The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-02-05
school Examinations.


withstanding the disagreeable weather
yesterday morning, and the miserable
condition of the streets, a large num-
Der of visitors attended the examina-
ton of this school, which is taught by
Miss Britton, assisted by Miss Anna
Farrell. The number Of scholars
registered is eighty-one. The number
present was about seventy. The ex-
ercises were pleasantly conducted,
and the pupils generally did we'll.
There was evidently no prepared rou-
tine, and no effort made to have the
scholars appear to possess a knowledge
they had never gained. The examina-
tons in the various branches were
quite rigid, and some of the girls were
pretty sharply criticised both by the
teachers and the Superintendent.
They were, however, in most instances
not found wanting. The first class
in reading did not do as we'll as they
were capable of doing. ! They read in
a low tone of voice. and some
were very, indistinct in their enuncia-s
ton. The visitors, or at least a great
majority of them, could under
stand but little of the lessons read.
Some of the smaller classes did far
better in this respect. In spelling,
geography, grammar and physiology,
the first class didl'7ery well indeed.
In arithmetic, also, it could hardly
have done better. Difficult examples
were solved upon the board, and ex-
planned in manner which proved
that the girls pretty thoroughly under
stood this branch of study, SO far as
they had investigated it.
The smaller classes, taught by Miss
Farrell, read well, were very correct
in spelling, and prompt and quite
thorough in mental, geography, and
Rays arithmetic. One of these class
es, the fourth, contained q young
misses present at examination, and
was much too large. We might say
that this is the great difficulty
with most of our schools. The
number see of IS children is noin
disproportion to the number of
teachers. Many years ago, the strong
est reason urged against Common
Schools by Sidney Smith, one of the
great English Essayists, was, that
they were so crowded that teach
ers. could not possibly DO justice toraH
the pupils. The grading and classi-
flying that has been adopted1in our
does away with this objection
to some extent, yet all who attend our
examinations mustsee that our teaeh-
ersrstill have more scholars than they
can possibly do full justice to. AS
our school fund increases, and our
city grows in wealth, we anticipate
that this difficulty will be gradually
removed.
Miss Britton's Roll of Honor con-
tains the names of the following
Misses: i'-.i1s =
Not absent or tardy-Jane Maddux,
Nellie Davidson, Ida Allen, Mary
Graves, Quintilia Mounts, Ella Tay-
Tor, Susie Johnston, Bella Riggs, Kate
Dyson. ~ 1lh1t
Perfect III Deportmeat.- Mary Me
( i'm, Esther Potts, Nellie Davidson,
Alice Owen, Ida Allen, Mary Graves,
Lizzie Liant, QaiAtiEa Mounts, Mary
Mounts, Julia Tomhemelt, Kate Bah
cock, Ida Stackhouse, Junia Stinston,
Ef6e Carr, Kate Dyson.
FIRST BOYS GRAMMAR. This
school is under charge of Mr.. Will
son as Principal, assisted by Miss
Ashley, who formerly assisted in the
First intermediate. During the half
year, los scholars have been regis
tered, varying in size from that of a
man man to that Of boy not to exceed
ten summers. 5e
A feature feature Of this school, which
strikes one very unfayQrably, is an
apparent. want Of discipline, and a
great lack of attention while in the
classes. Where the fault lies, it is
not our province to decide, but that e
is glaring and embarrassing one, was
apparent even to the most casual oh
server. The largest scholar-a man in
size, Il not. in years-twice left his
class before the recitation had ended
and others deported themselves equal
ly as improperly. Possibly such ex-