Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-10
School Examination.
HIGH SCHOOL

trouble to the friends and managers of
the system, and the most prolific cause
of fault finding on the part of its oppo-
nents. Why this ia, we are not disposed
to say, at present, even if we were capa-
BILE of assigning the correct reason.
But knowing the difficulties with which
the School has. had to contend in the
past, and also being awars that difficult
ties and troubles had been experienced
even during the last term, we went to
the. examination Yesterday with, some
fears that the School would not be able
to do itself credit and satisfy the ex-
pectations of its friends. We will, as
briefly as possible, narrate the result of
our observations. -
After the opening services, including
Singing, Mr.. Hutchinson had the schol-
ars go through one of their ordinary ad-
vanced Writing exercises A letter
in this instance, n-was written upon
the board, and then the different mis-
takes that the pupils would be most apt
to make in tracing it, pointed out.
Each scholar then took pen and
wrote the character upon his or her
book, several times, the teacher calling
off the different principles as they were
traced. After writing for q few mos
ments, each scholar was called on to
state wherein he or she had made mis-
,and the character of the mistake.
Each pupil was hext requested to &C.
Iect the best character, and the teacher
| passed round the room grading the
samples. This done, all we're required
to raise their hands as their specimens
had been graded. In the present in
stance no one had been skilliul enough
to gain the highest grads-6ve-but
several were successful in having At at
tached to their specimens. The whole
exercise was very interesting.
The first class examined was advance
ed Algebra, taught by Mrs. Rice. This
Twas composed of nine scholars. The
recitation began at Elimination and
extended nearly through Equations OF
the Second Degree. Some SO problems
or questions were submitted to the class
% be worked on the Board, and there
was not solitary miss or failure on the
part of single member of the class.
Several of the questions were selected
by tie visitors, and the teacher seemed
anxious that all the questions should be
selected by them. The explanations by
the scholars of the principles by which
they arrived at their resalts, we're clear
and distinct. We never saw an Alge.
bra class acquit itself With more credit
and we doubt whether any one else ever
did.
The next class was in Physical Geo
grsphy-a class of boys taught by Miss
Buckle. The boys answered very readi
| ly, the majority of them indicating
that they had clear idea of the subject
they had been investigating. A few o
them stumbled little, but not enough
to indicate that they had not been faith
full students.g Miss Buckle ia apparently
very entertaining teacher. We do no
see how the boys could fail to become
interested on any subject upon which
they receive Instructions from her.
i The next classes were in Greek, ant
were examined BY Prof Rice himself
One was class of beginners, and tht
other had gone as far as to translate /
Iposition of Hcmer's Odyssey. Time Gu
this examination short. "a ~ &
Next came Mental Philosophy, yer.
interesting study. This class numbered
three only, but they answered the ques
tons propounded to them readily, and
with very few mistakes. v.
Then came the Latin Reader. Esop'
Fables were read and translated will
an ease not often manifested by young
, beginners in Latin. But we canno
particulariz, extensively. After tn
Latin Reader, came the class in Natura
Philosophy, numbering IL members
This, with scme singing, disposed Q
the forenoon. o211
a. The First Class examined in the 81
ternoon, was French, composed of min
/ pupils. Mrs. Rice has taught this Class
and done it in an eminsntly practice
: way; 90 those fully competent to decide
have informed as cEFgF Il
The Class in Chemistry was examined
by Miss Buckle. aud did very well, 81
far as we could judge from the sresdi
ness with which questions were askec
and answered. M
A class was examined in Virgil
First and Second Books. The scholars
translated very freely, aud parsed equal
:. ly we'll They did not attempt to scan
though we have little doubt bat tina
they could have done that and done i
well. 80 esWss 90l
The class of girls in Physical Geogra
ply was most excellent. We never saw
young ladies in any branch of knowl
/ edge acquit themselves with more credit
They lad the faculty of telling wha
they knew about the earth better thai
the boys, or actually knew more; which
we are not prepared to say. Their reel
tation was fitting close to most sue
cessful examination. "a ~ e
Immediately after recess, the visitors
were entertained with other exercise
: that were extremely interesting. 4
: Discussion (written) upon the old an'
!, trite question, (Which is productive 0
Z most pleasure, Fact or Fiction7" cam
first in order. Four young gentlemen
: participated-two on each side. TIL
:, affirmative was sustained by Master
! Dodge and Ross, and the negative b