Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-08-18
"a For the Tribune.
Our Schools,

The summer term of sour public schools
is now verging toward its close, and per-
haps it would not be amiss that eyery one
interested therein should look into the
matter q litie, that they may see whether
our schools ARE doing the amount of good
TO the rising generation which it is in lbeir
power to do. Are our yot:.al progressing
IN the rudiInents of science as rapidly as
we could wish Do we see them steadi-
" advancing up the hill of science, Incl
ted by pure love of knowledge, gaining
fresh vigor and strength from every
draught drawn from the pierrian spring 2
DO we not rather see that TO many schol-
ars the fountain of knowledge yielde,h
bitter waters. asd if theyedo progress at
all it is because they are statedly required
to get such and such lessons. They 90
TO- school because they must, and while
there drone and groan over their dog
cared books. as if their cup of woe were
full and if they chance to get lesson,
their recitation is mere moushing of re-
membered words, The mind is unoccupied.
dull and sluggish; and while the words
alone remain, the thoughts which were
to enrich the barren soil Of their minds,
have fallen. r.
1t certainly will not take us very long
to discover that, however much good our
schools have been and still are doing.
there is yet great room for improvement.
Now whose fault is this2 We see the
effect; let US seek for the cause. Is it
all with the teacher who is expected
TO spend six hours daily in explaining,
simplifying and demonstrating to listless
hearers the rudiments of those branches
of science which it is so necessary for a
free and enlightened people to know 3
Who alone and unaided are expected to
bring order out of chaos, and intellectual
progress out Of stupiditys We hear a
great deal about the duties of school Of
ficers and teachers, but seldom a whisper
about the duties of any person else, as
though they alone had any interest there
1 in. 1t is true that their duties are and
should be more definitely laid down; but
| whether their duties are not more punc-
tually performed than those of parents.
remains to be seen. 1t is generally ad-
mltled that parents have some little inter-
est IN the intellectual progress of their
children, if that interest could only be
brought out in the proper manner What
means should be used for that purpose we
cannot say. Some have made il the duty
OF every teacher TO go around their dis
trcts and become acquainted with The pa
rents of their pupils, in order that they
may, if possible, induce them to take some
interest IN the welfare of their own off
spring. We know that a teachers duties
are manifold, and that their influence
stops not within the -schoUl-room; and
faithfully should those Iuties be discharg-
ed, and that influence be exerted only
for good. But whether it be duty, or
whether their usefulness would be in any
way increased by sending them travelling
around to enter domiciles unasked, and
force their acquaintance where ii is un-
sought, we leave for ADLER pens than ours
to decide E1 a
A few days since, a bright-eyed boy,
books in hand. came running home, say
ing: +" Mother, mother, there were visit
ors at school to-day" FL
"Ah! Willie, who were they Z"
"Why, Mr.. A. and DIR. B. and after our
lessons were all said, they talked 10 us
and told us stories about their school-boy
days; and then said they were coming
again after while to see how much we
had learned. But, Ma, what is the rea.
son that those gentlemen visit our schools
oftener than any one else; they dom
send any scholars there p r1aI
because, my son, they were the school
officers, and the public-that is the people
have made it their duty to visit, and
see that the school is properly conducted
bat so far as visiting the school, every pa.
rent should consider il as their duty"
" But they don't do their duty, do they
mother7 Who made it their duty--the
public ?''.o
Here was question for the condemned
mother, who surely made it her duty to
train that embryo plant of immortality -
That mind which, if properly cultivated,
may shine star In the frlGament of
It's eountry's fame; or, if neglected, may
prove to it nought but curse, breathing
forth It's last aspirations on a bed of dis
honor and remorse. Is it enough that
parent furnishes their children with books
and send them to school No, it is not
| they ought to visit their schools, become
acquainted with the instructors of their