The prairie news. [volume] (Okolona, Miss.) 1851-1875, 1858-07-15
OKOLONA FEMALE INsrITrrr-

generally charactelizcs notices of schoo
examinations and other exhibitions of in
terest to the public; but will say What
We think the school, and more pariicu
larry its worthy Principal, deserves We
know it is common to bestow much undc
served and promiscuous praise upon al
most everything that comes under the
eye of an editor, and this system of puff
ing has been carried to such a length, the
public begin TO believe notice, unless
every expression is qualified by compli
mentary adjective in the superlative de.
gree, is too mild to reflect credit or honor
upon the scholars or principals. We
have thus spoken, because it is not in.
tended anything We say shall be constru.
ed as an unmerited compliment, an unde-
served puff.
TO say the examination was conducted
throughout in manner highly creditable,
would be saying as little as we could, and
we take a pleasure and pride in stating
that, for sound mental discipline and ex-
cellent scholarship, we have never seen
the pupils of this institution surpassed.
More forcibIy does this opinion become
fixed, when we think of the short space
of time the school has been under the
control of Prof. McCurdy, and the youth
of the students. There was none of the
studied precision about the answers pro-
pounded in the recitations which would
Indicate preparation beforehand but
all who were present and heard the thor
ough and impartial examination, were
satisfied the requirements of the students
were based upon a solid, permanent
OundaiiUn-0utsile show has been dis
carded, and, in its place, fundamental
rules and principles have been implanted
The rudiments of knowledge receive the
first and greatest attention, and Prof.
McCurdy seems to have proper appre-
citation of the fact ia fact, by the way,
great many teachers overlook that a
thorough knowledge of first principles is
an absolute necessity to thorough,
good education. Accomplishments have
their foundation in first principles, and
without thorough knowledge of these
principles the higher branches of learning
can never be properly understood.
Thursday We heard an address from
Judge Davenport, who, although labor
ing under considerable indisposilicn, in
tcrested and entertained crowded house
in his usual happy manner. Thursday
night the young ladies of the school gave
concert, which passed off even more
agreeably than did the examination
Many pieces were sung with taste and
played with an artistic skill which would
have done honor TO older and more prac-
tised performers. Several compositions
were read the night of the concert, and we
do not hesitate TO say, those compositions
will compare favOrably with any ever
written by young ladies of an equal age.
Indeed some of them displayed vein of
thought which, even had the composers
been much older, would have impressed
us that real talent was not wanting. We
cannot close without passing tribute to
the accomplished wife and co-la5orer of
Prof. McCurdy but to undertake to add
anything TO the enviablc character which
is so universally and justly conceded to
her, would be like attempting "to paint
the lily or gild refined gold" Her ac-
c0mplisnmentS as u woman, her attain
ments as a scholar, her skill and devotion
as teacher, are surpassed by none and
eqnaled by but few. She is
"a perfect woman, nobly pland
To warn, to comfort and command"-
an ornament, not only to the Okolona
Female Institute, but to the community
in which she lives.