Juliet signal., 1862-02-04
OUR PUBLIC schools.
BY s. o. snONDs. SCHOOL COMMISSIONER,

While the volcanoic fires of an intestine
rebellion are burning fierce and hot. is ],
not well TO guard with peculiar care and
interest the home circle-the family fire.
side.
How can that better be done than lv
exercising warm and deep zeal for the
general welfare and prosperity Of our
common schools? Their thread;ngs are
interwoven into the entire woof of society
and therefore all should feel an interest in
them.
Entertaining these sentiments, and to
comply with the spirit of the school law
10 which Is made the duty of School Com
missioner ITO visit as often as practicable
the several schools Of his county. and to
note the common method of instruction and
branches taught and to give such direc.
tions in the art of teaching" as to him shall
be deemed expedient, /, on the 18th inst
started on my mission to visit District No.
y, 90 tbs Ee~t s;de Of the river. and ON nav
way there met friend W. G Wood aud Mr
CiarksoD, School Inspector. and inSpced
them to make a call with me.
We entered aud found about the uspel
number OF scholars III attendance. The
general bearing Of the school was com
mendabie Although not perfect stiffness.
there was "a serene and soothing quiet
"hicI ihdleated that rnost of the scholars
were devoted to their studies
My friends Wood and Glarkson staid but
short time, but spent the entire day in
visiting the several apartments, and in
passing through the departments, satisfied
myself mat there had been much impr
made III the school since I last was in it
The teachers observed strictly the pros
gramme OF exercises and things moved ike
clock work.
My next school was the school of nv
young friend Smith, in what IS pnuularly
known as the Babylon District / entered
and saw the eyes Of about thirty pupils.
from five TO eighteen years Old, peepiug
w'th sppaEent curiosity and astCnishmeut
ana seemed to express as much as to say
II wonder who he is and what has he come
in here for?" l inquired after the school
officers Of the District, and they were APP
priced that the School Commissioner was
visiting the school for the dav, 50 in the
course OF the day they all came in. l felt
deep interest IN visiting his school for
about eight years ago be was a pupil o.
mine, and was frequently reminded that
the responsibilities of life would soon fall
npon him in exchange for the pleasures of
the school room. Suffice it to say, for tyro
IN the business, he acquitted himself yery
honUrably.
The children of this District are entitled
to Better accommodations than they have.
= new school house, black boards and
school apparatus would improve things
much, which, hope, they will have as
soon as the parents can get to it.
My next school in town was Miss Bol-
tons, Mount Joliet School House-a ro-
mantle name indeed and intimately con-
nected IN its history with the cognomcn OF
our beautiful city This school is composed
| OF about twonty five members daily at;eo-
dance, mostly Of u;bernian extraction -
| Though not forward, the scholars seemed
| interested ami pleased with their teacher
and she with them. A little closer disei-
pine would improve Its condition. Two et
the Directors were in few moments. The
school house is small, badly arranged and
very Inconvenient. | trust the enterprise
OF the District and increasing number OF
scholars. will tend to expand its walls to a
much larger and more cOmmOdious building
with black boards and general school ap-
paratus to facilitate instruction.
Ny next school was Mr. O. W. Kenne.
days, IN District No. 5. | found here q
pretty good house, but want of black board.
ana recitation convenience. The teacher
has good executive ability. which was man
Hest IN his school. also fair ability as a,
instructor. Mr.. Brown, one of the Direc.
tors, was present with me in the afternoon
In this school were about thirty scholar
most OF whom seemed deeply engaged il
their studies and evidently were on th,
road of improvement.
My next and last school in this town wa,
a. Pstterson's, lin charge of his sister fol
the day. IN District No. g, Uadsell Sch IN
House. This school numbers about thirty
hive scholars. The girls ia this school ver,
very quiet and engaged in study. but man,
OF the boys needed disciplining. | iudgI
they had partaken more or less of the spiri
OF contention existing between teacher al,
Directors. When they passed out sar re,
cess one would have supposed an Indiar
2Ow>wOw was In council over the trDpbie
OF some great victory won, if he could hav
imagined himself IN the region of some q
| their tribes
found in this school house a clock. ar
article really Indispensable in every vel
regulated school, and trust one which ma,
| be put INTO every school house in the coun
ty. None but the experienced can tell how
much 1t Is worth and how many usefu
lessons may be taught from it, and how
1t helps systemiZe arrangements of recita
tions IN the school room. One would ua,
Tor itself every month.
In all the schools visited in the town. mr
eyes have failed to fall On a chart Of ele
mental sounds and my ear failed 10 bea
one presented to the scholars by the teach
ers. This is all wrong and ought not 90 I
be. Ii is an elementary branch Of ineaI
cuiabie value to every pupil who enters th
school room. hope Directors will see +
1t that their school houses are provide,
with Normal Chart" or some one or
the elemental sounds, then the teacher
Will he inexcusable for not takiag tb,
subject up before their schools.
The lady of mariner about to sail on
distant voyage, sent a note to the cl-rgyme,
OF the parish, expressing the EHowin,
meaning; A husband going to sea, hi
wife desires the prayers of tte congrega
ton. Unfortunately, the good woman wa
not skilled IN punctuation, nor had tn
minister quick vision. He read the not
as 1t was written: "a husband going I
see his wife, desires the prayers of tn
congregation"
Every one doth DOT live like Christia
that looks like Christian. 1t is sad :
see that some Christians tongues shoul
be larger than their hands; that they sho'
carry lantern before others and yet trea
IN the darkness themselves. 4 Christian
when be makes good profession. shout,
be sure to always make his profession
good.
Alter Parliament had sat long but in re
ality had accomplished nothing in the wa
ofpractical business, Queen El zabeth meei
I ing with her faithful Speaker inquired O
him:
:" What has passed in the Common