The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-07-09
lCommunicated.l
The Public Schools.

High School last Thursday and listened to the
closing exercises. beg the privilege of ex-
pressing through the Journal the great sat
isfaction which we all felt at seeing, as we
there did, the evidences of the great improve
ment which has been going on in our public
schools. The scholars under the tuition of
the accomplished teachers who have had
charge of the various classes the past session,
have reached degree of proficiency rarely
witnessed in much older institutions. 1t was
source of infinite pleasure and pride to those
parents who had attended the examinations,
to see the children Of the city pass trium-
phantly through the rigid examination to
which they were subjected. We cannot too
highly appreciate the efforts of our Board of
Trustees, who seem devoted to the cause of
education in our city, and the efficient corps
of teachers, who have reflected as much cred
it upon themselves by the satisfactory manner
in which they have discharged their duties, as
they have benefited their pupils.
| Last weeks examination closed with the
reading Of essays by the girls and defamation
by the boys The declarations were highly
creditable. Although they had never before
been before an audience, and had made no
special preparations for this occasion, the man.
in which the young gentlemen recited the
free and natural position; well modulated
voice; proper emphasis, and clear and accu-
rate pronunciation, all satisfied the audience
that they had been under good training. Some
of the youthful declamers gave evidences of'a
talent for speaking, which under Mr.. Shows
management, would render them conspicuous
in life. Let them but go on and it may be
that Evansville will at some future day, have
cause to rejoice in her own native born ora
tors.
The young ladies, after the declarations,
Jeanne forward, and read each one their own
essays. We were all struck with the manner
In which they were read. Good reading is
the rarest talent we find even with the best
educated. Yet here in Evansville, we find
young girls, not yet out of their teens, show
ing proficiency in this "rarest talent" which
is rarely met with. The writer of this has
r attended many exhibitions, by the best schools
in the Union; has heard an immense deal o.
all sorts Of reading, and can say that the ave-
rage reading of the class of young ladies last
Thursday, was equal to any he ever heard al
school exhibition. There was not sylla-
BILE in all the essays which could not have
been heard all over the large room. Nothing
of the Boarding School Miss style-no min
icing of words-no languishing breathings-no
affected upturning of the eyes. but every
word came out clear and distinct, exhibiting
that mixture of pride and modesty which
commanded our confidence. y.
The essays were well written. would not
d be so bold as to set down the ages of the young
ladies, but suffice it to say, that they are yet
school girls in age. Yet, when we listened in
astonishment to compositions which would
d reflect credit upon experienced writers, we
thought that some Of them were in disguise
They were listened to with marked attention
f and although some, were of course, superior
to others, yet there was not in the list single
one of which the writer could not feel proud
tell you, Mr.. Editor, that this was an exit.
bition of talent among our younger ladies
4 which surprised US all, and every one IN Tx
audience will bear me out in the assertion
They were free from Swelling words pom
r pous epithets, and labored periods"-had none
of the sickening smell of moonshine. violets
starlight, love, "breezes and freezes" which il
too often the fault of boarding school compost.
: tons. The subjects were well chosen; Their
: ideas clothed in choice, simple and accurate
n language, and had altogether finish and com
a pleteness about them which deserve the high
!. est praise. 1.-THE writer's of them should Sc,
!; proper to allow you, Mr.. Editor, to publish
!, them, am sure they would be a nice contri
o button to your columns, and would prove K
the community that we ought to feel proud o
the talent as we'll as the beauty of our young
s ladies. don't mean the old young ladies
\ some of whose fortunes are already made, anC
others whose time is devoted to the last novel
or whose anxiety is awakened for the growth
u of sprouting moustache. No, not these, bu
such as we have SO much cause to- be proud 0
2 who are making themselves proficient in al
the intellectual accomplishments which ele
vate woman in society. We want educated
: women, who will establish standard in soci
!, ETY., and prove to the shallow minded and in
i sipid beaux that woman aspires to something
higher than the silly nonsense which has be
= come almost the curse of society.
1t would not do for me to discriminate be-
: tween the essays which were read last week