Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-01-31
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Our Public Schools.

Notwithstanding the Eastern war,
the sessions @. Parliament and of
Congress and the worlds complaint
of hard times several hundred papils
daily asacmbla ii. The Lancaster
schools clothed aud in their right
mind. Tho year opened With more
than tho nsnal attendance, the num-
Der OF pupils has steadily increased
until at present our capaci0us IS.
sembIy room is filled to OVERLOOKING
The average attendance OF all the
schools is as high as SO per cent.
while most of the Irregularities can
be traced TO necessary causes all of
which shows the zeal with which
parents attend to the educational
interests of their children.
Daily rounds through various de-
partments find quiet and orderly
rooms supplied with good air, good
light and proper temperature
Glasses move to and from recitations
with the pr1mptness and regularity
of clock-work while reciting pupils
express their own thoughts In their
own language with tiueGc- and
accuracy which reflect credit on
their tender years aud immature
Judgment. The general health il
good and work seems a pleasure
rather than task Improved meth
DDS of teaching and OF learning are
gradually bang adopted in conse.
quence of which more satisfactory
results are obtained. The wear and
tear Of school property incident to
use is reduced TO minimum. These
observations within The schools are
encouraged by outside infuances
Cheering words fall plenteously on
ell sides, giving assurance to teach
ers and pupils that thsir efforts are
seconded by an active, sympathzilg
and progressive public sentiment.
There is however one defect which
impairs the compile .epess aud eff
cIency of orr schools to which we
would respectfully invite the atten.
ton of patrons, viz, tia want Of
proper reference books A mechanic
cannot do the best W X in the vari
GUS branches Of his trade without a
full set OF tools. neither can teacher
or pupil adj antagionsly prosecute
Investigations without access 10
proper authority, experimenting the
meagreness and other defeo of text
books. A neat, substantial bookcase
need not be expensive and
good books can now be secured on
favorable terms. A 4rs of cyclope.
dias, standard manuels in the differ.
ent branches pursued few sensible
volumes on school economy, school
history and the philosophy of educe-
ton, with some select historical and
biographical works would form The
nucleous Of library which would
prove Invaluable to teachNr and pu.
pills Scarcely o day passes but some
Inconvenience arises from the want
| of such q provision Such library
beside supplying this want would
both stimulate and rewsrd inquiry,
moreover it would have strong
tendency to cultivate taste for lit.
erature refining and strengthening
and thus save our youth from spe-
cies of reading so extremely conta-
gious and demoralizing Connec-
ton with schools possessing such ia
cilities has fully demonstrated to us
their utility, and in our opinion there
is no investment whereby from so
small an outlay so great and lasting
benefits would accrue to our schools
Experienced educators IN numerat.
ing the causes TO which may be
traced the superiority of graded, over
ungraded schools seldom fail to men
ton libraries. Teachers are anxious
to do anything in their power to Sc
cure such result but they are re.
luctant to allow anything to unduly
ttEa ct hai ID Il from fro
their regular and appointed work.
School officers are invariably favora-
BILE to such an enterprise but they do
not wish to appropriate funds with
out being specially authorized. We
suggest, then, as proper means to
secure for our schools necessary ref
erence books, that at an opportune
time the matter be placed before the
patrons. The measure If properly
| considered aud understood, would,
we think, result in q vote autboriz-
ing the school officers to inquire into
the real needs OF the school as to ref
erence books and to supply such
needs out of the funds in the treas
ury. j. g. DAVIES.