Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-07-10
G MMU MIC A [ E d.
ACADEMY--ITS CONDITION.
THE NATION-EXERCISES of Coa-
NTn-CELEBRATI0NS, &C.
Plattexille, Wis, July 18th, 1853

Y ~
ise | send you some notice OF the Exam
ination" Of PIatteville Acs deny, held the
past week and of the closing exercises OF
the year, which took place Oh Friday
last.
First however it may be worth while to
saw word or two in regard to the present
condition Of the Institution. There have
been few schools Of equal grade IN the
West which have had more widespread
reputation, or larger number OF pupils,
MANY of them from considerable distances.
Few schools have been more Literally aided
by the contributions Of the friends Of edu-
cation, at home AMI abroad, and it is gen
erallv conceded that its affairs have been
most iudiciously managed. The present.
Principal has been at the head Of the
Board of Instruction for the past twelve
years, assisted by able teachers. For some
years the original building was occupied,
until, because it had become old and was
entirely too small, the erection Of the edl
fee now used was resolved on. With CON
siderable material aid from the East, the
securing of good number Of scholarships
and liberal donations at home, and The
borrowing Of some money, the building
was begun in 1852, partially occupied In
'53, and finished in "a. In 1856, after
an earnest effort to procure more money,
quite respectable sum having been sub
scribed, second building was commenced
and the walls carried up to the first floor,
since when, the Trustees having determin-
ed not to 90 beyond their means, it has re-
NAMED as it was, though the additional
room is greatly needed A year ago, un-
der an act, passed by the preceding Legls-
lature for the encouragement of Acade-
mics and Normal Schools" the Trustees
of the Academy confidently expected to
procure loan Of $4,000 from the School
Fund, but the pressure Of political and
personal interest, caused the commission
ers to violate their pledges and disappoint
the expectations which had been cherish
ed. BY the indefatigable efforts however,
Of Mr.. Robbins, our faithful Representative,
loan of about $4,000 was secured this
spring, and in the distribution Of the Nor
NAL Fund, few weeks since, the Academy
received about the same sum in addition.
1t was hoped that this, with subscriptions
collectable would enable the Trustees to
complete the second building, but, on ex-
aiming into their affairs it appeared that
their indebtedness, with accruing interest,
amounted to more than the above sum,
leaving nothing for future operations. Al
the same time, owing to the fact that a
large portion of the subscriptions were
made in the form of scholarship, entitling
the holder to more or less free tuition, al
though there have been AS many sholars
as could be accommodated, the income OF
the school has hardly been sufficient to
pay It's expenses.
| have detailed these facts, in part, to
disabuse the minds of any who may have
the idea that the establishment Of school
offering such advantages as Platteville
Academy, is the work Of few days, and
that few hundred dollars only is neces-
sary to found and support it. Such a re-
suit even W ere there is no rivalry or ieas-
ousy, is to be gained only by earnest and
long continued labor, frequent and liberal
supplies Of funds.
The s'hard times" have not diminished
the number of students in the Academy
the last year SO much as might have been
anticipated. the school numbering 225
pupils, against 23S the previous year.
During the last quarter there were 70 pu-
pils-45 gentlemen, "a ladies. The
standing Of the scholars in their studies
was unusually high, large number
standing al owe 8 in a scale Of 10. 4
school could hardly make better exhibit
of punctuality, the per centage of pune
tual attendance being 50 per cent, on the
part of the ladies 99a, on that Of the gen
tlemen 981, and there having been 80 pu-
pills never late or absent, 81 late or absent
only once.
The Examination of the pupils in their
studies occupied Tuesday, Wednesday, and
Thursday, conducted by Mr.. ]. L. PIoK-
ARD, Miss T. S. JosLYE, Mr.. G. w. PICK
ARD aud Miss HARRIET Patterson
Glasses were examined in the following
studies: Arithmetic, mental and written,
Algebra, Geometry, Grammar, History,
Latin, Greek, Botany, Chemistry, Geolo-
gy and Evidences of Christianity. Dec
lamations in English, Latin, Greek, and
German by the gentlemen, and recita-
tions Of Poetry by the ladies were inter-
spersed with the other exercises. Many
of the pieces were excellent selections, aud
some of them were rendered with rare
grace and truth.
The examinations, where it was practi-
cable, consisted in the drawing by the pu-
pills at random after being called to recite,
of subjects in regard to which they gave
an abstract of the facts. This appeared to
me to be the fairest and most interesting
method of examining,as it both tests ones
knowledge Of his textbook and subject,
! and is not SO likely to cause the faithful
scholar the modification Of an apparent
failure, because of inability, at the instant,
to answer some one or two questions OF
perhaps little importance. The exanaina-
tons, most of them, indicated high de
gree Of scholarship and close application
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