New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-29
PUBLIC SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS.
Closing Exercises of the Central High
school and Ihe Girls High school of
the second, Third and Fifth Districts.

Closing Exercises of the Central High
| School and the Girls High school of
the second, Third and Fifth Districts.
The deserved celebrity of the Central
High School renders all introduction un-
necessary. Formed under the school con-
solidation theory, well otficered and disci-
plined, its head classical scholar who has
taken his degree, its corps men proficient
and experienced in the branches which
they inculcate, our Central High School is
fitted to take rank with any institution of
the kind in the country.
In all schools there is speciality in
which the scholars may be found proficient
over all other studies. In this the particu-
lar branch in which there is most excellence
is the English language; the classics, by
the method of tuition, being simply the
means by which, in their cultivation our
own tongue may be best appreciated and
successfully used. Whatever of truth
there may be in theories which give mathe-
matics or natural science the predominance,
| still the youthful education which incul-
Gates thorough knowledge OF the mother
tongue is but just.
In the exercises, programme OF which is
| appended, the greater part consisted of
original declamations, dialogues and essays,
in which the conclusions reached from
reasoning out the intricacies and solving
| the problems of the studies in the curricu-
lum were all Laid down united with good
sense, and couched in all the decencies and
chaste expression of the mother tongue.
Perhaps some of the gesturing in the
| declamations and recitations was little too
stacy; perhaps the ideas in the essays were
| a trifle too much winged, still the main fact
that the seniors had reached the point
where they could give clear expression of
their thoughts should not be lost sight of.
PROGRAMME.
Our School, original defamation - P.
Cohn.
A Vision, English composition-W r.
Mort de Coligny, French declamation-V.
| Oplatek.
Apostrophe to the Ocean, English decla-
mation-A. Edmunds.
Our Record, English composition - S.
Cooper.
Fall of W arsaw, English declamation-L,
Bloom.
Keeping his Word, English defamation
S. w. Moody.
The Crusaders. English declamation-S.
Snodgrass.
The Lost Book, English composition-w.
Mcconnell.
Debate toriginal), ''Is Public Opinion
Safe Rule of Conduct9''-Atfrmatives w.
Riddle and B. Carnes; Negatives, s. Caru-
theirs and .. Bartlette.
The Day Before Vacation, English com
positiOn-J. Mclean.
The Gamblers Wife, English deelama-
tion-L. Lowenstein.
Battle of Bunker Hill, English declama-
tien j. Beer
lie Meunier, Son Fills ct Zane, French
declamation-P. TrimaiIle.
Greatness, English declamation--H. L.
Sellers.
Our Record, English composition-O. Put
nam.
Darkness, English decIamation-M. Stern.
The Last Days OF Herculaneum, English
declamation-E. Ellis.
Osceola, (originall, English defamation
j. Gomez.
Dialogue, Bruce and Wallace loriginal)-
Gomez and Carnes.
Criticisms, ex tempOre-S. Caruthers.
The compositions, when bringing out the
ideas of the writer, were all of moral cast,
and one could readily forgive the errors
made by supplanting fact with fancy, when
all the wandering was done toward the
good side. TIE chief interest in the above
programme lay in the debate on the ques-
ton whether public opinion is safe rule of
conduct, all of which discussion ran griev-
ously into mere definitions, illusions and
comparisons, drawn from sources far away
from the subject; but, viewed as an evil
dence OF culture, it was decided success
No. journalist can have but one opinion on
such an issue, but ii any one were inclined
either way, the result of hearing this
wrangle would puzzle him how to reach a
conclusion. The delivery, save in some in
stances where there was too much evidence
of commission to memory, was more than
good-it was grand Without being in
vidious, the opinion of the hearers was de
cided in favor of Masters Caruthers and
Carnes, the latter doing the oratory in
finished style.
All of the recitations had different ring
to those met Oh the stage or IN other educa-
tional institutions, showing that one-half of
language-the manner in which it is read
had not, in teaching of the remaining parts,
been forgotten.
In the consummation of the exercises
the fullest evidence was given of a correct
acquaintance with the facts and lessons of
history; of liberal ideas upon the exact
sciences and the laws; of deep insight
into human nature, far as itcan be obtained
in books.
The ceremonies concluded, Hon. Michael
Hahn, of the Board of School Directors,
desired to say that the young gentlemen
could be congratulated, but he also con-
jured them, after an allusion to the city
public schools of which he himself was
graduate, that the long vacation should not
be spent in idleness, and that books should
not be entirely forgotten. Judge H. c.
Dibble, president of the Board of Direc-
tors, confessed the great pleasure he felt at
visiting the schools, which should be kept |
together, as when the public schools perish |
liberty dies. He also spoke of the high |
character Of the exercises and their COM
plete success.
The names of the teachers and certain |
statistics of the school are appended:
John Percival, principal; j. E. Seaman,
7 V Calhoun w IT Rpl1 AdolDhe ,Tacuuet