The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-08-09

one side OF the room is made into d
black board, and this is all there Is tC
illustrate our methods of teaching,
The day before the opening | was IN
the schoolhouse. A few people were
wandering round the room, wonder
ing, ! suppose, where the wonderful
appliances were thatserve to make tn,
people Of the United States so enlight'
ened and So free. They have heard
that II is the general system of educa
ton, the advantages OF which are &c
generously offered to all, poor as wei
as rich, which gives to the humbles'
the opportunity of rising to the high
est places of honor and trust, and they
have fancied that the schoolhouse
which is the portal TO this grand dem
ocratic elysium, must be something
mysterious, differing far from the edu'
cational institutions OF these aristo'
cratic countries. But they find in thls
simple rural schoolhouse very little pa'
rade of paraphernalia, and, perhaps,
will begin to perceive the truth that
the most powerful influences are often
those which work the most silently
and with the least ostentation
AS we know that the great
est truths have been often taught
in rude log cabins by the light of the
blazing pine knot, and all the improve
ments in teaching, do not make for us
nobler and truer men and women than
some who have studied while follow
ing the plough, or with their book
propped up before tn EN- on the table,
where they were washing dishes.
A lady reporter of Boston paper
sat at the teachers table in this Expo
sition schoolhouse, explaining some OF
the charts to the people who were
interested in them. She looked tired
and discouraged, and to our remarks
replied, ~ have been working all day
to get this school-housc into order for
the opening tomorrow, but can not get
help. There are plenty of men, but
we can't have them. Our books and
charts that should be here have been
put off into the South American depart
ment so, too, the models of our fine
schoolhouses and all our models for
teaching, and here is the schoolroom
so empty and bare. 1t seems to me all
of these things should be here; there is
plenty of room for them, and people
will come here to see them, and will be
disappointed; and who will think OF
going to South America to find the edu-
cational display of the United States"
We sympathized with the lady, but
were not surprised, for the affair was
on n level with the whole manage
ment of the American Department.
A general invitation to the Americans
to be present at the opening had been
posted on the schoolhouse door, and at
the hour designated the room was well
filed. The order of exercises did not
seem to be fully arranged. Printed
copies of the words of america" were
distributed, but no one had been
engaged to take the lead of the music,
and some of the men were flying about
asking this one and that one If they
would not "start the tune" At last a
man was found who undertook toplay
the organ, providing he had notes OF
the tune before him. Minister Jay and
Commissioners Schultz, together with
one or two other Commissioners, occu-
pied the platform, and after the sing
ing of America" in heavy, drag
ging, unenthusiastic style, the latter
gentleman rose, and in few words
introduced Minister Jay.
"The great interest which the Amer.
lean Minister, Honorable. John Jay,
has taken in the exposition from itt
very outset, and his earnest endeavors
to have America well represented, es-
pecially in the Educational depart
ment, will give great interest to what
he may have to say, and take plea
sure in introducing to you the Honor
able Mr.. Jay"
Minister Jay arose and thanked the
gentleman for the compliment paid
him, was happy to see so many Amer
leans present, and thought it very de
sirable that America should be repre-
scented in her methods of teaching
and then just as we were preparing tc
listen to the remarks to which we sup
posed this to be the preface, the Hon
orable gentleman sat down. Commits
sioner Shultz then introduced Professor
Hoyt, who made good speech. HI
tated that the first plan had been to
have a larger schoolhouse, and to hav'
placed therein everything that pertain
ed to the educational department, bu
it been thought best to change the plan
and while the books, charts, models
ETC., had been placed in the transeft,
with the meteorological cabinet, tn,
school house now was but an illustra
ton OF our schoolhouse furniture. HI
then dilated somewhat upon the fac
that furniture and books were after all
but poor opponents of system O
teaching-it was the living head ant
heart that were the great sources o