The Tipton advertiser., 1877-04-12
III. {. PiATr,
Nj l.. ALDEN, Com
J. *. BLOOM,
SECONDARY DEPARTMENT.

To the Board Of Directors Of the Mdc-
pcadeRt School District Of Upton.
GENTLEMEN: - The undersigned
members Of the committee appointed
by you to visit and report the standing
of the Secondary department Of the
graded school, taught by Miss NJ. T..
Jones, respectfully submit the follow
ing:
We were present during the day
designated by you. An oral examina-
ton was conducted by the teacher in
the studies pursued and the ground
passed over during the winter term.
Your committee tested the work by
propounding questions TO individual
pupils. We found the method of
teaching and government of the school
adapted 10 secure the best results in
scholarship and department. The
method secures first the attention Of
the pupils, then enforces rigid disci-
pline. Although the practice of allow
ing the pupils to remain at their seat
during recitation is not, in our opinion,
commendahle, yet the teacher in this
department by her clear, forcible
manner removes the objection.
In reading, the pupils call the words
with readiness and have made con
siderable progress in accent, infection,
expression, eonprehending what they
read, dc.
In arithmetic, the pupils did well in
notation, enumeration and addition,
but rs yet have made little progress in
subtraction.
In spelling, very few words were
missed. Tie modern system of spell
ing the word, then pronouncing it, is
here III use instead of the obsolete,
mechanical, cumbersome method OF
pronouncing and repronouncing syl-
lables until through much tribulatioG
the end of the word is reached. Pro-
nunciation Is taught distinct aud
| separate aud also in connection with
reading However we recommend
that the pupils be taught to make n
slight pause between the syllables
sufficient to indicate that they under
stand the correct division.
In geography, the pupils have mas
tered the outlines of North and South
America, and are familiar with the
leading features comprchended in the
geography of the United States. They
are well posted in regard TO those of
the State Of Iowa. Maps of the State
Were exhibited drawn by the pupils.
These Off hand sketches are
good; the railroads, rivers and princi-
pal cities are indicated by proper
marks and lines. The exercise in
writing was conducted by the teacher
giving sentence and tn. pupils
writing the same on Il slate. The
work was fair. The letters were ana
iized. We submit that in connection
with analysis, they should be taught
to hlahe their letters distinct, of 4
uniform height and slope and the
proper angle of inclination.
The oral exercises deserve COM
mendation. BY this means the pupils
have been taught many important
elementary facts in various branches.
Many of these facts formerly were not
acquired by the pupils in graded
schools. In the afternoon session in
stead of the usual recess, the pupils
were given physical exercise by being
gymnastics. This exercise is excel
lent but we think they should also
have recess
The pupils generally answered ques-
tions put to them. The teacher by
imparting information not found in
the text books and by her earnestnes>
infuscs her pupils with IN enthusiasm
| aS refreshing as il is rare. Under her
instruction they are advancing in al
| tainmentS and discipline. She is con-
! tending with the disadvantages of
having between 10 and 50 children
packed into Il small, poorly ventilated
room; yet the order maintained among
pupils between and 10 years of age is
unusually good. No better order is
desirable. JNo. n. NEIMAN,
NJ. II. DANIELS.