Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-12-18
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
: strong. Manly Letter from Principal
Horne on an Important subject.


Horne on an Important subject.
10 hc peopie of this community in gea-
crdL and in partic'ddr ~ thoSe rim boro
cLiidrc0 in our pVbGc schooiy:
Dcar FrieHdS.-It is my conviction. and
not only mine, but it is the conviction of
other teachers in our schools with whom
have talked upon this subject, that there
does not exist in this community that
strong sentiment that ought to exist
against absences from school work. In
too many cases parents not only permit
children to absent themselves from school,
but. worse still, actually detain them from
their school work for reasons that are
neither good nor satisfactory.
The illness Of the absent pupil. or illness
in the family is always a satisfactory rea-
son for absence, and when honestly given,
will always meet with ready acceptance.
But beyond these there are very few really
good reasons that can be advanced for the
detention Of a child from his school duties.
and especially so when considered side by
side with reasons like the following against
such detention.
To begin with. it is positively harmful
to the developing character OF a child
either to encourage him or permit him TO
forsake his school duties for any reasons
other than those most absolutely impera-
tive. His school work is, or should be. his
chief business at his time Of life, and every
other call, whether of social. business, or
educational nature, should be made to
bend to it, Show me a man who has
failed in his business because of his giving
too much time and attention to matters
outside Of his business, and nine times ont
Of ten will show you man who, when a
boy. did not learn. as he should have
learned, to pay that undivided attention to
his school work which the formation of
such qualities of character as attention
and application demands. An old adage
tells us that il is not profitable to have too
many irons in the fire at the same time.
In the second place it is unjust. both to
his teacher and to his classmates. that
child should be permitted or compelled to
be unnecessarily absent from his school
duties. Every absence renders it neces-
sary for the teacher to do special work
with the absent child when he returns i'm
order that the child may not lose any por-
tion of the subject which the class has
gone over in his absence and which is nee
essary for the chld's intelligent and profit
able continuation of the subject.
This extra work done by the teacher is
nearly always at the expense of time or
energy or both that properly belongs to the
class as whole, and not TO any individual
member of it, When the absence is un-
avOidaby necessary the teacher will gladly
make this extra expenditure of her time
and strength, and the class will cheerfully
acquiesce therein. But when the absence
was unnecessary then the necessity of the
( performance of this extra labor is an in
/ justice both to the teacher and to the
childs classmates.
In the next place the taxpayers of this
community and of this commonwealth do
not maintain public schools As play place?
where children, whether of their own volt
tion or by and with the consent Of their
parents, may attend school or not. Just as
it happens to please them.
And again, inasmuch as under the laws
/ of Vermont, every absence. eXcusable or
otherwise, diminiShes 10 certain extent
/ the districts share Of the school money. so
when such absence is avoidable, the parent
consenting to it. or worse still. requiring
/ it, in effect casts upon all the taxpayers of
+ the community a certain amount. small
though it may be, OF increased burden of
taxation. This again is manifestly unjust
and inconsistent with the duties and obi
cations of good citizenship.
rest the matter here. trusting that the
proper spirit will take it into consideration
and that the result will be more regular at
tendance on the part OF many. and less
/ frequent requests for absence on grounds
/ reasonably aVOidable and unnecessary
/ / know that the best sentiment of the
| community upon this subject is right and
/ in complete accord with what | have stated
above. 1t only remains, then, for this
best sentiment to make itself decidedly
/ felt, and those who might otherwise ven
! ture will no longer dare to run counter to
/ it. The results will be most beneficial to
/ the schools and their work.
have said the above in kindness
! towards everybody and from a sense of
! duty. | remain, dear friends,
Your obedent servant
JAMES d. HORNE, Principal.