Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-02-13
Visiting a School.

We seldom trouble our readers with ac
counts Of our pedestrian travels round the
country, because we have very little per
sonal vanity and can hardly see how any
body can feel much interest in such small
matters We think however, that as
superintendent of schools, we can presen
something useful to teachers, parents enc
children resulting from visit we male
this week to neighboring public school,
known as he Hurricane school, nea: the
Corners. This school is in district com
posed of parts Of Lancaster, Beetown ans
Waterloo; Mr. LUM Is the teacher, and
his school contains about so regularly at
tending scholars. The house is much too
small and not very well lighted, though
well warmed and ventilated. It is ;
wholesome room because the walls are
tight while the ceiling is open, being 81
thin matched boards, the joints being
shrunk apart. The open condition of the
ceiling provides the means for unwhole
some air to escape. We think all school
rooms having plastcred walls ought to be
thus celled with boards in order to provide
for ventilation. We felt none of that
smothering sensation in this room during a
three hours stay which is always felt in
tight rooms with low, plastered ceilings
We noticed the scholars appeared as
sprightly at disnissing time as when called
In at one o'clock. Much more depends
upon the room, its condition and the ven
tilaton than most persons suppose, for the
health of scholars.
Several of the parents and school, board
met with us at Mr.. LuM's school on Tues
day, and we spent all the afternoon among
the scholars, the teacher proceeding with
his classes in regular order and with as
little interruption as possible from our ia
miliar confabs with the children. We CON
versed with most of them on their respec-
tive studies, aiming to give all IA short but
useful lesson in something. At first the
children were not disposed to meet us half
way in familiarisies, but they soon became
pleased TO have us call at their places,
which gave us much pleasure & we felt like
one of the family. The teacher gave us
She freedom of an equal SO that we felt at
home and the children appeared pleased,
even with our ay kwardness. Arrange
ments had been made for a spelling school
which came off in the evening. We at
tended, with many of the neighbors, old
and young. Perhaps twenty of the Young
men and ladies, past the age of scholars
but late school attendants at this house,
were present and joined in spelling; near
ly as many fathers and mothers were pres
ent, some Of whom spelled; we noticed an
elderly lady Of forty years was one Of the
best spoilers i'll the school; we did not
learn her name, but she deserves to have
her name enrolled among the shining ex.
emplaries of public school enterprise Ed.
DARNELL joined in spelling, and
though a tirst-rate speller, was not set
back in credit by being set down by a Ill
tie boy of ten years. The school lasted
sill 8 O'Clock when the floor was cleared
for decamations. Several of the boys
spoke pieces, one a Hard She'll Sermon!
We never saw better order or better at
teution to learning. Surely, night schools,
when thus conducted, are 10th credtabe
and profitable.
We have visited several schools lately.
and having been in the habit of such Wis
ltations for several years, we are prepared
TO present several facts and profitable sug,
gestions for the benefit of children, parents,
and teachers: ey cry year there are more
and better educated children to be found
in the public schools-theretore. :here is "A
visible gain of education over all loss by
the older scholars coming Of age and leay-
ing school; we mean that in every school
the children are moro advanced this wear
than last and next year will bring them
out ahead of the present-age considered
The art of teaching and school govern
ment are improving, even more rapidly
than education is progressing. Conse-
quently, every year brings demand for
better educated and otherwise superior
class of teachers. Parents are not adyan-
cling in proportion with their children in
the following respects: they neglect to
supply school house room equal to the in
crease of children; they do not supply
school books, in kind, quantity or order.
equal to the demand of children aud their
advancement in learning In Mr.. LuM's