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<br /> It is not uncommon to have over one thousand absences in some claim it also, and thus our schools would all be suspended,because
<br /> of our schools each term 1 These figures are a louder appeal for a few of the older members wish to attend the fair.
<br /> amendment, than any words of ours could be, and it is with sincere S. Those who attend such-exhibitions are almost always unfit
<br /> regret that we feel called upon to publish them; yet we do it in for study the following day. This is the testimony of all teachers.
<br /> the hope that all those who, in any way, have encouraged such '4. It is not customary in other towns to suspend the public
<br /> irregularity in attendance, will hereafter do their utmost to aid us schools for agricultural,fairs, or military musters, or other exhibi-
<br /> in reforming a habit so vicious in its influence, and so long counte- tions, designed only for adult persons.
<br /> nanced among us. 5. Those who wish to cultivate a knowledge of such matters,
<br /> During the year we have had .many requests from parents, to will have ample time, when school days are over. And this leads
<br /> excuse their children from a part of the required exercises, or to us to say
<br /> allow them to be dismissed an hour or more before the close of a 6. We wish the members of our schools would take a more
<br /> session. There may be, now and then, a case needing such special hearty interest in their studies. Many of them, as is well-known,
<br /> . fa or, owing perhaps to feeble health; but the great majority of are still quite deficient in the most common branches, and if they
<br /> applications of this kind, as we have found upon close inquiry, do would attain to a liberal and.thorough education, they must give
<br /> not deserve to be granted. The schools have suffered incalculably themselves wholly to the work.
<br /> by such breaks, class-rank has been seriously disturbed, the lessons Other reasons might be given, but:these are deemed sufficient.
<br /> thus omitted have not been, and could not be, made up, those As a Committee we have striven hard to remedy the. evils of
<br /> scholars who remained constant in their attendance have been dis- irregular attendance, but the incomprehensible indifference of
<br /> couraged, the efforts of teachers to promote the steady progress of parents has made it up-hill work, and the record shows little
<br /> a school have been thwarted, and the result is sadly apparent at the improvement on former years. As truant officers we have given
<br /> close of a term when the examinations reveal how much has been lost. prompt attention to every case of truancy and absenteeism which
<br /> Not a year passes but that the Committee are urged by scholars, was known to be against the wishes of the parents—giving our
<br /> and even by some of our citizens, to grant.a general holiday on the personal attention to hunting up the offenders and bringing them
<br /> occasion of,some fair or public show being held somewhere in the to duty by expostulation or punishment. We are happy to state
<br /> county. In September last, a petition came to us from the mem- that truancy now rarely occurs; but there are a number of known
<br /> hers of one of the schools, asking that they might be excused, one cases of willful absenteeism which we have not been able to reach,
<br /> or more days, during the exhibition of cattle; at Concord. We by any means at our command, during the past year, owing to the
<br /> considered the subject carefully, in all its bearings, and declined to. defects in our town by-laws. This difficulty has been remedied by
<br /> grant the request for the following reasons the adoption at the recent town meeting of by-laws that will enable
<br /> 1. A cattle-show is not a suitable place for our scholars; and us to punish these offenders by legal process, in case it shall be
<br /> especially when it is held in another town. While there.are many necessary. By vote of the town these by-laws are printed here-
<br /> advantages, as we all know, to be gained in the interests of agri- with.
<br /> culture and stock-raising from such exhibitions, it cannot be denied Having thus presented the worst features in our record of attend-
<br /> that the evils attendant upon them constitute a sufficient reason why o ante&, we desire to relieve it somewhat and to give credit to those
<br /> young persons should not leave their studies ,to witness them. who are especially deserving, by publishing the following Troll of
<br /> Horse-racing, for instance, and other adjuncts of modern county honor," comprising such as have been neither absent nor tardy
<br /> fairs, can have no possible place in a system of education such as �' during the year or a term:
<br /> we are appointed to maintain. ADAMS GRAMMAR SCHOOL.
<br /> 2. If one school is allowed the privilege, the others might For the year:—Lillie F. Choate, Leah Nunn, Hattie Adams, Na-
<br /> thaniel Nunn,Charles Adams,Bigelow Winship. For the first term:—
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