The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-04-24
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CINCINNATI FREE SCHOOLS.

the business portion or the city tOOklUS az d
plain and substantial brick building, copspic-
uous among the others for its size. While |
looked children began to pour out OF the
main doorway Few Of them were more than
twelve or thirteen years old, and there were
at least thousand Of them. To say it vas
ike bees coming out Of a hive would not de-
scribe the appearance. For tea minutes they
Glled the sidewalks, oyerhowed into the street,
and scattered themselves away through every
avenue Of departure. That outpouring from
a city school house was an interesting sight.
There was no loud talking, no boisterous
mirth; but there was clatter Of little tongues
and patteriug Of little feet which would sat.
isfy any lover of children. Almost as quiet
ly as the street was filled it was cleared again.
A teacher or two came out, the janitor began
putting things to rights. If had been ten
minutes earlier or later in passing the place
should never have known that Cincinnati
was educating more than regiment of child
rem in that building.
I was afterward so fo nate as TO learn
something of what the eHy' is doing for her
children and to SEE something of the mannSfs
in which it is accomplished.
Cincinnati offers to every child within her
limits just such instruction as it may please
to pursue, from the veriest rudiments to
courses 10 Latin, Greek, French, German,
Natural Sciences aud Literature. The grad
yates of the "High Schools" are ready to
enter the best colleges in the land; or, if
they prefer more practical course, they may
be as well fitted for business as the graduates
of most business colleges.
| There are twenty five school districts in the
city. aud in addition four schools known as
intermediate" aud two others called ''high
schools" In these are employed over five
hundred teachers of all grades who teach be-
tween twep'y-seven and twenty-eight thous-
and pupils The city has about two millions
Of dollars Invested in real estate devoted to
school purposes. and pays her teachers from
four hundred and fifty dollars per year, to
twenty-six hundred dollars, or over four hun.
dred thousand dollars 10 all. The entire cost
of this instruction including teachers salaries,
repairs, and all current expenses, was only
twenty. one dollars and eighty three cents per
scholar for the entire school year Of ten
months, or less than two dollars and twenty
cents per month for each pupil.
! vi COuiSc3 WuCit 81 Hduy diS W o1 eduS5
the division into classes aud grades is very
complete. Each room has its class at each
particular hour, the classes are large, and
therefore more time can be given to each.
thus securing several advantages in instruc-
ton. It was very pleasant to look in, as |
did, at classes of thirty. forty, or fifty little
children at recitation. There were all sorts
Of child faces, and there were all sorts of at
tention from the bright, eager, intelligent
face of the little girl or boy, ready and anzs
ious to answer, down to the slow, dull, unap-
preciative child of obtuse nerves, but after
all perhaps having the most wear for future
life. From the rooms occupied by the small
est pupils the visitor is led by such slow
graduations to the larger scholars that from
one room to. another he scarcely sees change,
and at last he flnds himself wondering that
he has not before noticed it. Each room
Ithat Sc " was ornamented with one Or more
:, pictures Some have'cravon work by the pu-
: pills themselves Of really very good kind.
Drawing is taughtin all the grades In the
district school, specimens of the best writing
are on the walls before the eyes Of the schol-
ars all the time. In many roo"s saw finer
: specimens of ornamental writing, by both
teachers and scholars, than the professional
writing masters can often exhibis. In one
room the class in music was being exercised,
and forty childish threats, all in harmony,
made the walls ring again. Their answers
to questions BY visitor showed that they
knew enough OF the principles Of music to
teach some old singers" have seen. |
do not wish the reader to think, however.
that drawing, writing, and music were the
only noticeable points, [ allude to them be-
cause they are more unusual for public
schools. The Rotations heard showed care
and attention on the part of the teachers and
ia good average degree of diligence and sue
cess on the part of the scholars.
When the pupils are through the district
schools they are taken up by the ''intermedi.
a,e'' schools where arithmetic, geography,
grammar, German, United States history and
other branches are taught. From these the
+ pupils go to the 'shigh schools" where are
; taught latin Greek, German, French, histo-
ry. physiology, algebra, geometry and the
Kindred branches.
The city normal school is conducted 10 con-
nection with these schools, where any one
desiring to assume the profession Of teacher
receives a thorough course Of normal instruc-
ton. In this department precept and prsc-
tice are united and the pupils are required to
teach in the schools in progress about them.
This is dune under the eyes of all the nor-
NAL class, and afterward free criticism of the
course pursued by the pupil-tcacher is in
dulged in by the other members of the class.
This course seemed peculiarly thorough and
must develop good teachers.
Cincinnati intends to crown this school
system with university SO complete in its
parts that no one need leave home to pursue
any study they please to the limit Of their
capacity. This is to be free to all. 1t is ex-
pected that this may soon be opened in some
departments.
There is now open in connection with these
schools a free library of over fifty thousand
volumes, which is established on a substantial
basis and is rapidly increasing 10 size
Another noticeable point in the Cincinnati
school system is her free night schools which
she throws open every winter to those who
are for any cause unable to attend the day
schools. About three thousand persons avail
themselves Of this privilege,
! Ny thanks are especially due to Mr.. Han
cock, Superintendent of Schools. Miss Lath-
rop, Principal of the Eighth District School