Nebraska advertiser., 1873-06-26
THE STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.

/ The State Normal School has made
its record for another yesr. And it
need not be ashamed of the record.
The school has just completed the
closing exercises of the spring term,
which continued three days. Litera-
~ exercises on two evenings, and a
sociable on the evening of the last
day.
commenced taking notes at tie
commencement of the exercises with
the intention Of giving brief criti-
clsm or report of each class, and 80
intended until the close, but upon re-
Election, find this VIII be tedious to
write and tedious to read, and not as
profitable, perhaps, as a different
form of report. 4 better way will be,
[ think, to give the general status OF
/ the school. with Occas ional reference
to notes. so as TO bring out prominent
/ features in tile exercises.
! The l;.bors of the day cnmmPnces
with religious exercises. No one can
feel the quieting, elevating and har-
moniziug influence of such a p.ac-
tice without saying 1t Is good thus to
begin tie day. May this good prac-
tice never be banished from the
school
The examination of the class in
mathematics was unusually interest
/ ing. 1t seems Prof. BelIangee has
discovered some secret of making
this intricate and puzzling science
pleasant to the student. 1t was anu
Dsing TO see the interest they evinced
doing their work. It was evident
| that where there was partial failure
/ it was caused by confusion or mistake,
rather than d want of knowledge of
how to do their work. The very best
instructed in the mysteries of this
science often make mistakes, aud in
the most simple rules, too. We all
remember, perhaps. the man who
was an accountant, and noted for his
integrity and accuracy in making out
his accounts. AT one time in presen-
ting bis bills, it was found he
could not account for the absence of
number Of hundred dollars In his bills
called for. He was arrested for enl-
bezzlement. The suspicion upon his
honesty caused him to go insane.
a time after this it was found that he
had made a mistake in casting up his
figures. lie had said one from one
leaves one. Ever after that all the
words he would say, were lone from
one leaves one.
Grammar was discussed with n free
dom which showed they were famil-
lar, somewhat with the laws of Ian
guage. Although parts of speech
were sometimes a little mixed" yet
the examination in this science was
creditable to both teacher and stu
dent. It is but justice 10 Mr.. Halien-
der to give q more extended notice of
his proficiency in grammar. The
ready and clear manner in which be
can analyze sentences, proves for him
q capacity to become thorough and |
accurate grammarian. Mr.. Ii. is a
Swele by birth. In botany, very
fair progress was made for the time it
had been studied. The student was
instructed not to stop with the knowl- |
edge of form and color and harmony |
of parts. out to look to the author of |
such wondrous beauty and design. !
The same that can be said of Botany,
can be said CT Zoology. About equal
progress had been made Ia both sci
ences.
The method Of conducting the ex-
WAS to write the topics on
slips of paper, and the students draw
them, so 10 one knew what his topic
would be until he had drawn. In
this way, no preparation could be es-
pecially made for the occasion. Visi- /
tors were invited to ask questions
freely. The examination in history,
was in essays, and better way could
not he devised. While the knowl- |
edge attained Will be revealed, the |
powers Of composition will be devel-
nped. Discussion is allowed 10 class.
and Information Is allowed to be gain
ed from any source. not being con
fined To the text hook
The essays were very fine. That
Oh Thomas Jefferson excellent. I'll
expressed willingness to give u man
Justice, which Is sometimes Withheld,
because OF religious views which are
not popular. Indeed, the absence Of
sectarianism is one Of the distinguish
ing features of the school.
Two essays on American civiliza-
ton were able productions. In the
first essay a thought was advanced |
which deserves prominence, for it
lies at the foundation of republican
institutions. 1t is that American
civilization has a distinctive peculiar
ity Of developing the mind of the
masses, while other civilizations tend
to develope individual minds, thus
forming an aristocracy of mind. No
government will be perfect, 10 relig-
ion will be pure. until it has reached
the true position Of the brotherhood
of man and the fatherhood of God.
The essay of Stewart Black was
fine production, elaborate in construc-
ton, elegant in expression, evincing
quite familiarity with history. The
causes he brought forward, which are
forming American Civilization, shows
he has thought and read much. Such
Pansns @ 9 shncn Tint IT, ri