The Dickinson press., 1900-02-10
REPORT OF DICKINSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
FIFTH MONTH.

Male, 1877; female, 1856; total, 382.
Av. No. present each day $50.
No. of days attended by each 1914
Cases of hardness 228.
Books taken from the library 1871.
The efficiency of the school is much
by a social condition which
has grown up among the young people
of our town. The evil presents itself
face to face in the school and a sense of
duty plainly indicates that it ought to be
met.
What l refer to is the keeping Of late
hours. A pupil cannot do his work ac-
ceptably unless he works faithfully in
day time and receives adequate rest at
night. We have had hardness and alb
sence due to keeping late hours, not only
in the higher grades but in every grade
including the primary. There may be
some reason why children nine or ten
years old should be kept at a party until
the early morning hours, but if such
there be it does not appear On the sur
face. But a'few weeks ago one child
about twelve years old was out on two
nights in one week-one until after four
o'clock and the other until after two. In
order to recover from loss of sleep and
physical exhaustion he was obliged to re-
main out of school a day and a half. An
ordinarily bright pupil on being up un-
til after midnight becomes a dullard in
school the mex day. Nor do the worst
consequences stop here. The habits of
indifference and carelessness as to their
class standing soon show themselves,
they either fail of promotion or are pull
ed through with a drag net. What to the
boy of ten or twelve may be but a pass
ing fascination often becomes in the boy
of fourteen a dissipation and to the
young man of sixteen a mania. Good or
even medium school work is absolutely
incompatible with late hours.
l have now stated the evil, let me sug-
gest a remedy. Improvement should
work along two lines: first, regulation as
to the number OF evenings out; second
regulation as to the lateness of the hour
In regard to the first. There are Ger
tainly no parents who desire their child
rem to be out oftener than one night :
week-even this is too often during term
time. But grant that you want YOU
boys and girls to go out once a week
why moi arrange to have all parties or
Friday evenings SO as not to interfere
with their school duties. If parents will
give no parties except on Friday even
ings and will not allow their children t.
attend any except on Friday evening
the conditions for good school work will
be UNNECESSARILY improved. am gla,
to note that a number of parents hav
already determined upon the plan abov
laid out in conformity with suggestion
made earlier in the year.
Now, to the second point. Every pal
ty that counts students among its nun
bers should close at a reasonable hou
The object of parties is to cultivate tn
social amenities and to afford recreatio
and relaxation. When, however, tn
hour for breaking up is beyond ten {
eleven, the party brings dissipation an
exhaustion rather than recreation an
relaxation. The high nervous strain r
quired to Danish sleep until a late no,
brings in its reaction disastrous result,
1t is not prohibition but wise contr
that we need. Parents, the remedy Ii
with you. The teachers may do all
their power to bring your children up
higher standards in school and yet +
ceive Indifferent results because co
ditions are unfavorable. Graces of
, tellect are the basis and measure of s
cial enjoyment. The foundations for
ture enjoyment should be laid early
life.
LEWIS F. CRAWFORD,