The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-02-18
THE RMPORIA CITY SCHOOLS,
Recent Exam1MaHLOns-C
IiOn of the SchOOls:-TheTr
AEaRaEeMeRta and EmcIen.
ey-FzII Report from a
Competent and H1eIIaa
bic Source.
NO BETTER SHOOTS TO BE FOUND
ANYWHERE

bic Source.
NO BETTER SHOOTS TO BE FoUNp
ANYWHERE.
| EDITORS NEWS: During the pasi
week the city schools have been under
going the usual semi-annual public ex-
aminations. From what we can learn
the schools have stood the test with
credit to the Superintendent and teach
lers, and honor to the city. Superinten-
dent Milllken has shown himself to be,
practically, what the anti-offiee-hold-
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF
education editor of the Ledger styled
fundamentally the best man for
the place, but whether he will prove so
in practice remains to be seen.''
On Monday the lowest grade was
examined, and under the skillful teach
Ing of Miss Tony williams and Mrs.
Jackson, rendered entire satisfaction,
as far as the many visitors who attend
ed, expressed an opinion. These ladies
have been in the employ of the city
for several years, and are deservedly
popular. An evidence Of their value
and merits as teachers, aside from the
thoroughness of the work as shown in
the examinations, Is in the fact that
the pupils Invariably are fond of them.
When the pupils dislike TO go to school
and are not disposed to render obedi-
ence to the requirements of the school,
we take it something is wrong, and a
change ought to be made Immediately.
Not that we would advocate frequent
changes, because a school that is COM
PEELED to have lis teachers changed ire
quently, is in q condition of chronic
decay, but amongst the great number
OF teachers our city ought to be able to
command the best talent in the mar
ket. From the best information at our
command, we think Emporia, unusual
y fortunate in the main, in this re-
spect. From what we can learn of the
condition and progress of the schools
the present year, we believe there is
amongst the teachers pretty general
disposition to cooperate and aid Supt.
Milliken in carrying out his plans for
the elevation and improvement of the
schools.
But, Messrs. editors, we are wander
ing good ways from our text. We
started out to tell what we had heard
and seen of the recent public exami-
nation, and here we have gone off on a
dissertation on the merits of teachers
and the duties of the board.
Rather an amusing incident occur
red in the examination in Natural His
tory in Miss Williams room. The class
were trying to define the three king
doms of nature. The question was, to
what kingdom the chicken belonged.
Vegetable, was the prompt response,
which ELECTED quite "smile'' from the
more knowing ones.
The classes in these two rooms are
quite large,--we believe nearly sixty
pupils each. five might be allowed
to suggest, we would say rather too
many to get the best results.
On Tuesday, the division next in or.
der was examined, with good results.
This division comprises class of the
9th and 18th grades. Owing to a re-
modelling of all of the classes at the
beginning OF the fourth month, the
teachers in this and all the succeeding
grades were not in as good condition
to show the work of the teachers as if
the classes had been under their care
for the whole of the term, instead of
less than two months as they have
been.
Miss SlOcum has been in the schools
for several years, and seems to be q
fixture, and reasonably successful with
primary work.
Miss Jen. A. Wood was employed at
the beginning of the year, and has
shown herself to be rem arkably we'll
adapted to the work she is doing.
These rooms do not seem to be so
much crowded as the lower ones, but
we suppose the promotions that take
place at this time will fill them up to
their full seating capacity.
On Wednesday morning the exami-
nation par excellence was held in the
fine, large room of the brick school
house, in the eastern part of town.
This is the only really good room be-
longing to the city schools, and is filled
with quite an interesting class of schol-
ars, ranging in age from 8 to IA years.
Miss Franc. Norton, the teacher, has
the energy and snap to make them ''toe
the mark" The large number of inter
ested visitors, mostly parents of the
children, showed how much interest is
taken In this school. The way the
classes went through their various re-
citations, gave evidence that they have
been put through in thorough man
ner. We learn that the board contem-
plate q division of this room into two
smaller ones, which would be a misfor-
tune, as it is the finest one in town.
The room is larger than it need be, but
still the rooms under this one are not
well proportional, and too small for
pleasant rooms.
Miss Matte Spencer's school, in the
dark den in stone building, was exam
ined in the afternoon, and was crowd
ed with parents and others interested
in the matter of education. We believe
this is Miss Spencer's third year in the
city schools, and she has worked her
self up to the wants of the shines, and al
ways brings her classes up to the mark
in thOroughness and drill, although
they sometimes say she is cross. She
revuires implicit obedience to the rules
and orders, and will tolerate no delin-
-quencies, hence she is sometimes COM
PEELED to resort to severe measures to
secure the desired obedience to
authority.
Thursday and Friday were employ
ed in going through the work of the
classes in the upper room of the old
stone building. In this room the
Grammar school has been since the
opening of the schools, and q class