The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-12-26
NJ. Quad on "GOing to School,"

expected to hear from Mr.. Old Fogy
again, and was therefore not surprised
at his ring the other evening. He
brought along one of his pupils, lad of
u, and there was sly twinkle in Mr..
Old Fogy's eye as he rubbed his hands
before the fire.
81 want to show you that you are all
wrong" be said, as he sat down, "and
| have therefore brought James along.
You can ask him any questions you see
fit. Perhaps you'd better test him in
geography little"
flames, what are the principal pro-
ducts of louisiana" | asked.
"Sugar, molasses, cotton and rice,"
he promptly answered.
"How do we get sugar? What is it
before it is sugar?"
IS don't know, sir"
"Does rice grow on trees, or how?"
son trees, l guess"
"What is molasses, James?"
: "It is sweet stuff, sir"
Chow does cotton grow!"
81 don't knOw-we never had that"
"What are exports?"
81 don't know, sir" -l
"Why do you ask him such ques-
tionsP" put in Mr.. Old Fogy, getting
irritated right away. '4't
"Simply to see if you have really
taught him any thing. You have been
teaching him for several years, and yet
he can't tell whether molasses is dug out
of a hill or picked from an old Knot
hole. When you first mentioned the
name Louisiana to him you could have
explained all the rest in two minutes.
Now James, what is our system of gov
ernmenti"
Republican, sir"
"And what is that of RussiaP"
Monarchial, sir"
every we'll; what is the difference
between them? Name any one pointP"
"It is awful cold in Russia!" answer
ed the boy after long wait.
"That isn't fair-indeed it isn'tl"
exclaimed Mr.. Old Fogy as he rose up.
"Isn't it? You have, as a teacher,
asked these same questions week after
week for twenty years, and yet never
explained single point. The boy now
believes that the weather makes the diff
a despotism, and he'll keep on believ-
inc until some one outside of school en-
lightens him. Now, James, take this
slate and pencil and draw me cape"
"Why, how singularl " growled Mr..
Old Fogy?
eyes, very," replied as James gave
it up. "FOr years this boy has been
told that cape is point of land pro-
iecting into the water, and yet he can't
mark out one Well, does he know
any thing about arithmetic?"
"He can do any sum in the first half
of the book, sir.'
"Can, Ell? James, if you kept store,
and a woman bought ten yards of dress
goods at forty cents per yard, but re-
turned the goods and wanted factory
at five cents per yard, how many yards
would you give her?"
James figured. He bit his pencil and
figured again. He pushed out his
tongue, wet his pencil and finally re-
piled:
"Well, you see, sir, never kept store,
and so l can't tell"
every singular very SINGULAR"
growled Mr.. Old Fogy.
$50 it is. Now let me hear him
read"
James took the school-reader and be-
gan:
ga farmer whose poultry-yard had !
suffered severely from the foxes, sue
ceeded at last in catching one," etc.
sis your book right side up, James?''
eyes sir -
"And your eyes on the lines?'
"Yes, sir"
swell, now, wait moment"
Half dozen children were playing /
10 stairs, and calling them down l Sc
ected girl years old, handed her the
book, and said:
SHOW, Lily, turn the book upside
Town and read US about the farmer and
he fox.'
She held the book away and repeated
whole page without hesitation.
"You see, Mr.. Old Fogy, your boy
las read that article and heard it read
hundred times. 1t was long ago monot-
,nous to him. He simply repeats it
and his mind is not a whit
as it would be if he read
omething new and different every day.
Vow. Pil show you how would teach
chool. Children, stand here in row,
nd all answer together. If | ship goods
nto any other country what are they
alled?" uI \
Exports, sir"
"If L buy goods of any ether eoun
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