The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1873-08-16
OUR VIENNA CoRREspONDENCE.
VIExNA, Austrla, Juno q, 1s7a.

Inc AlllcTlcuH SclOOlnOUSc was lOF-
mAlly opened on the 10th Of June. II
was built by the American Commits
sion, Lyman Bridges, Of Chicago, act
ing MS superintendent, and looks more
like neat cottage residence than an
educational institution 1t bears over
the front entrance the inscription,
"Amcrican Rural Schoolhousc," SO
that no one need be Mt Il loss to know
for what it is designed, though they
might not recognize it from the cXtcr-
nal appearance Of the building itself.
The interior consists of two rooms, one
long and narrow, and used as an Amer
lean reading room; the other square,
of moderate dimensions (about twenty
by twenty-five fect), and fitted up as u
school room. Desks are arranged after
the usual style; maps, geographical,
physiological and danatomical, adorn the
walls; II cabinet organ stands by the
teachers platform; upon the teachers
table lie fewsbooks, states, and mod
els for object teaching in primary
schools, and a meagre strip of wall on
one side Of the room is made into a
blackboard, and this is all there is to
illustrate our methods of teaching.
The day before the opening l was in
the schoolholisc. A few people were
wandering round the room, wonder
ing, suppose, whore the wonderful
appliances were thatseYve TO make the
people of the United States so enlight-
encd and so free. They lave heard
that it is the general system or educa-
ton, the advantages of which are 50
generously offered to all, poor as well
MS rich, which gives to the humblcst
the opportunity of rising to the high
est places of honor and trust, and they
have fancicd that the schoolhouse,
which is the portal TO this grand dem
Ocratic clysium, must be something
mysterious, differing far from the edit
cational institutions of these aristo-
cratic countries. But they find in thi.,
simple rural schoolhousc 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 ostcntation.
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 IL
noblcr and trucr men and women than
some who have studied while follow
ing the plough, or with their book
proppcd up before then on the table,
where they were washing dishes.
A lady. reporter of a Boston pare?
sat ut the teachers table in this Expo
stion schoolhousc, explaining some OF
the charts 10 the people who were
interested in them. She looked tired
and discouraged, and to our remarks
replied, II have been working all day
IN get this school-house 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
and all cur models for
teaching, and here is the schoOlroom
50 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 cdu-
cational display of the United States"
We sympatlized with the lady, but
were not surprised, for the affair was
Oh n level with the whole manage
ment of the American Department.
\ general invitation to the Americans
to be present nj 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 "Amcrica' were
but no one had been
engaged to take the lead of the music,
and some of the men were flyingabout
asking this one and that one if they
would not 'start the tune" At last n
man was found who undertook TO play
The organ, providing he had notes Of
the tune before him. Minister Jay and
Commissioner Schultz, together with
one or two other Commissioners, occu-
pied the platform, and after the sing
ing of "America," in a heavy, drag
ging, uncnthusiastic style, the latter
gentleman rose, and in q few words
Minister Jay.
The great interest which the Amer
lean Minister, Honorable John jay,
has taken in the exposition from its
very outset, and his earnest cndeavors
10 have America well represented, es-
pecially in the Educational depart
nent, will give great interest to what
he may have to say, and l take plea
sure in introducing to you the Honor
able Mr.. JAY"
Minister Jay arose and thanked the
gentle nan for the compliment paid
him, was happy to see so many Amer
cans present, and thought it very de-
'irable that America should be repre-
'ented in her methods of teaching;
md then just as we were preparing to
listen to the remarks to which we sup
losed this to he the preface, the Hon
'rable gentleman sat down. Commits
ioner Shultz then introduced Professor
ioyt, who made a good speech. He
stated that the first plan hal heen to
lave larger schoolhouse, and TO have