The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-03-28
THAT SCHOOL PETITION

For the information of the public
and of patrons of the school IN par
ticular, / wish to correct some I'M
pressions that would naturally be
made by the statements SO far pub
lished regarding it. The principal Is
opposed to it, to be sure, but not for
the reason assigned I'm the Saturday
issue of the Star. His usual hour for
rising in the morning is from i've
thirty TO six o'clock and school could
be opened at seven o'clock as far rs
he is concerned.
The change of hour from nine, to
eight-thirty o'clVck in not the only
thing asked in the petition. The omis-
sion of the mid-morning recess and
the shortening of the noon recess to
twenty-five minutes are especially re-
quested. The first is an integral
part of the daily schedule and its
omission cannot be considered. It In
! true the noon recess could be short
ened but to do so would deprive about
three hundred children of the oppor-
tunity to go home for lunch and would
disarrange the dinner hour in the
homes of the few who live near
enough to GO and come and eat their
lunche in the few minutes allotted for
| the purpose. The final result would
be cold lunches for practically the
entire number of over five hundred in
the high school building. / am sure
this would meet with strong OPPOSE
ton on the part of parents to Judge
from their manifest approval when
the noon hour was Heightened to
give pupils time for the regular mid
day meal. This present "antiquated
PLAN was adopted by the Jackson.
vile schools two years ago and the
growing opinion among educators is
that school hours need to be extended
rather than shortened.
i The statement is circulated in con-
nection with this petition that all the
teachers practically with the excep-
ton of myself favor the proposed
changes. This lis not a fact All did
express themselves as ready to do
whatever might be necessary for the
good of the school but they stated
with two exceptions) that personally
they preferred that no change be
made for the few weeks remaining.
The chairman of the board of trus-
tees stated that he and one other
member were opposed to the PROPOSE
ton and that the views of the third
member had not then been ascertain
ed. He stated also that the members
of the county school board had beer
interviewed and that they were also
opposed to it. not on personal grounds
but on behalf of the patrons who arr
the ones most directly affected.
IL this were petition from thu
patrons or even if it represented them
| it would merit more serious consid
Grafton. But it did not originate will
them and does not represent theil
views or wishes in the matter. On
the contrary. numerous protests
against it have been lodged with tn
trustees, and with the principal, urg
ing that the present schedule be al
lowed to continue.
The trustees and the principa
have promised the high school pupil
that when the grammar school closes
a schedule that is desired by a ma
jority of them will be approved an
put into effect as far as it has to d.
with the noon recess and the hour o
opening.
In the matter of hours arranged TO
school work, I regard myself as boun
largely by the wishes and conven
fence of the community as expresse
directely by the patrons and ofhciall
through the trustees. IL were con
WINGED that majority of the patron
demanded the changes petitioned fol
, I would withdraw my opposition, bu
n that has not been shown in any wa
and until it has been done, the pre-
sumption is against interfering wit
the present order of things.
i P. I'll. Hensley.