The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-01-20
AMONG THE SCHOOLS

WEEK IN PIKE TowNsHIP-A GOOD RH-s
CONGREGATIONAL ENTHUsIAssI-RURAL
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES DAYS COMING.
IFrom an Occasional Correspondent the sentlneII
INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 16, 1S74.-I have Just
completed a hard weeks work in Pike
township, which township is situated in the
northwest corner of the county. The near
est point is just four miles from the center
of the city, and its remotest corner is Is
miles away. | have been in all the neigh
borhoods and have taken careful note of
many interesting matters outside OF the
schools, though, of course, my business was
mostly with the educational circles. Last
Friday evening i met large audience in
the Lutheran church at Augusta station and
had the most respectful attention to a lee
ture on the 'School Teacher" little girl
some thirteen years old presided at the
organ. and the people rendered several
pieces Of music which woqS have reflected
credit upon the average city audience. They
listened with intelligence, and after the lee
ture several of the citizens made point
ed and sensible remarks, hoping to see the
day when the school teacher NAV
feel justified in preparing himself for teach
ing in the country as profession. On Sat
urday, pursuant to call OF the trustee, Mr.
COble, the teachers of the township met for
institute work at the school house in Old
Augusta. The forenoon was taken up by
their regular school program, while the other
teachers made notes for discussion of his
plans in the afternoon. The house was filled
with visitors and great interest prevailed
throughout. Ii there be those who fancy
that country school knows nothing, they
may diSabuse their minds by visiting Au-
gusta, and observing Mr.. Rinehart's work.
And, for that matter, the experiment might
be tried in a dozen of the Pike township
schools. The teachers are awake TO their
calling. Several OF them have had instruc-
tions in the State Normal school. Al OF
them read the current educational literature.
Most o. them are devoted to their work for
the works sake. The fashion in Pike is 10
take great
BASKETS FULL OF GOOD THINGS,
And have common dinner in the school
house, and the good lsdies are edHeated to
perfection in the art of spreading the good
things out After dinner we had music,
vocal and instrumental, and many a social
word of cheer, and then proceeded to the
work of the afternoon. The criticisms
showed a keenness of observation rarely
seen, and Mr.. Rinehart. the teacher, pre-
scented paper on professional excellence"
which was in itself excellent" On Tuesday
following. l visited the school at Rural Aca-
denny TRADERS Point) under charge
of B. +. Boyer, assisted by Miss Mary
Julien. This school enrolls near 80
scholars and is in flourishing condition.
A lecture for the evening was announced
at four O'Clock. and before seven the house
was filled with listeners. The singing was
abundant and good, and the attention for an
hour and half was unbroken. Even the
little boys and girls listened, and not one OF
them went to sleep. The subject was the
county plan, and many of the staunoh cit-
Gems Of the place followed with exhortations
10 one another to be true to their highest in
Observation-Disclosures culture" The schools
of Mrs. Wilson and Luther Levic were visit
ed on Wednesday, and at night Ispoke again
to a good audience in Bethel church, subject,
"a plea for schools" Do they know any
thing? They have organs, pianos, flutes,
pictures, books, newspapers, light. ciyiliza-
ton, christianity everywhere.e They can
talk about system and order, 100, and they
pray for the coming day of nine or ten
months schools in the country. The town
ship enrolls about $50 scholars at the present
time, and the length OF the school term is
six months There are - schools, with Is
teachers, Some Of the houses are the poorest
in the county. but the people
are clamoring for improvements, and
not many years will pass till Old Pike may
present the best of facilities for education.
expect to finish the tour o. eacn township
now as speedily as possible, ana viii from
time to time report. The teachers institute
IN Wayne township will be heid on Satur-
day next at Mount Jackson. and Thomas
Water, Esq, will lecture 10 the people at
night. W. L $.
Governor Dingley, of Maine, having no
contested election eases or cheap transporta-
ton Iniseries to talk about, gives the tenn
perance question an airing in bis late mes
sage. He says that the prohilitory law has
great good; 1t has not only
n