Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-02-11
OBSERVATIONS BY A PILGRIM.
Magnificent Vfew-SchOOIs, Superin-
tendent, Teachers and Pupils.

III you ueSlre TO ENJOY DOunUlIul
feast of the surrounding scenery of the
city of Los Angeles, you can do SO by
taking stand upon its natural obser-
vatory, which consists of a large semi
cular hill, within the corporation, en-
tirely overlooking the whole town and
valley around. Those who revel in
natural beauties will be perfectly en-
chanted with the view. The involun-
tary exclamation is, How picturesque!
How beautiful! The city below with
its curious variety of buildings, among
W hich figure very conspicuously hun
dreds of quaint adobes, flat-roofed,
one-story houses, that look as if they
had bravely faced the storm and sun
shine of half century. Interspersed
with the houses are small patches of
luxuriant orange and lemon trees;
then at your right stretches far and
wide beautiful valley, dottod with
groves of the luscious fruits of this
cline, On the left there is gradu-
ated series of majestic mountains,
reaching higher and higher, present
ing charming variety of green
brown and snow-capped tops. Here
and there are seen heavy, feecy
clouds hanging caressingly around
those massive refrigerators. The soul
is dead that feels not q thrill of Heav-
EMS poetry when he contemplates not
only the beauty but utility of these
grand features of Gods handiwOrk.
Turning from the gorgeous display be-
fore me, my steps were bent leisurely
toward the fine public school build
ing.
Being somewhat of schoolmaster-
indeed, having largely participated in
teaching the young idea how to shoot
in variety of localities, 1 found my
self impelled by an irresistible incli-
nation to visit the school. My stay
was long enough to convince me that
this community does not begin to re-
alize the excellency of its schools. If
we were to judge, we should regard
them highly favored people in hav
| ing the good fortune of such an eff
cient principal GAS the leader is, so
will his followers be-" The head of
strong individuality, firmness of pur-
pose and admirrble dignity. Book
| knowledge is not all that should be
taught or learned in the school-rOom.
| Self-reliance, kindness, charity and
| general contentment are some of the
essentials of human character to be
developed in the school-room. We
say without exaggeration that we
never saw these traits more fully ex-
emplified in any school in all our ex-
periences than we saw here.
The literary instruction consists
simply of opening the avenues of the
mind and directing the thoughts; al
lowing the pupil to develop his own
faculties. We are happy to say that
here we saw none of this crushing sys-
tenn of reducing every pupils idea to
his, right or wrong.
No effort is made to mold every
mind into the same cast Each
scholar is allowed, as nature intended
it, to maintain it's own individuality.
Here the pupil can have q thorough
scientific education and somewhat of
the classical if he desires it.
We witnessed several recitations
and were agreeably disappointed with
the readiness with which the pupils
demonstrated some of the most diff
cult figures of geometry, and described
the finest and most complex chemical
processes. Arithmetic and algebra
were also we'll performed. The schools
were generally quiet without mani
testing restraint. A little innocent
mischief was visible now and then
which rather favorably impressed us
1 than otherwise.
1t is often and truthfully said that
the pupils of school are an index OF
the parents; therefore we concluded
that the people of Los Angeles are not
only above the ordinary standard, but
industrious and ambitious. Industry
being the key to all success, we find a
rapid and prosperous growth of the
city. The Spanish element here
seems to be an excellent grade, in
many instances keeping pace with
the improvements of the Americans
The natural advantages of this, locali.
ty being SO good for restoration OF
health, hundreds from all parts of the
United States make it resort for thai
purpose. The rich all return in the
Spring declaring themselves better
This fact alone, makes 1t one of the
most desirable cities of the Pacific.
We shall soon have to bid adieu tt
this beautiful place, but hope to return
some time not far distant to make /
, our home.
PILGRIM.
Los Angeles, Feb. 10, 1875.