The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1860-03-05

But ~ an instance of the deep interest
felt by our citixsns in their Seminary, the
Principal informed me that up to last weak
ii had not been visited by single lady Of
the SCORE or moro who have daughters
studying there since Sept. last; which proves
either that they are very Indifferent 20 the
progress Of their daughters, or that they have
such unbounded confidence in the teachers
thst they do not think II worth while even 10
zee what 10 going on. There was good old
deacon oncs, who went to sleep when he
kmep tho minister, snd was sure the sermon
would b orthodox, but ksptwide awake whom
ever . young man preached whose docsrinal
soundness he was not % sure Of. Such .
kind Of confidence may DO very compliment
tary, but IL 10 not desirable. Nor ID that
kind OF visitation which comes in only at
reviews and public days, and leaves the real,
everyday work Of the school unno.icsd. A
public examination il very imperfect test
of the real character OF . school. II il Of
ten tiresome to the spectators, and unfair or
unequal to the scholars. And yet it has be-
come the fashion to crowd all the visiting
into three days, leaving ell the rest Of the
term as unnoticed as ii there were nothing
going ON. Let me assure the ladies OF Keo-
kuk that an hour or two now and then in
listening to the daily recitations Of this
school, would prove the most instructive and
entertaining recreation they could possibly
find, il they only knew it, and would take
trouble to step in. They would learn some
things that were not taught when they went
TO school, and which are taught here ID .
very interesting manner. Besides, both pu-
pills and teschers need she stimulus OF such
visitation. 1t connects the exercises OF the
school room with real life, and makes them
feel that they are not isolated from society,
but living and human beings like the rest Of
as.
stepped in on Thursday, an hour or two,
in advance Of the regular review, which oo-
Cured on Friday, and was really interested,
which it is not always easy to say Of school
visitasions. Two things were plainly OBJ
servable in regard to the instruction here,
which are Of very great value: Let. That the
pupils are taught thoroughly and analytical
y the SUBJECTS which they study, % that they
know something about them aside from the
text books, a. discovered by asking thsm
some fresh questions. ID. That they are
taught practically, i.s., that knowledge 10
not more abstract principles, but associated
with interesting facts in practical life, and
belonging TO the world We 1.-Two in. This 10
not always the oase in our high schools and
seminaries. might also add to these q
third: That the knowledge impaired and
methods OF teaching are up TO the times, and
keep pace with the CONSTANT improvements
and discoveries 10 science. This discover
ed by finding myself quite rusty on some
points on which ! supposed | was tolerably
well posted. These recitations in Physical
Geography and Astronomy make one feel
like going to school again. The solar sys-
tenn has increased its family since We knew it,
and geography has been promoted from the
lowest form to become the study Of the school
room, while Chemistry will soon be grown
quite beyond our recollection IL We do not
visit the schools oftener.
The rooms at present occupied by the
school, under the Methodist Church, are toll
erably comfortable and onvenient,-doubt-
less the most so in the city. We need, how
ever, and must have new building, when
the times get better, that shall compare with
the Medical College.
had intended to say something about the
Calisthenics, or Orthodox Dancing, as it ID
sometimes facetiously called, which 10 =
very pleasant feature Of this Seminary, but
must defer 1t till another Communication.
x.