2.

If any child be later in attendance than nine o’clock in the morning, that child must be sent back until the afternoon; and in case of being later than two in the afternoon, it will be sent back for the day.

3.

Parents may send their children’s dinners with them in the morning, so that the children may be taken care of the whole day, to enable the mother to go out to work.  This can only be done where the teachers reside on the premises.

4.

If a child be absent for a length of time, without a notice being sent to the master or mistress, assigning a satisfactory reason for the absence, such child will not be permitted to return again to the school.

Saturday is a holyday.[A]

[Footnote A:  In Ireland the schools do not commence business till ten in the morning, and the children remain till three, and do not go home in the interval.  In Scotland the rules are nearly similar.]

*** It is earnestly hoped that parents will see their own interest, as well as that of their children, in strictly observing these rules; and they are exhorted to submit to their children being governed by the master and mistress; to give them good instruction and advice; to accustom them to family prayer; but particularly to see that they repeat the Lord’s prayer, when they rise in the morning, and when they retire to rest, and assist in their learning the commandments; and to set before them a good example; for in so doing, they may humbly hope that the blessing of Almighty God will rest upon them and their families; for we are assured in the holy Scriptures, that if we train up a child in the way he should go, when he is old he will not depart from it, Prov. xxii. 6.  Therefore parents may be instrumental in the promotion of the welfare of their children in this life, and of their eternal happiness in the world to come.

* * * * *

On each of these rules I will make a few remarks.

First rule.  Some parents are so habitually dirty, that they would not wash their children from one week’s end to another, unless required so to do; and if it be done for them, they will not be so thankful as when compelled to do it themselves.  This I have found from experience.

Second rule.  This has its advantages; for it would not be right to punish the children when the fault rests with their parents; consequently, by sending them home, the real authors of the evil are punished.  Many parents have told me, that when their children were at home, they employed themselves in singing the alphabet, counting, patting their hands, &c. &c.; that it was impossible to keep an infant asleep, that they were glad to get them out of the way, and that they would take care that they should not be late again.