Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-16
THE NELL SCHOOL.

THE NELL SCHOOL.
Unfortunately the GLOBES visit to the Neill
| school was ill-timed, as nearly all the classes
were engaged in written examinations, and the
| opportunity of judging of the pupils pro-
fciency in their studies and the method of
| tuition was in a measure lost. However, the
visit was not barren of results though hardly
| as satisfactory for the above mentioned reason.
| as some other visits which have been reported
The GLOBES objects in these visits are mani
fest: 10 INSPECT the school buildings and call
public attention to necessary Improvements
| and repairs shamefully neglected, and
to favor the public with some idea
! OF how our schools conducted
! in return for the cost of maintaining the pub
| lie school system.
While partially deprived Of the opportunity
Of fulfilling the intellectual part of the pro-
gramme, the Neill school was open for inspec-
| ton as to its condition.
! 1t is a modest frame structure, two stories
| high. Formerly a branch school of the JET
ferson it has been elevated to the dignity of q,
separate institution within year, and during
| the present term has been committed to the
charge of Miss Miller, who admirably dis
charges the duties incumbent upon her.
ID
| rough inspection of the building, which on
the whole was satisfactory.
THE INTERIOR.
The interior of the building has been lately
put in thorough repair and order. The class
They would be decidedly desirable, being to a
great extent cosy and comfortable. were
they not horribly overcrowded.
AN ovERCRowDED BUILDING.
In all the rooms, comparatively small, their
| capacity is taxed to the utmost the children
| being fairly huddled together. With Il num-
Der of pupils which the rooms could conven-
iently accommodate, there might be no
| objection to find with the
ventilation. But as it is, the
atmosphere is overcharged with the calculations
of the multitude of children, and q fresh
! breath of air can only be admitted by the open
| windows-cold drafts, etc.
| In the malu building there four rooms,
| two on the first floor and two in the second
story. To the rear an addition Of an l. has
| been made, which adds two more class rooms
! to accommodate the demand.
IN CASE OF FIRE.
| From all these rooms the egress in case Of
fire or alarm is satisfactory. The building is
furnace heated.
! The class rooms, as has been stated, are un-
| usually cheerful. Fresh and neat
with new paint, etc., they
have been in several instances made more at
tractive by ornamentation; pictures and other
| taking ornaments having been contributed by
pupils and teacher. This is especially MOTTO
cable in Miss Boyden's room, and the others
are rivals with no mean pretensions to the
| beautiful.
! CLOAK ROOMS AND SCHOOL FURNITURE.
| The windows are protected, or rather food
of binding sunshine, is kept out by curtains
1t would add greatly to the comfort CT the
| children and Teachers as we'll as add to the ap-
pearance of the building, if Venitian blinds
| or shutters were put the outside, to
| every window. The cloak closets are none too
! IS rot exercised, some sneak thief
will appropriate coats, caps, ETC., to
| the great discomfort of some of the urch; ns on
some bitter cold day.
MISS NEwsoN's ROOM
| Besides the rooms mentioned there is an
Their connected with the Neill school for super
| vision and purposes of management. This is
| located on Summit avenue, at "a distance to
give Miss Miller, the princi pal, a good many
| whiffs of fresh air when she visits it. Miss
Hattie Newson is in charge of this temporary
| make-shift or apology of a school room. The
furniture ia generally good, excepting in Miss
| Boyden's room. Here they have double-seated
desks upon which three are crowded at times
old, well-worn and nearly unserviceable.
THE EMBODIMENT, AND TEACHERS.
Including Miss Newson's Summit avenue
! adjunct, the Neill school has an enrolment of
29S pupils. These are divided into classes en-
bracing all the grades from the first or primary
department to the eighth grade.
Miss Miller is principal. Besides superin-
tending the whole school and being directly re-
sponsible for its discipline management, etc.,
Miss Miller is taxed with the duty of teaching
class, the eighth grade, without assistance.
Fortunately she has class of pupils who can
be left to themselves without disadvantage. as
they and the teacher are in such happy accord
that they do not neglect their tasks or studies
when she is necessarily absent, which is more
or less frequent. Her class numbers nineteen.
Miss Otis has charge of the sixth and seventh
grades numbering thirty-seven pupils.
Miss Gray has the fifth and fourth grades,
ffty-two children crowded in a small room
where twenty-five would be only comfortably
accommodated.
Miss Baker has charge of ffty-two pupils of
the fourth and third grades.
Miss Hattie Newson Tin the Summit avenue
shanty) is in charge of B class of the third
grade, numbering fortytwo.
Miss Boyden's class is the second grade,
ffty-two in number.
Miss Madigan has charge of the first grade,
AuWUCI1uS 1OCCy.S0Ven AtLle CQllQren. Their
first year in school.
In looking over the above arrangement of the
classes, the Objectionable feature of giving two
grades to one teacher, or mixing up the grades
ia noticeable, and ought, for manifest reasons
to be obviated.
THE EXAMINATION PAPERS.
AS has been stated, nearly all the classes
were engaged upon their written examinations,
from which their class and scholarly standing
is established. This held good in all the classes
above the second grade.
The GLOBE was afforded the opportunity of
examining such papers as were finished. These
embracing the salient points of the subjects
gone over during the term are written upon the
blackboard, and these being copied by the pu-
pills, their answers follow. In this connection
marks are given only upon or for the subject
treated Of. If it be geography. no account is
taken OF the crude manner in which q defpi-
ton is written, nor faults Of spelling, ETC. the
pupil is marked for geography alone. Uni
formly the papers were neat, the penmanship
invariably good, and the answers generally
correct, not enough in error to ''disquallyfy''
the pupil from deserved advancement.
ORAL ExERcIsEs.
In Miss Boyden's room, second grade pupils,
the children's voices were first heard. Here
the little ones were engaged upon recitation
in numl ers. Again the GLOBE has the oppor-
tunity Of bearing witness to the admirable
manner in which arithmetic is taught in the
public schools. The children were called upon
to add numbers we'll up in the thousands; the
EXAMPLES being written on the board, they gave
the sum in concert before it could be imagined
they had gotten through or up the
first row of figures. In ''comparison'' |
or the measuring of numbers, they again
showed their excellent training, telling de- !
cidedly and plainly the care and attention |
given by their teacher.