The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1894-09-08
.sSCHoOI, VIRTUES.
Editor TIMEs-MoUNTAINEER:

/
DUFUR. August 81, 1894.
x BY the term school virtues we mean those
habits OF active quality that give strength
and efficacy to advancement and intellec-
| tual growth. These laws of school, or
school vlrtues,. we shall name to snIt our
sell, and shall designate them-not, as usual,
in the order of Importance, for they cannot
be thus arranged-regularity. punctualIty,
attention, effort and morality. These five
constitute a school code. You must be reg
ular IN attendance: yeh must be punctual
in all things; you must give attention.; you
must try; you must De moral.
Teachers and school boards haye long
been wanting to decorate the walls with
set of rules that would at once command
and not offend. Here you have them; no
one can object to regularity, punctualitY,
attention, effort and morality.
Let US examine these five rules separately
and look to the application of each. for
here is danger Of undue severity or careless
laxity,
Regularity, To lelrn requires time, aud
when Yoked with others it argues a same.
ness of time. Glasses are yokes, and each
class is q team; each member of which is
dragging his own burden. Absence IS fatal
not only to class but specially so to the in
dividual that Is absent. No ATTENDANCE, no
advancement. Part attendance. part sd-
vancement. Now these are facts that any
one with intelligence enough to comprehend
that one and one more. makes two; or that
light and darkness are not the same, can
comprehend. From this we learn that r1
regularity is against the interests of the
school aud the individual. Then as far as
possible enforce regularity of attendance.
Punotuality. This means more than be.
ing on time for school at morning, recess or
noon. This of itself is very much, and has
great effect upon the school; but where reg
ulsrity and punctuality conflict do not let
the, iye minutes or half hour destroy the
days opportunity. ''As regards tardiness
there is a golden mean that the teacher
should strive to MAINTAIN. The evil effects
both on the school and in the formation of
the habits Of the child are recognized by
all, and no reasonable effort should be
spared to prevent all unnecessary tardlness;
but the fact should be recognized also, that
sometimes the, child or his parent has to
choose between tardiness aud absence.
There may arise some combination OF cir.
cumstanees which make it impossible for
the ehild,to be at school on time. Now,
tardiness may bs made so odIous by the
teacher, and absence be SO lightly passed
over, that both parents and children prefer
absence, and the child who might have
been In school all the halliday except the
first five minutes, stays away and misses
the half.day's instruction rather than be
numbered with the tardy troop. After
considering the effect of the interruption
caused by pupil coming in late. the moral
effect upon the school, and the influence in
forming the character of the pupil himself,
we believe there is still balance in :avor
of having the pupil come 20 school as soon
as he can. No teacher should make tardi-
ness so much greater offense than absence
that children will prefer the latter"
Attention. effort and morality will claim
our attention tor future article.
AARON ERAzrER.