The record-union., 1892-05-27
OVER DOING THE THING.
How Ordinary School Regulations Are
MisconStrued.
Trifiing Things for Which Children
are Sometimes Ordered Out of
the Schoolhouse.

y
in our city school department which, if
not corrected, win bring the department
or at least some of the teachers who hold
positions therein-into conflict with the
sentiment Of very large proportion of
the people who supply the ninety-odd
thousand dollars that is required each
year TO keep the wheels of the educa-
uonal chariot fabricated.
Since the complaint made by parent
yesterday, in these columns, that his
child had been sent home from the Wash
lngton primary school because his shoes
were dusty, several other complaints
have reached the RECORD UNION, and
which, if well-founded, do no credit to
certain teachers.
One complaint is that a little boy was
sent home from school because he had
lost two OF the buttons from one of his
shoes
Another parent complains that pupils
have been required by teachers to make
hres and spread tables for them at which
to take their lunches.
KECORD-UNIoN reporter was de-
tailed yesterday to ask City Superintend-
ent Hart If there is rule which requires
pupils to be sent home from school if
their shoes happened to be dusty. or
without buttons?
TO this Mr.. Hart responded by calling
ATTENTION to Section Ii of the State school
law, which reads as follows:
All pupils who go to the school without
proper attention having been given TO per-
Sonai cleanliness, or neatness of dress, shall
oe sent nome TO be properly prepared for
school, or shall be required to prepare them
solves for the schoolroom before entering
Every schoolroom shall be provided with u
washbasin, soap and towels.
And Section of city rules, which
reads;
Pupils shall give due attention to personal
neatness and cleanliness, and any who fail IN
this respect may be sent home to be properly
prepared for school.
This rule gives no teacher the right to
send child from school because he hap
pened to get his shoes dusty while on his
way there. Indeed, a person cannot walk
one block in this city-or any other-in
the dry season without getting his or her
shoes dusty. 1t was doubtless supposed
by the lawmakers that a person COM
petent to teach school would have suf-
flclent Judgment to know how to apply a
general rule of the kind so as not to make
1t appear absurd, nor entail unnecessary
hardship on anyone. 1t is sufficiently
elastic to embrace the children of the Door
and OF the rich, If properly applied, and
should never be so distorted as to cause
the election of children from school be-
become unfastenGd.
The sensible thing to do in such case
would be to send the pupil to the ante
room to dust or tasten his shoes. There
are plenty of people who are not able to
| keep their children well-dressed, and II
is sufficient strain upon their pride to
send their little ones to school at all: but
If the latter are to be kicked out of the
SchooIhouse because of the unavoidable
condition of their clothing, it is no wonder
the streets are full of untaught gamins
or that free kindergartens are necessary
Tor those who do not go to the public
schools"
To the question, SIS there a rule which
denies children the privilege of going to
school If they have no shoes at all?'
Mr. Hart replied that there was not, and
added that many children in the primary
departments go barefooted.
This, then, shows the utter absurdity
of applying the rule above quoted to
children with dusty or buttonless shoes,
for almost any kind or condition OF shoe
is more becoming than bare foot,
When asked il it were true that some
teachers require pupils to make fires and
set tables for them at lunch time, Mr..
Hart replied that he had no knowledge
of anything of the kind.
Yet, as before stated. it is said that
children have complained of having been
required to do such things.
In an interview with a reporter yester-
day, the teacher of Mr. Gilman's boy
said: The teachers in this building have
sent home four or five children for not
complying with this rule. This is but
very small percentage when one con-
siders that here are nearly 400 scholars
The Gilman little boy had been told sew
eral times that he would be sent home if
his shoes were not properly cleaned. 1t
is not expected that children shall keep
! their shoes clean all day, but they should
come to school in the morning clean and
neat.o
The Principal of the same school is
| quoted as saying: "By insisting that they
come TO school in the morning wi their
shoes neatly BACKED they are taught to
take care of themselves and of their
clothes in proper manner. This is
nothing new III school work."
| Here again the teachers lay stress on
| the "blacking'' of shoes. Where do
they find any authority for it? There
are plenty OF very tidy people who con-
slider themselves too tidy to plaster their
shoes with blacking, which ruins the
leather and soils the clothing.
| 1t is all very well for teachers to try
and have their scholars observe rules of
neatness, and to come to school with their
clothing IN as good condition as their
parents means will allow. There the
teachers authority ends. The law saws
that all children between certain ages
mast attend school, but the modern
teacher says he must first go and have
| his shoes polished, or stay out!