The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-06-02
For NOT CELEBRATING.



Yesterday evening there was eonsidcra-
ble excitement In certain neighborhoods
over the allescd punishment OF several
children az the ShlVvly school because
they did not march 10 the procession With
the other children ON Decoration Day IL
was also stated that IherV wcro several
similar cases AZ the Court strcet school
An AstoTian representative learned what
he could az that late hour N rcgard to
tho matter The princlpal OF the ShiVcly
school was seen and also the parents OF
one ot the ehildren. but no was unable TO
see Professor Wright or the parents ot
the other children, although thcr were
many stories going the rounds ot the
nelghborhood. The thrve little girls who
were made TO suffer az the Shlvcly school
were Ruby pcaly. Carte Short. and ia.
nettc stevens, each of thcm bcing about
eight years ot agc.
When Mr. short Was seen that gentle
man was found 10 b. Ia rather an indig.
nant frame ot mind. and stated that his
little girl was at Seaside all day long on
Saturday, she Is a delicate child. ana
oven had she been at home, under no cir
cumstanecs would l have permitted her
10 march In tho procession. II h all
right for boys who as rule. arr Of a
military turn OF mind. and naturally like
TO engage In such afrairS Il Is ali right
enough for young sirls. u their parents
approve OF It and they arr strong. to
take part In Decoration Day exercises.
But grom principle, l am opposed to girls,
young ladies', or women marching
through the public street on such an oe.
caslon. and believe with Mrs kinney that
they can scarcely so through the day
without having tho purity OF tnvlr char.
acters more or less bcsmlrchcd Tho prin.
ciplcs OF patriotism ar. the foundation
stones OF the government but Il Il not
necessary for the women To drag them
selves through the STREETS IN order to In.
cutate those principles. The schools
can do no better work than 70 teach love
ot country. and tho parent at homo has
a sacrcd duty to instll into the hearts
OF both boys and girls a knowledge or
what their forelathcrs did Tor their coun.
try and the principles which actuated
them. There Is such thing az carrying
good thing TO excess, and I must say
that ! am surprised AZ the action ot the
school board and the teachers. n an
that | hear Is true,
so far as our own little gtrl Is con-
cerned." said Mr.. Short. mo particular
damage WAS done In this instance. al
though when we first heard OF the aHair
We feared a shock 10 her nervous system.
The principle Is the same. however. ana
IL is wrong one. Many similar express
siOns were heard coming from other pa
rents. who had learned OF the AFFAIR.
Professor Jackson. when seen upon the
subject, said that he was sorry 60 hear
there was any feeling over the matter.
and assured the reporter that there was
no intention to punish the little ones,
neither did he believe that any puulsh-
ment had been inflicted. You know"
he said. that our Instructions from the
school board were Of such nature that
they could not be overlooked II some
thing had not been done Il Is certain
there would have been little or no turn
out on the part OF the scholars. Hence
l devised the scheme OF Offering a sort
OF reward to those who did turn out. ana
denying the same privilege TO those who
refused TO do 80, Yesterdays example
was simply carrying out those instruc-
tions. The children were not kept over
time, nor were they punished: but. while
the rest Of the room In which they were
was dismissed early, these three were
sent into another room to stay out the
time until school should close Those who
were dismissed went 10 rehearsal for the
coming entertainment That Is the whole
story and all that occurred"
There were those amongst the parents
yesterday evening who could see but little I
difference between passive and and act (
I've punishment OF the children Any way
Il Is stated II certainly was n punishment. |
grievously felt by the children, and un- |
doubtely Intended as such by the teach !
ers. While the pupils were not thrashed |
or kept after regular school hours. yet |
they we're compelled to do something |
which their companions were not. ana /
were made to understand that they were |
compelled to do that something because !
they did not march on Decoration Day /
One gentleman remarked to the reporter /
that the school board or teachers, might |
with equal Justice, pass a resolution COM
pelllng him to buy a bunch OF irecraek-
srs for every one OF his children on the
Fourth Of July.
From the one or two teachers heard
from on the subject, and from the re-
marks dropped by some OF the pupils. IL
was evident that there was
nothing but an oveT-zealous endeayor to
force Observance OF Decoration Day by
prescribed by the schools with
little regard to the wishes OF parenta. II
s true that there Is always a certain
Of pupils In every school who
ire both lazy and careless In almost ev-
,rything; and this class II Ia sometimes
necessary TO put through very stringent
measures. The same rule Is not applica-
Die to all, however. and out OF school
iours II is certainly the parents prlvi-
ege to say what the child shall or shall
lot do even on a public holiday.
l. o. o. r. NOTICE.