Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1857-07-12


Institution rasT lriug 90 people nearer %.
geiher and ssrss to ieselop the social virtues.
They ~HOMoaExizE n, 80 to speak The phil
osOphers say hat we have too few popular or
national fsstivals; that, as a people, it is in
disPsnsabls to the healthy tone OF the body poll
tic that a certain amount OF national enthu-
sian should be given vent to in some way; and
that political gatherings and " glos i6eations,"
being always ohs-sidse, srehot exactly IA fhiag
for this purpose. What better then, to ahn
the bill /" perfectly, thar RAILROAD FEsrTvALs,
IN which all eau nnite heart AID handP And
who does not hope that the custom will be kept
up til the "Iass ran Of The lasf railroad lie
isidf J. P. p.
FOr ne Nenpais ArpaiI
MEtsns. EBrroas; AZ an evidence Of the
Increasing interest in female eduestion In our
midst, I have noticed IN your columns, with sat-
isfsctiOn, the very favorable sceouuts Of the
yearly examinations Al the various female
schools in Memphis and its nelghbOFhOod.
Having tad the good fortune to be present
during the three lAaidsys Of the examination at
the LaGraoge Female College, take great plea
sure in adding my testimony 70 that Of the many
who have witnessed these pleasing manifesto
tons OF the fact that a new and a better era In
education is dawning upon us.
did not, this year, stiend the examination at
auy Of the Institutions mentioned above, except
that at LaGrange. can, therefore say, with
out disparsgement to the othsrs, that this was
the best, the most thorough and the most salts
factory examination | have ever heard, (and,
having been many years a teacher myself, /
have bad some experiences In such things,) Civ
ing most convincing proof that these young
ladies bad hot, after the too common practice,
merely skinned over and gotten a smattering
Of their studies, bat a thorough knowledge Of
them a knowledge that could and did standthe
test Of a most rigid and impartial examination,
an examination almost stern 10 its entire free
dom from anything ike favoritism. No exam
nation where deception was P.actieed and the
scholars stuffed for tae occasion (and ] have
seen many sneh) could be more perfect. That
this was free from anything like collision was
plainly proved by O~raeular demonstration to
those who heard it. In each study the pupils
drew from a basket, slips Of paper on which
were written tho number Of propositions in Ge-
ometry, Of pages in Rhetoric, Latin, &c, as
the case might be, which they were to demon
strate, TO explain, to e~Onstrue. This fact, to-
gether with a further examination by disinter-
ssted persons, proves beyond a doubt, that these
recltaIions 90 excellent as TO seem to many al
most ineredible-nnless as being the result Of
aua~fal nraparaffuu aud arauffau-rUara huf
the Just opponents Of a proficiency, rare az it
was indubitable.
MY limits forbid a detailed account Of the
examination in each study. | will simply say
that the recitations which seemed to me par
ticularly excellent were those in Rhetoric, Al
zebra, Geometry, French and Latin. | was
especially struck with the thorough knowledge
the latin class displayed, of the grammar, in
which there is usually so much deficiency. |
will venture to say, that the most advanced
classes in our highest male Colleges could not
have done better.
From the whole examination I derived the
highest qualification, ard | believe that all who
heard it agree with me in thinking it a fine and
conclusive exhibition of what can be accom-
plished by strict but judiciOus discipline and
thorough instruction !; for, spite Of tie mOdesty
of the Principal, who in a few, happy, remarks
at the close eff Tuesdays exercises, attributed
bis success to the ability and industry Of his
pupils, it is evident to every one, allowing the
Young ladies their due share Of merit, that this
pre-eminent success is mainly attributable to the
admirable system he has established, and so
skillfully carried out, with the assistance of
the very able corps Of teachers be has had the
good fortune, and good judgment to secure.
The friends Of education, and particularly
the friends Of LaGrange Female College, will
regret TO learn that Mr.. Hsckelton and the
major part Of his assistant teachers have re-
signed their POSITION ia this Institution. | sin
cerely hope the Trustees may succeed, but fear
they viii find some difficulty, in filling their
places.
l do not know If Mr.. Hackeltoh designs con
tinuing in the profession be so much sdorns,
but whether he teaches again or not, wherever
he goes, he viii carry with him, l know, the
admiration, the respect, and the love Of bis pu-
pupils, whom, to use bis own expressive words,
be has taken BY the hand and led a little way
on the road " to learning, to virtue and to hap
pinsss-4nd Of their parents, upon whom, in
this right direction he has given to the minds
of their daughters, be has conferred a benefit,
all price. OBSERVER.
HARDFuaN Co. JulV g.. 1857.