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Show I Open Forum School Men Answer Objections To School Dismissal For Deer Hunting November 9, 1949 Editor of the Pyramid: On November 4th a letter appeared ap-peared in your open forum registering reg-istering considerable objection to the. day school was not held during deer season. Mr. James L. Neilson, the author has sug gested that someone answer his letter who might give him the reasons for not holding school at this time. The Board of Education Edu-cation is glad for an opportunity opportun-ity to explain its action on this matter. The main objection of the let ter seems to be that this day was an "appointed day" for school; and that by not holding school on this particular day, teachers and school people were derelict in their duties. The Teachers' Association on the other hand requested that schoo; be so arranged that there be a dav free during deer season time. The North Sanpete School District is holding this year 175 days of school. The State law requires that school be in session ses-sion 172 days, but it does not designate which days. The average av-erage school district in Utah holds only 174 days of school. Thirteen school districts in Utah held only the minimum number of 172 days of schoo! during 1947-4S. Some of these in our own vicinity are South Sanpete, 172 days; Juab, 172 days; Sevier, 175 days; Emery, 17b days. The Board of Education feels that the pertinent thing lies in the fact that we hold at least 172 days of school during the year and not in the fact that n day is taken out during deer season time. In recent years, the teachers of the North Sanpete School District have cooperated with the Board of Education by coming com-ing a week early for Institute in the fall of the year in order that better preparation can be made for the school year. This makes a total of ISO days which school teachers devote to the winter program. In addition, teachers must also take considerable schooling themselves to keep j.p with their professional requirements. re-quirements. It is in view of the fact that teachers have been so cooperative that the . Board of Education has felt justified in going along with them in requesting re-questing a day at deer season . time. If harvest season were a serious seri-ous problem in the communities communi-ties of North Sanpete, as reflected re-flected by high absenteeism on the part of students, a harvest vacation would be worked out. Another very .important reason tor having a day off - during deer season is to cut down on absenteeism, particularly on a high school level. High school students have been out in considerable con-siderable numbers at deer season sea-son during the past, and having a special day for hunting has definitely cut down on the number num-ber absent from high school. The schools have appreciated a good deal of cooperation on the part of students to be in attendance at-tendance during the days that schools are in session. This matter of attendance 1 is nt the greatest importance to .he North Sanpete School District, Dis-trict, since the school . district now receives its money on an a"erage daily attendance basis. Therefore, all students, parents, teachers, and townspeople must cooperate to keep a high per rentage of attendance for every day that school is in session. It is altogether possible to lose several hundred dollars by trying try-ing to hold school on a day with a poor attendance, because be-cause it lowers the average daily attendance for the whole year. In closing it could he said that the school district has enjoyed en-joyed a good deal of cooperation on the part of teachers in hold ing more than the average number of days school" in the state. We appreciate their cooperation co-operation in coming a week early at the beginning of thy year to help formulate a program; pro-gram; and teachers generally feel there has been a bette,-overage bette,-overage daily attendance during dur-ing deer season, consequently bringing the district a little additional ad-ditional revenue. Sincerely yours, Board Of Education North Sanpete School District |