Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-01-26

of the present winter in public examination,
held on Friday afternoon the 2lst inst. Enlist
ed as our patrons are in the cause of education,
we take pleasure not only in announcing the
fact, but in making this brief record of the in
teresting exercises of the occasion.
The school, numbering some 100 scholars, has
been during the past term under the charge of
Miss BELL, of New York, assisted by Miss
WEsTLAKE, of this vicinity. Under the pat
ronage of Gov. SLADE, Of New England, whose
associations of Teachers are fast taking fields
of labor in the wlds Of the west Miss BELL
found residence amongst US and we doubt not
is in her vocation practically rejecting credit up
on the character Of those associated circles that
periodically emanate fYom the land Of our faith
ers." AS we expected numerous parents as well
as some not claiming that boon were present ear
ly in the afternoon, to witness the progress of
those committed to strangers hands. The
exercises opened with general test at reading
and the promptness and distinctive enunciaton
characterizing the several recitations marked the
cultivation Of qualifications too generally omit
which followed might to us have seemed an oh.
lection, as calculated to humor musical sanzas,
in prose, had we not been previously favored
with the exhibition of good reading qualities,
still to what extent the former may be practiced
without injury may as well be left perhaps to
the experienced ear of a Teacher. Next ap.
peared large class in physiology, who did
honor to themselves in their familiarity with a
science so intimately connected with their being,
an acquaintance with which should be carefully
cultivated as furnishing one of the strongest
barriers to numerous ills of life. Next followed
classes in Geography and History, and we were
highly gratified in the extent and particularly
with which the rectations of the latter were
rious historical facts and scenes transacted upon
the arena of past ages, now reacted before us
through the pages of history, powerfully were
we struck with the range and might of the hu-
man mind. The class in Grammar was next
called, and so numerous as to present almost
the whole variety of ages appearing in the
school; the examination Of the class was in no.
wise superficial many of the scholars were
required to write their own sentences on the
blackboard and be prepared to parse them. In
one instance wherein sentence was written and
its dissection puzzling many Of the class, twas
found that the writer on being called to dispose
of her own matter was equally troubled: thus
forcibly illustrating what is frequently found in
the school Of life-lessons prepared for the in
struction of others that prove too intricate for
the powers Of the ostentatious instructor.
The class, however exhibited satisfactory
acquaintance with the principles of the science,
and acquitted themselves much to their credit,
and the manifest thoroughness of their teacher.
The class in composition brought up the rear OF
the exercises and really we were surprised and
highly gratified to see so large number take
their places, with compositions in hand to give
proof Of their mental discipline. This trial was
the hardest cut Of ALL" we trembled for them
as they took their places and gladly did we dis
cover that the sympathizing heart of the teacher
had assigned the " first reading" to stout I'M
hnching boy; whose fearless tones were well
calculated to allay the choking emotions of the
youthful authors-we scanned them closely, and
deeply did we feel for them as we discovered the
pale and crimson shades alternately mantling
their cheeks as one after another arose to pub.
sh the growth of their own minds To write
compositions has perhaps been the gnarled Knot
-tasking the patience and ingenuity of more
students than any other science in the routine
of school hours but to compose, and read the
! fedglings of their own brain before gazing
crowd of spectators is wrestling with humanity
more powerfully than youth and tears can al
ways describe. The character of the compost.
tons were practical, high toned, and ennobling,
flattering (if we may be judge to the mental
capacities Of the whole class.
The examination passed off more satisfactory.
ly than we anticipated, and as orderly as could
be expected, interspersed so largely as the
school was with a restless bevy of" little ones"
nor need we say" little ones" altogether for like
the domain of other cmes we were favored
with as rare specimen of TOPSY-cal gyrations
as ever fed an audience in a grander scene As
the exercises closed how wildly did the occa-
sion call to mind similar periods when such lit