tells US, that
made him apply himself more diligently
He knew his lessons must be learned, anC
be made haste to learn them, that the ab
horred task might be as speedily as possible
finished. Those of our pupils who Low,
school will learn readily enough. The
discipline that was applied in d.. Hale'i
case make even those who lean towarC
truancy the head boys of the class.
50
The children who hate school in the alb
stract are the most enthusiastic pupils to
day. Ask the teachers if it is not SO. Th
boys who are the most unruly aud the grl
who refuse to study are apparently the mos
eager 10 begin the school year. They d,
not really love TO study. TIE frs. ten
minute recess OF The new term will be t.
them one of t5e bappiest tea minute, eve
known. Ard yet their actual delight owe
schools beginning far exceeds that of thei
more demurely studious com AIDES.
~
Why can't ibis eager enthusiasm be al
ways maintsiped2 Why need it wea
away and tbe secret pleasure of e;udy-eo
the boys aad eirls in q0es,ion wil peve
openly admit il is pea.dre-be tb
: perennial substitute for the giudu
drudgecy tbat seems sure to set in nez
week.
Perhaps our wise teschers may make
so. Perhaps they will see that boy wb
b tes mathematics caonot be made to ado
them, aud he may nevertheless be mad
very proficient in them. Perhaps they W
take the cue from The ACTIVITY of his G
4 that lazy boy to-day and endeavor to bee
him active all year. Perhaps they will g.
to impress on their pupils that t7i.e b.
wholesome lesson That the more dligeltl
they work the briefer will be the hate
labor. And thus, perhaps, even like D.
Haze, they will reach a period when d,
tested study will become unconeciously
delight. We will at least hope SO.
80
And let us hope that the relations
parents and pupils will not be marred du
= ing the ensuing term as they we're durir
the last. Let parents act with forebearant
and, should they feel called upon to il
quire in complaints made to them b
children, let them do so with a spirit
fairness and not pronounce guilty upC
anyone until full investigation is mad
With a spirit of harmony prevailing b
tween parent and teacher the child ca
gain much. But the influence of home al
the school room must be combinid befo