The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-06-13
Prof webb,s examination.

term of the Criminal Court.
For the Herald
Prof. Webb's Examination.
1t was my good fortune to be present
during part of the exercises of this in
| tellectual treat. And were | now 10 sun
up all in a few words it would be in tins
language of DIR. Young, at the close q
the address, Happy people TO have
such school, aud such teachers in theiI
midst" and we would add, happy teach
| ers TO have such community in which
! to teach. One of the greatest draw backs
| in sustaining good schools, is found in
the difficulty of uniting all of any COM
munity in the support OF any one
school, and while, in this case, there are
some who do not patronize the Culleoka
! Institute, yet the citizens generally
agree that the school is not only deserv-
! ing OF patronage, but that there are lew
| if any such schools, as they have. The
| most striking feature to stranger, is
| thoroughness of instruction. No difficult
! ty is evaded, no pupil is white
washed as to his studies. Young men
| full grown, are required to pass the
same criticism and submit 70 the same
regulations as the smaller boys Not
only are no lessons specially prepared,
but the teachers invariably throw on
! the pupils the responsibility OF re-
viewing.
The rigid discipline is observed to the
! most casual, no prompting, no objections
able conduct on the part Of the pupils
was observed.
The examination with the smaller
children was held on Tuesday, and was
conducted by Miss Cant, whose untiripg
industry and kind bearing to her pupils,
have greatly endeared her to both pupils
and patrons.
Thursday and Friday the classes
taught by the MeSsrs. Webb thefn-
selves were on the stage. To appreciate
properly the methGd of instruction
adopted and pursued in this school, it is
only necessary to witness the ordeal
through which the students pass during
one of their examinations. The atten-
ton of the public has so often been
called to this point in the notices of
this school, which have appeared from
time to time in print, that l forbear 10
say more.
On Wednesday nignt, public debate
was held by the Literary Society, and
while the rain that was falling prevented
a large attendance, the occasion was one
of interest.
On Thursday night, the audience which
was large, was entertained with decla-
nation and music by the junior mem
bers OF the school, and Friday night by
the seniors.
There were present from Nashville, q
few ladies and gentlemen, who together
with Miss Wanbaugh added much to
the interest by the superior instrument
tai and vocal music rendered on the
occasion.
The declamations were good, the Sc
lectiOns were in the main unexceptiOna-
BILE, and the young ladies OF the school
exhibited the careful training they had
received in the music department, for
the past session. The order during the
earlier part of the exercises n Friday
night, was not altogether perfect. This
was owing chiefly to the number of per-
sons prese Mt. The attendance was 50
large that numbers were compelled TO
stand, and great many returned home
not being able to obtain even an entrance
into the large audience room. Later in
the evening the occasional conversation
abated, and all could hear,
l must not omit to mention tho per-
formance of that new, unique and origi-
nal piece called RYE Straw" by Ned
Carnlack and his choir of boys, \ CIT
izen gave me this history of the affair:
Some time since Prof. Webb accident
ally heard the boys in one of their giee
full hours singing this, to him, new song,
and intimated to the boys wish that it
III n'tU no ShIlE tOO OlLSAs 1hO Ivy
however, were fond of the song, and on
all suitable occasions repeated it, until
the Prof decided to call out the choir at
his examination, and let the public have
the benefit of their musical achievement.
The performance was most enthusiastic
cally received.
Among the visitors of distinction who
were on the platform at different times
during the last two days, We're Rev's
Dr.. A NJ Ngle.rrilln Nv u
Hughes, of Pulaski, r. G Irvine, of
Spring Hill, and w, J. Craig, Esq, OF
Giles county.
This was my first opportunity of
hearing the younger Webb,-Prof. John
M.-with his classes. Others had said
he was the better teaeiser Of the two.
AS to this | cannot decide, but he GER
tainly has natural aptitude for teach
ing, and is man of authority when be
speaks. Both Professors have entered
on this work determined to make a sue
cess Of their school, and richly Go they
deserve success.
l cannot close without reference at
length to the address of Rev. DIR. Young
on the occasion. It was delivered in a
deliberate, audible and graceful manner,
and was listened to with the utmost at
tention by an appreciatiYe audience.
The subject matter OF the address was
READING,
and the kind and character of books to
read. The speaker gave some striking
incidents showing the benefits iBdivid-
uls had received from the practice of
careful and thoughtful reading, and
stated that he was led to the selection of
his subject by his knowledge of the
truth of the incidents themselves. His
first suggestion waste avoid the prac-
tice of reading immoral novels, show
ing the evil results from such. Seaonq,
avoid all useless novels, OF any other
kind of useless reading, as tending to
vitiaUe the taste and unfit the mind for
solid and useful reading or study. |
Readers of this class OF literature were
unwilling, as rule, to engage in con-
versation, or be even introduced to per- |
sons of cultivated tastes and habits. |
Novels are not the best books for the |
cultivation and improvement of style |
If young people desired to improve in |
this respect, he would hare Them read |
the English classics, enunerating tho !
names OF Addison, Milton, Maeaulay, |
Drs. Chalmers and Hall, and others. |
If they still wanted novels, then read |
such as Arthur's temperance tales, |
Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield, Tup- |
per's Crock of Gold, Pilgrims Progress, |
and others of that character. The BIZ |
BILE was the first and best OF books for |
the young or old. Then in your choice |
of other books, let your reading be Sc
lect and also comprehensive. TO read /
protitably, attention WIS necessary. !
Whateyer book was worth reading |
once is worth studying. Read |
ing without care and attention was I'M
profitable. The young preacher who |
could boast only of the number of
pages he had read, was really an object |
of contempt. In reading, as in travel
ing, keep your eyes open. The lives OF |
men were frequently shaped and mould
ed by a single sentiment contained in a
book read. Several instances were Civ |
en- illustrating the last thought, and |
among others, the speaker stated that |
his own habits of life had been in
largely by reading Watts ac-
count of well spent day.
The speaker closed by high common
dation of the school-asking the people |
not to underestimate its worth aud val
ne because it was home school. All /
schools were home schools to somebody, /
and that even Yale and Harvard were /
little TO some of the citizens living near /
them. One great advantage Of g home |
school was that parents could look after
the mental, moral, physical and religi- |
Gus training of their children, and by |
their counsel and example, guard them |
from evil and corrupt associations.
The only regret evinced by the audi
ence was thas the address was closed so