Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-06-17
For the Journal
The LincOIntOn High School


pupil particularly, [ shall speak hereafter
Let me remark here, first, that this is a
male school, under Board Of Trustees,
in the care Of the Rev. VIM. Wetmore, q
graduate of, and for several years tutor of
ma thcmatics, at Chapel Hill, and Mr.. Fl.
H. Smith, formerly Professor of Modern
Languages and Rhetoric at the same Uni
versity.
The examination commenced on Mon
day, the 24l. On the afternoon of that
day the writer, more from curiosity than
anything else, entered the schC oil building,
which is situated upon an eminence, with
the towering mountains OF the Blue Ridge
in sight The cool breeze traversing the
room Oh that warm day, contributed to
keep awake my interest in the proceed
ings. 4 Glass il Virgil was up for exami-
nation; next one ii Algebra; then juve-
nile class III spelling, closing that evenings 8
exercises, az all the rest of that week, by
singing.
My interest being now fairly aroused,
partly by evidences Of thoroughness in
scholarship partly by the memory Of days
of yore, when ], too, though in q far
country, speaking different language,
was initiated into the mysteries Of classic
lore [ was lothe to loso II single hour from
the examination.
Appropos of singing, I am told that at
the beginning OF this session youth, af-
ber attending school for day, left here in
disgust saying be came not here to learn
singing in school. That young man was
ignorant Of what he might have gained by
that quarter of an hours exercise every
day. He did not know that good singer,
besides the pleasure he certainly must de
rive from the art, in speaking has always
the advantage over him who is deficient in
this accomplishment, by his sonorous
voice, governed and mOdnlated with such
great case.
During the following days of this week,
attending almost every hour at the exani
nation of the different classes in the Eng
lish branches, in Latin, Greek, French
and German, as also the different branches
of Matthew atics, I became thoroughly con-
vinced OF the efficiency of this school; the
teachers not only showing their perfect
mastery of the branches they instructed
in. but also Of that great art so many ex-
celient scholars are deficient in, that of
imparting their knowledge to the pupils
with the greatest possible ease to the lat-
ter Clear and distinct enunciation dis
tnguished all reading and spelling the
best of the juvenile pupils went over SPELL
ing and defining of many pages in McGuf-
fey's fourth reader without single blum
der in this exercise on ''sldes" one little
fellow of only eight summers stood up
manfully after oil his companions in arms,
some of them his seniors by several years,
had been defeated till at last, between 800
or 400 words having been disposed of, he
had to surrender to two of his antagonists,
his seniors by nearly four years, who were
the last remaining on their side. Almost
thorough grammatical knowledge was
evinced in all the languages. The French
class pronounced well and rendered almost
| faultlessly. The class in German showed
thorough knowledge of the language,
the pronunciation being almost and the
translation entirely exceptionable, the
whole having been accomplished in one
short year, devoting due attention to other
studies during that time.
Would not yonng men at the South do
we'll to master the modern languages, when
we are looking largely to emigration from
the European Continent to correct some
of the evils inflicted by our present politi-
col status -?
The different classes in mathematics ao-
Quilted themselves we'll problems we're
solved which would do honor to any junior
at the University, and I was forcibly re-
minded how much l had forgotten. L
would say here that especial preparation
by the pupils in any of the branches ex-
amined on, was out of the question, the
teachers taking few subjects here or q
few sentences or periods ct another place,
and SO on till almost the whole of the text
books were gone through with.
Last, though not least, the discipline
maintained among the pupils, to the num-
Der of 81, left nothing TO wish for, in fact,
only two cases of breach of discipline oc
CURED during the whole of last sslon.-
! speak, from posltive knowledge, having
myself son a. this school, who, during
| part of a session, was q member of the
family of Prof. Smith, than whom there
is no better dlsciplinarian, az the same
time, by his kindness, afability and highly
polished manners, winning the hearts of
his pupils
The examination having continued the
whole week till Friday at II o'clock, ten
juvenile speakers, between the ages OF
eight and fourteen years, appeared one
after another on the rOstrum OF the school
room, contending fer prize to be awarded
the best declaimer. Right well did they
acquit themselves, showing some fine
speakers in embryo in that class, the prize
being by competent judges awarded tC
him who, by the majority Of the clase, was
expected to receive it.
On the evening of that day the closing
exercises commenced at s o'clock in the
Court House. The room densely
crowded, the bar reserved for the speak
ers. all the seats being occupied by an
array OF beauty rarely equaled and still
moro rarely excelIed, the male spectators
crowding the passages and all the hooks enc
delightful strains of music from the Lincoln
ton brass band, composed of citizens and
pupils of the village under the able leader
) ship of Prof. Hensler, teacher of music a
the Female Seminary of this place. The
, Anthem "God bless our native land wa
, sung by the whole school, the keynot,
, being struck by one Of the pupils withou
, the lead of Prof. Smiths sonorous voice