The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-02-06
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
A Visit to the Education Factories of
ManitOWOc.


was bitterly cold and consequently unfay-
orable for such visits, but we did not
know when another opportunity might
offer ITSELF our time at present being
nearly all occupied. The First Ward
School building is situated on the corner
Of Seventh and Washington Streets
When it was built we cannot say-the
memory of man runneth not back so far
1t is two story structure accommodating
up and down stairs, about one hundred
scholars. Now we do not wish to find
fault with the institutions of Manitowoc,
but we cannot refrain from saying that
we think this building disgrace to the
energetic, enterprizing citizens of the
First Ward. In the first place it is not
quarter large enough to accommodate
the children of the District, and second,
1t is cold and dreary in the extreme. Ore
OF the teachers informed us that with a
large stove in full blast from seven in the
morning it was not until eleven that the
room was In any degree comfortable.
There is no suffering which can be
inflicted on children, that they will bear,
which IS so ruinous to the health as cold
One half the colds taken in this world
arise from cold feet How important
then that the District should not let an
other summer pass without putting up
new building, and one large enough to
accommodate the whole school, In this
frlgid cline rooms in which children
spend their hours should be warmed bv
furnace and kept well ventilated and at
an even temperature; they ought also to
be kept scrupulously neat and clean, and
should be made just as attractive and
pleasant as pictures, beautiful scenery and
other accessories can make them. When
this is attended to the young see that an
interest Is felt In their welfare and they
are more anxious to learn than they would
be IN an old howell with bare walls where
they were cold and uncomfortable. But
says some parent, II did not think my
child was uncomfortable at school p very
likely, but have you visited your school to
see? Of course you hayn't. the teachers
say so, and if you had you would have
felt more interest in such matters, and
you would have built school building
long ago. We shall not try to disguise
the fact that these articles on schools are
written for the benefit Of the rising gen
Grafton and anything that we can do or
say for their good will be done with plea
sure.
Our first visit was paid to the highest
Department of the school where we found
Mr.. Scudder the Principal, teaching the
young idea in an off hand practical manner
which was truly worth witnessing. This
gentleman is we believe a graduate of the
State University, man of good abilities
and well qualified tc teach. He has been
here about six months and his efforts
have given entire satisfaction. He has
forty scholars which are wholly under his
care. When we went in we found class
In Practical Arithmetic reciting. The
morning was outrageously cold, and Mon
day morning at that-as we have before
stated-so we were not surprised that this
class failed to do credit to themselves.
Still there was no stubbornness nor illwill
shown, rather general freezing up Of
the abilities. That this frigidness ex-
tended to the teacher we will not assert,
but we did think one scholar was peremp-
torlally sent to her seat when with very
little encourageme she could have solv-
ed her problem in satisfactory manner.
But that was merely an idea of ours, and
may have been the result Of our thinking
the scholar was sensitive and seriously
felt the rebuke. The next class was in
Intellectual Arith metic, and was great
Improvement on it's predecessor This
study Is one that has more practical mer
1t than any other taught in our schools.
When you find scholar that can readily
unravel long and intricate example,
mentally, without break, you can safely
conclude that nothing in mathematics
Will ever puzzle him, and in every day
life he will find his accomplishment of
infinite service. Well this class recited
IN such manner as to show careful study
though where system is more strictly ap-
pied IN the solution Of every problem
better results are attained, even, than was
here shown. Wespent considerable time
IN this room and were pleased to notice
that there was close attention given to
study,the scholars were orderly and quiet
and due respect was paid the teacher.
The room itself is not unpleasant. It
overlooks the lake and good share of
the town and although there are very few
objects inside to arrest and please the eve
still there are maps and charts which
break the monotony to some extent
We were better pleased with the instruc-.
ton Of the young in this room than we
had expected to be- All the common
English branches are taught.
THE INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT.
We called at this room just in time to
hear a spelling class. The whole school
participated and of the fifty scholars
present we believe but two missed, and
they had difficult words. Later we
heard class in the Third Reader. There
was no fault to be found whatever The
sense, which the words were intended to
convey, was taught as well as were pro-