The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-08-14
-n Unpatriotic Board of Control.

" ALL the utterly unjust pro
Ceedines which have ever
Y y heen recorded in the some
what queer annals of the
Scranton Board of control the most
unique is that of Monday night. when
was adopted the remarkable schedule
announced yesterday In order to give
the fun 200 davs of school required. a
calendar has been prepared which con-
tinues to add To the burdens of the al |
ready overldden teachers and to i'm
pose extra Affections on the pupils
It is proposed to open the schools on |
the third of September. a date which |
usually includes about tn" hottest |
weather in the year and which prac- |
tcally means the exhaustion OF both |
teachers and pupils after a needed |
vacation. 1t also means extreme in |
convenience 10 thousands of parents, |
who plan in that time of the year to
prepare their children for the first
weeks of school, and to settle at home
after vacations spent away.
The idea Of demanding attendance a
monthly institute would not he un-
just it, as in the case of the teachers
of the Scranton public schools, SO
much work were not required out of
school hours. Between the many in
stitutes the heart to heart talks with
the powers that he. the nOnsenscal
system of bookkeeping thrust upon
the teachers, besides the outrageous
amount of work entailed by the in
tricate examination methods. they
have no opportunity for religious or
mental Improvement, but move along
in a narrow groove. which is making
machines of both our teachers and
pupils.
The most ridiculous idea. however is
the mandate ordering the schools to be
open on Memorial day. a national
holiday, and one which is most hon
ored in Observance as such, and not as
a grind" The best way in which to
impress the rising generation with he
solemn Importance of that day is in
its usual observance, when the chill
dren go In throngS to the beautiful
cemeteries all over our country and
with their own gentle hands place
flowers on the graves of the nations
dead.
What would "exerciscs" mean in
comparison 10 losing that precious
privilege? What would exercises"
mean in comparison to missing the
opportunity Of seeing the veterans
march IN silent procession to the little
IlntS \ynErp fbaiV lie ba
would "eAcrclseS" of any sort mean,
immured in the prison Of a school
room, when all their world under the
skies and the sunshine paid honor to
the most significant national holiday
in the whole year? Exercises, indeed.
The exercises held annually on the day
previous in every school in the city
amply fulhl all requirements in that
direction. The children and the teach
ers should not he denied their right to
the true Observance of the day of
memory for the nations heroes We
doubt if teacher could collect salary
for teaching on a national holiday.
No fault has ever been found with
the Board of Control of Scranton if it
compelling the actual 200 days of
teaching in the school year Every
body knows that it is in the power of
the board to make A day consist of as
many or as few hours as it pleases.
Everybody knows that if the spring
term runs far into the heat of June.
the Board of Control may issue an
eGlcr and that hal T.,
the cooler morning, constitutes a day
and no loss OF state appropriation is to
be dreaded.
No taxpayer of Scranton will COM
plain IT, the actual pound Of flesh is
not taken from the fair body of his
little child in the burning heat durins
the first week of September in order
to make the tale of 200 days complete
No taxpayer will stand up and how
vociferously if the 200 days of actua
teaching do not compel either long
ahorious hours of out of school worl
for the teachers. nor wearisome at
tendance into the blistering heat o
summer, for the little ones. We shall
De very much mistaken If the people
n this community do not rise up ant
protest violently against the desecra
.ion of nations holiday by compel
,ng the schools to reopen during tn
forenoon Of May 80 in any year of tn
twentieth century.
VIII the patriotic organizations o
this region Countenance such methods
The excursion season gives promis
of a red-hot finish.