Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-04-06
1 Day In the Public Schools Of Austiss,
Minnesota.

The following we extract from The
Winamac, lnd.J Democrat. 1t is from
the pen Of Rev. J. P. Barnett, the Father
in.law Of Rev. J. W. EIdredge, ofthis city j
The first object that attracts the atten.
tion on approaching Austin from any
point, is the large and beautiful Public
School building, standing upon the high
est ground Of that city. The school build
ing with its surroundings plainly told
that New England blood was in the veins
Of many Of the citizens Of that beautiful
town-it is three stories high. has eight
school rooms with other rooms for the
convenience Of the attendants, both teach
trs and scholars. On entering the main
hall Of the first Il ,or, was strangely i'm.
pressed will. the quiet and order which
prevailed, although the hour for opening
the school had not set arrived. Every
scholar upon entering the hail 1T once
moved quietly and without Il word spoken
to their respective rooms and took their
places 1t their desks Every desk, 50 far
rs now rcco:lcc', was n single one. no
two scholars sitting together. This SEEM
cd to me decided advantage over the
double desks. Proceeding up the main
stairway to the third story we were direct.
cd to the main room used for Chapel SER
vices; on the Principals desk lay bible
and by its side book Of sacred songs, and
| could not but feel that it was fitting that
they should be thcrc-.I thought that this
fair land If ours, the foundations Of which
were land by Protestant hands, and hearts
loving the bible, should never he asked to
give up the right t" its reading, and that
their children should be trained up in the
way Of its blessed teachings.
AT the opening Of the school, being in.
vited by the Principal, read part of the
1O3d lslam and invoked the Divine bless.
ing ON the children ut that school. and
from full heart thanked the Divine Faith.
or that these means Of improvement are
accessible to the children of our entire
laDd-prescrve them and we have moth.
ing to fearAdestrby them and fOreb0ding
If ruin and decay will at once follow.
From the Chapel / passed into the vari.
GUS rooms aud was everywhere furnished
with evidences that the Principal with his
| eight Assistants were doing grand work
! for their pupils, and that they were s,,s
tanned in this work by parents who had
no idea that their children were too nice
to yield t" proper restraint, and be made
to submit to the authority Of the teachers
in charge. .. 1913.
The rcci.ations to which I listened were
good. and showed that time was not al.
lowed to be wasted.-I was delighted will,
the order everywhere manifested. AT the
close for recess u bell was sounded, and
the children passed into the cloak room
put on their garments and returned to thiel
seats and not word spoken. Again the
bell sounded, and all arose and moved GU,
in single file, and during the passing gu,
Of the whole school. not a whisper until
they passed the out door,
| would like TO speak of two or three 81
the teachers l met there but space forbids
Long will the memory Of my visit til the
schools Of Austin linger with me as a
blessed anchor to my hope that this shall
he the land IT the free till the nations oi
the earth shall cease to be.