Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-10-20
EDUCATIONAL.
r.~-. NU5fhanf R0nka.

your columns some ideas CLEANED by OBJ
servation Y thin the past few days. We
will begin ith the examination held
in this placc one week ago. There were
twenty-thrce applicants; the fair sex
having only one representation. In
looks taey compared very;sfavorably
with ott er good looking folks. Their
qualifications we could not SO well de-
termine as the examination was chiefly
written. The reading however was
different; being entirely oral and diff
fering from the general method Of ex-
animation in this branch in this respect,
that the definitions of words occurring
in the lesson, were required. This plan
of teaching reading, we know from hav-
ing tried it, is very successful. But that
which pleased US most was that when
the applicant failed to give definition
the examiner would give him an idea
of the meaning of the word or some
thing that would start the person who
has any desire for knowledge, to think
ing. 1t is characteristic of some exam
iners to look aDise but to give no instruc-
ton whatever. But is it not an exam
Iner's duty to instruct as well examine (?
1t is in this way he can lie. his light
shine. We feel confident that if this
plan were followed in all our schools far
better success would result in this much
neglected branch.
Another lesson we received last Fri
day evening. About eight O'Clock our
attention was directed to the unusual
brightness of the Northern sky. This
led us to inquiry and meditation.
From books we had learned that this
phenomenon was produced by the pas
sage of currents of electricity through
strata OF highly rarefied air; and that
its period of change of eleven years is
in some way connected withsthe period
of change in the spots of the sun. 1t
was to us lesson on the beautiful and
sublime. Covering the Northern sky
from The horizon to within thirty de-
grees of'the zenith. was cloud of light
through which loomed up streamers of
light and darkness Efrom sbelow the
horizon by throbs, or pulsations as
though it had been breathed forth by
nature's.self A good Lesson for culti-
waiting observation and application; for
If our book-lessons are not made prac.
ical in this way, they..profit US but lit
tie. When we have seen a thing in our
books let. us endeavor to see it in ma
ture.
Our third lesson was from an off-hand
lecture in the exercises of Friday after
noon. The subject was mud. Not
itself very clear, but the lecture was
both clear and edifying. Here is q
synopsis oft as nearly Jas we remember:
I. What it is made of.
e. W hat is made of j.?
L. It is produced by the grinding
down of rocks which are the results of
original burning. Combustion of diff
ferent metal gave different rocks, and
their disintegration different clays.
This grinding of rocks perpares the
earth's surface for vegetation, and thus
ma >es it a, fit habitation for man and
animals. 1t also puts the rocks into
a condition to be nodded Into great
variety of articles for mans use. This
gives rise to our second division-What
is made of il. The following are some
of the articles: bricks, crockery, door
knobs, porcelain of feldspar, glass Of
silex, soda, lime and lead, and last but
t least impoT ant it is the princi-
pal element q our own structure.
and as in the numan, there is some
hing in the s ock and ue rest In train
ing so in this subject tn are is something
in the material, and the rest in the
preparation. OBSERVER.