Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-12-15
BETTER
THAN EXPULSION
SAYS CLARK
Hasty Discharge of Pupils Con-
feSSion of Weakness on Part
Of Teacher Says Territorial
Superintendent,

Some very good advice TO leach. rs
in connection with the expulsion Of
the bad boys is contained in ne fof-
lowing letter to county superintendent
sent out out by Territorial Superin-
tendent James +. Clark:
Gentlemen-It has come TO my ne
tee in several cases thar teachers
have resorted to expulsion of children
for misconduct, for ruancy. or for
other reasons that seemed to Justify.
Is there not in such o course Of action
a suggestion Of weakness on the part
of the teacher? The school is for the
child, and an efficient teacher will
control that school without reducing
its numbers by rxpulsion. OF course.
there are certain young people who
should not be in tne public schanf
The management of these people is
provided for. however. in section 10.
chapter =. laws Of 1903. page 1874 Gf
the compilation az school lacra for
1909. Some teachers find it mucn
easier To expel a child than 10 control
him; for this reason the number CT
cases of expulsion Increases Very rap
idly unless the supervising officer
gives close attention % he matter. In
the great majority of cases the
pupils he are exp Alled from school
are the very ones who are the most
in need of the Influences Of The school
and who can least tf'ur,i 10 be W.,h-
out that influence.
Urge upon our teacher that l.3ey
make every effort 10 have the school
be of the greatest poa.aL., benefit %
the greatest possibl- number Re-
mind them that every hour in school
bring profit 90 ivory pupil
there and that there T. a Rad iass II
the pupil for every absence eiom- a
school.
In some cases the teachers follow
the practice u droppinS FROM the roll
q pupil who has been absent for six
successive half dave. rhis means
that am effort Is ueing made
10 advance tire percentage er attend
ancc which is to be re1lrtcd u the
county superin'endeH; at llfe close of
month. Il is ANY tair that a
pupil should give imnlrdiuto noti"e to J
teacher ~ for person nf sickness. !
ont of thu dist-;t-, go'na away (
FOR a long visit. or other reason, he is J
"a be absent from school for some I
ime. His name may he Immediately |
from the roll and the ah- J
'ences not charged against the roam. I
IF course, il is understood that if a I
does not have satisfactory rea-
on for his absence. the compulsory :
,ducation law should be brought to
bear upon his case,
} We sometimes in the administration
# school affairs overlook the fact
hat the parents must he held re-
ponsible for the control OF iheir
.hildren and The idea should not he
permitted To gain very great STRENGTH
hat the control Of the child is as
by the state through the adj
Illustration OF the schools. Ii a pupil
; truant. let the parent pay the pen-
lily through tho enforcement of the
ompulsory education law II . purtli
S vicious. idle or OF vagrant habits letI
10Th the parent and the child pay thc
enalty through the enforcement of
law focud in section 10. chapter
, laws If 1903. Let us IN al c1srs
10 willing t. share the responsibiutvl
g itiAllFNAla Ait @iNN iAH FHAsh -
a every )o.sihlc way. bu; zetlous
ale too liable to assume the
responsibility and relieve the
aren't ct a charge which he should
ilnli
ALLOW M to call to your attention 3 :
Ilght erorr In the Christmas dag pro- =
ram. The sentence in the introduce
Try statement reading "lt. IS sug-
- ~. ~. -. T.. .vs.a.. on ! M
ridaN afternoon. December twenty
should be corrected 10 read
twenty-fourth.'
Yours very respectfully
}. T.. CLARK.
erriicrial Su 1erintcndent Public In
struction. Department Of Education,
santa Re. New Mexico, December
IS. 1899.