The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1868-01-30
THE INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT.


er
THE INTERMEDIATE DEPARTMENT.
Is presided over by Miss Ruth r. Bur
rett. who has taught in that same room
five long years, and for four years has been
assisted by her sister Mss G. a. Burnett.
During this time great numher of class
es have been fitted for q higher room. 1t
seems sad that just as one becomes fairly
acquainted with number of children and
begins to feel warrantable pride in their
attainments and to cherish feelings of at
lection for them, that they should be ia
ken into another room, but such is the
experience of teacher in the Intermedi
ate. We heard here, first, class in Ge-
ography. The recitation was rapid, dis
tinct, and correct for the greater part.
1t was so conducted that all were COMPEL
ed to pay close attention The next under
the same teacher was in reading This
class surpassed anything we have seen in
a long time. They read very difficult
chapter in their reader and then the
teacher had the books closed and asked
questions, the answers to which exhibited
a thorough knowledge of what had been
read The only fault we could find with
the exercise was the children read too
fast, but this was explained by the fact
that it was necessary In order to have all
participate. A class in Mental Arithme-
tic appeared tc good advantage under
Miss G.. A. Burnett. Some of those lit
tie ten-year-olds solved problems, that
would bother half the business men in
town to answer, quickly and correctly
These teachersstate that with some eighty
children under their charge they very sci
dom have any parents call in to examine
their modes of teaching, nor has the
County Superintendent ever visited them,
and nearly all the teachers in the school
made similar complaints.
THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT
This part of our school is held in the
OLD building facing Sixth street, most
ithospitable room and very poorly fur
nished-perhaps we had better say not
furnished at all. How our people can ex-
pect children to learn anything in that old
barn is beyond our comprehension. Yet
here we found some sixty little youngsters
underline attention of Mrs. g. H. Barnes,
who has taught the school some three
years. She has classes in the second and
third Readers, first lessons in Geography
and primary Arithmetic. A class in
reading that we heard did not do as wei
as we would like to have heard them. In
learning to read child should be made
to 60 slow; no faster than it can fully I'M
derstand and perfectly art;calate; but
here again comes in the old difficulty, too
many scholars. In general exercises
these children manifested great interest
though it would seem that spelling in
concert is not calculated to teach that
branch as well as some other plan, for the
reason that one fourth Of the scholars
may spell the word wrong and all the
time think they are spelling it right.
Our visit to this room convinced US more
than anything else of the necessity Of a
new school building. In fact we were al
most led to think that the proposed $l5,
600 was none too much for the purpose.
But until better room is provided, the
authorities should do something to i'm
prove this one Put in new seats and
other furniture, and make the room plea
SAINT in some degree.
THE SUB-PRIMARY
This department is located in room
ON Sixth Street between Park and St.
Clair Streets the room is high, airy and
rather pleasant is kept neat and clean,
and though the benches are constructed
on the break-back principle-with no
desks in front Of them-there are some
sixty scholars in attendance. Miss Mary
Shove is the teacher and the branches
taught are A B q and First Reader
OF course some will say she mast have
an easy time. But it is anything else.
There is little chance for variation in this
continuous round of A 3 G and the mo-
notony must be terrible to the teacher,
but we were pleased to see that the ex-
ercises were spiced with variety and that
the scholars cherished deep feeling of
regard for their teacher 1t will be some
time before this room will be vacated for
better, and there are improvements
very much needed. Desks are needed
and better seats A little attention to
those matters on the part Of the District
Board would be of Infinite benefit to both
teachers and scholars in every depart
ment
In conclusion we wish to return thanks
to the Principal for his kindness in show
ing us the different departments of his
school, and to all the teachers who sought
to make our visit a pleasant one. We
certainly did enjoy it very much, and we
cannot refrain from saying what we hon
estly think we have good school in the
First District. Next week, if circumstan-
ces do not prevent, we shall visit the 9th
er public schools, and if the same facili-
ties are found that were afforded us In
the First District we shall write at length
concerning them.
A LEAP YEAR SLEIGH RIDE.-This is
privileged year for the young ladies.