Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-07-10
The Examination.

TIC ENun1ulttOn.
To the BIi,ors Of the Dallas Herald
Having attended tho examination
exercises of tho dallas Female In
stitutc," under tho vigorous and en-.
lightencd management of Prof. VIM,
II. Scales, 0ormorly Of Centenary
College, louisiana | beg leave to
submit, through your paper, II icw
facts regarding tho school and its
examination.
!. The school, in respect of its
scholarship and moral influence,
certainly meets tho demands of en-.
lightcncd and christian society. In
deed, its scholarship is up to the
very first. Mrs. Kcrfoot assists in
the higher branches-a lady quail
fed, in all respects, for permanent
place in school of tho highest
grade. Miss Eliza May, entirely
qualified, takes rank in tho primary
department.
Tho music class is taught by Mrs.
Hardin, lady who has enjoyed
rare advantages, and has had much
experience In her department.
2. The examination was conduct
ed without the usual clap-trap arti-
lice so common on such occasions.
Parents and guardians could detect
the degree of advancement of their
children and wards.
3. The acquaintance with their
studies, cvincod by the different
pupils of tho different classes on
examination, was no mean compli-
mcnt to tho scholarship and skill
of the principal and his assistants.
Thoroughnoss may DO said TO have
characterized the entire eXamina-
ton.
4. In most High Schools, where
children arc matriculatcd ut all, it
is notorious that they receive but
inadequate Acknowledgment up to
the careless tutorship Of young and
inexperienced aids. In this school,
Prof. Scales wisely takes them un-
der his immediate supervision.
5. In too many schools, pupils are
allowed, owing to the cruel haste of
parents or for purposes Of aggran-
dizcmcnt to the teacher, to skim
artiiicially over the preliminary
steps of an education. In this in
stitution, they are required to begin
at the beginning, and lay broad
and solid foundation on which to
erect tho edifico of q substantial
education. During the examina-
ton, for instance, the members of
tho spelling classes wcro madc to
give all the sounds of the vowols in
tho accented syllablcs and pro-
nounco it accordingly.
G. The examination of tho Mental
Arithmetic class must have yielded
interest and enjoyment TO every in
tclligcnt bystandcr. Every qucs-
ton was Analysed and oxpounded
with u facility and tact that were
truly astonishing.
Z. In English Grammar, the class
cs certainly exhibited q common
dablo skill in tho analysis of SEN
tcnccs. They seemed to proceed
upon tho notion that words have
names, in Grammar, only from what
they mean.
8. In the Higher Mathematics, the
pupils acquitted themselves hond-
somcly. In Geometry and Trigo-
nomctry, the old fogy idea that the
female mind cant graphic with the
sevcrcr branches of an education,
was givon to the winds. The do
monstrations Of this class were rig
orous and lucid. In Algebra, the
class seemed TO comprehend the
mathematical idea that all the
mathematics in an Algebraic prob
lem must be embraced in the estate
mcnt" preliminary to solution, and
that tho solution is but little more
than q mechanical expansion of the
mathematics involved in the estate
ment."
9. On the classics we heard only
tho Latin. Much discriminating
labor must have been besto we'd
The rendering from Latin into Eng
lish and from English into Latin
was accomplished both with readi-
ness and grace. The correctness,
taste and beauty of some of the
translations must have been re-
garded as mcrited encomiums upon
the scholarship, industry and skill
of the teachers of the school.
10. The moral power of the en-
terprisc is decided and constant. a
paragraph from the Bible is read
and expounded every morning, and
otherwise and every day moral re-
CINE is enforced upon the pupils
| 1t is submitted that "Dallas Female
Institute" is in every way worthy
| of q generous patronage.
WILLIAM PITT PETTY,
On Committee Of Examination.
July 4, 1859.
Mr.. c. c. Garrett, son Of Jcdgs
n n ID n.--r.sf ~ Prom ham do.