Final answer:
The School Master had sent students home for numerous reasons including joyful early dismissals, the spread of diseases, social and personal issues, and a broader societal shift toward remote learning during the pandemic of 2020.
Step-by-step explanation:
The School Master had various reasons for sending students home in the past, as evidenced by the several references provided. These reasons ranged from kindly and pragmatic motives to ones reflective of the societal challenges and attitudes of the times. Notably, the School Master in question was known to send scholars home an hour early, indulging in the sheer joy of their early emancipation from studies. The hubbub and chaos created in these instances were a marked contrast to the usual discipline enforced in schools.
Unfortunately, these early dismissals weren't always for joyful reasons. Students could also be sent home due to the spread of contagion among them, especially when they were brought together from different regions, increasing their exposure to various diseases. Additionally, students were sometimes sent home as a result of social issues or discrimination, such as the account of a student not returning after being arrested due to his sexuality. Moreover, societal traditions sometimes led to students not returning to school; for instance, Hans Van Ripper chose to keep his children out of school after experiencing a personal tragedy and a growing suspicion of scholarly pursuits.
More contemporarily, students were sent home to learn in 2020 due to the global pandemic, reflecting an unprecedented time in education where remote learning became the norm. Each case illustrated represents different facets of reasons why schooling might be interrupted or ceased for students.