Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-12-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SCHOOL DIS.
TRE(yR Nh. 4

TRICR NO. L.
We were present most of the time during the
examination of those classes which were exhb-
ted in the upper room ofthe public school house,
on Monday and Tuesday of the present week.
We were there for the purpose of ascertaining,
so far as the time and opportunity would admit,
by personal observation, what they have there
and what they are likely to have in the carrying
out of the system upon which they are proceed
ing.
Our first impression from what met our obser-
walton was, the vast advantage afforded by sys-
tenn and division of labor. In school of some
four hundred pupils, under the care of six or Sc
ven teachers every pupil, whatever may be his
age or attainment, and whatever he may wish to
study; can be properly classed. A further adj
vantage, and one not likely to be over estimated
is, that a small number of large classes comes
under the instruction and management of one
teacher. This arrangement secures to teacher
and pupil fair opportunity to do themselves
justice in what they undertake. In this matter
we find delightful contrast to the cd system of
one teacher vainly striving to accomplish alone
what is abundant work for three or four.
A second impression which we received was,
that the teachers understood their business; and
were making considerable progress in getting the
pupils to understand theirs. To us, and we sup
pose to most persons, it's particularly gratifying
/ to find those who are undertaking to prosecute
an important work, afford evidence Of being
thoroughly acquainted with it, Half-taught me-
chanics and halftaught physicians are not often
worth employing, even though they may work
cheap. Andin our way of thinking the business
of developing and forming the intellect and cha
racter of the young, is the very last work to be
committed to unskilful hands.
Another impression which we got in witness
ing the performances at the above named exam.
nation was, that there had been very common
dable degree of industry on the part of both
teachers and pupils. We had satisfactory evil
dence of this in seeing large classes in Thomp-
sons common and higher arithmetic, without
their books TO refer to, stating and explaining
the principles of the. science and performing ex-
amples all the way from the fundamental rules
to powers, roots,and lnensuration,g giving prompt
ly and accurately the rule applying to the case
in hand. The classes in English Grammar fur
nshed similar evidence of thorough training and
clear idea of the science, so far as they had pro-
crossed in it.
A large class in chemistry exhibited prof
/
cheney which several professional gentlemen
present pronounced to be quite extraordinary for
beginners.
The class in Algebra, which was large, had
only sufficient time to solve one equation each.
The class in Geometry, davies Legendary
proved themselves to be perfectly familiar with
the principles in the first four Books, which was
as far as they had attended to it. To say, we
never saw class do better, does not answer
What we say is, we cannot easily conceive how
a class could do better.
But the performance which, above all the
rest, delighted and amazed the spectators was
that of the class in Mental Arithmetic. Some
forty boys and girls, large and small, took their
places on the platform, and solved mentally and
with astonishing quickness. examples involving
fractions, powers, and roots, and in some cases a
process of not less than fifteen or twenty distinct
operations. TO the annunciation of such exam
pies, answers were given in two or three sec
onds and by many voices at once. And what
appears still more wonderful, the examples
would be taken up, by one OF the pupils, and fol-
~ i k.x
from beginning to end. These performances
evinced degree of training, as regards attention
and memory altogether beyond what we had ever
witnessed, or ever expected to witness in large
class taken promiscuously from a common
school, Such mental discipline as this one ex-
ercise evinced. we regard as we'll worth the time
and expense of six months schooling to any
person.
The compositions read by the young ladies', OF
which we heard some twelve or fourteen, appea-
red to have been got up with much care, both
as regards thought and literary style. Most Of
them were such as no young ladies', either in OF
out of school would have reason to be ashamed
of.
| The only matters which we feel disposed to re-
fer to as defects in the course of instruction du.
ring the last term are, that sufficient prominence
had not been given to those fundamentally i'm.
portant parts of good education, photography
pronunciation and penmanship. In this we may
be mistaken. 1t was little singular, too, in SO
large school and where so many branches are
taught. to find no such thing as a class in Natu-
raj Philosophy. We say this, because we want
to find a little fault with something, and do not
think of any thing else about which we can do
it conscientiously.
REVOLUTIONS.