Year: 1862




Time OF Commehcjng Schools The
Summer schools generally commence in
May, but il some Districts they do not
commence till the first Monday in June.
When a District is to have four months
Suuimer and four months Winter school
the first of June is probably the most
suitable time TO commence the Summer
school, but when each term is to be but
three months, ] would prefer July, Au.
gust and September for the Summer and
November, December and January for
the Winter schools leaving October for
vacation. This would allow the same
teacher to be employed for both terms -
Most people wish the Sun mer school to
commence in May. In the case of two
months school I can assign no good
reason for this preference, but in the case
of three mouths school, there are soIue
reasons assigned which, whether good or
not certainly operate strongly. August
Is considered far more profitable month
for children to be employed a home than
May In this mouth some Of the hayirg
and most Of the harvesting Is done -
Some who can easily be spared FROM
Spriug work are very useful at this
time. 1t is mainly in picking berries
which abound in August that such chill.
drcn are made useful. TO one not ac
quaiuted the condition of our County. it
nay seem strange that gathering berries
should become of sufficient importance
that parents would keep their children
from school for that purpose but such Is
the fact.


About the time of the first settlement,
a heavy tornado passed over this County
pro>rrauug a large portion of the forest
IN some sections, and the fires in Il c
woods which are 50 comm0D in Il new
country continuing to Rage through the
.'wlndfal' as it is called, preventing It,
becoming again GOV, red with timber, the
whole vast extent Is covered with lux
uriant growth of briars The Blackberry
forms by far the largest portion, but there


is considerable admIxture of the varieties
Of Raspberry. The berry season com
mences the last of July and lasts ab 'ut
six weeks, and it IS no uncOnmon 'hlng
for a girl Of twelve years to pick and DIR.
bushe Of Black berries, worth from four
10 six dollars. When they arc not de
signed for market the scarcity OF cult
waited fruit renders them no iuconsidera
bic addition to the pantry, In some 10
caIIries the Whortleberry abounds and
here berry picking is still more lucrative
as this berry is very highly priced anC
will bear transporting 10 "a considerable
distance. | have known a school In the
WhortIeberry region with roll of twenty
FIVE names dwindle to four regular atten
dauts during the picking season. There
are many Districts where an attempt tC
place the commencement OF Summer
schools later than the middle Of May vii
not meet general favor, bu, | do not mes
itate to sIrong y recommend that no Sum
mer school be commenced sooner than The
first Monday IN June.


There Is another reason for commCnc


ing schools early which opera.es witt
teachers. most of them wish TO attend
some Academy at least one term in year
and the Fall term is considered best tol
that purpose This term in such an In
stitution in this vicinity commences fron
the middle of August 10 the first II Sep
tember. To give teacher Of Summel
school this opportunity, his school should
certainly close with the first week of Au
gust, ard as the week of the Fourth OF
July is sometimes wholly given to holi
Nav.


AS | have devoted considerable space
to the reasons for com mencing schools III
May, it will certainly be proper TO briefly
mencng them later The school year
commences the first Monday in June,
AID the County perntendeut has d
large amount OF business to transact con,
necled with the close of one year and The
beginning of another to which most OF
May and June may pro6tably be devoted
1T 10 these laburs be addtd nearly the
whole visitation of the Smmer schools
very much of this work must be hastily
aud even imperfectly performed.


In this County the weather Of May is
far less favorable for small children to at.
tend school than June, July, August OF
September. No cne can entirely lay OF
his winter clothing before the first OF
June, aud SINNER clothing If prepared
earlier, would hardly be lut on child
before this period. a suit of clothes
which has protected boy through five
or six of the coolest months of the year
is not generally considered an appropri
ate dress 10 which to begin attendance
at Summer school aud TOR this reason
al,ne many a child loses the first month
of the term.