Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1880-01-21
THE SILVER SCHOOL.
VISIT OF THE TRUSTEES LAST
MONDAY.

The Board of School Trustees Wis
tied the public school in this city
last Monday. Messrs. Scheel and
Geyer being unable to attend, they
were represented by County Super
intendent Young and George Holmes.
The Principals department was the
first visited, and the result of the ex-
animation was highly gratifying, the
scholars evincing great readiness in
their replies and a thorough knowl-
edge of subjects. The Board then
proceeded to the next department.
The teacher having called her schol-
ars to order, Superintendent Young
examined them in reading and arith-
me,ic. The scholars did not seem to
understand Mr.. Young's questions,
although when the same questions
we're put by their teacher, but in diff
ferent words, they answered with
scarcely any hesitation. An exam
pie will illustrate Mr.. Young's way
Of proceeding: Mr.. Young asked !:
What is an abstract number2" "A
concrete number2" The answers
were correct. A boy was then sent
to the blackboard when Mr.. Young
ordered:
Put down g."
The boy obeyed.
"Now, what's that~
The boy.-The figure 9.
Mr.. Write boys under il.
The boy did so.
Mr.. Y.-Now. under that again,
write 9 bushels.
The boy wrote but not under the
other figures. He was made to rub
off aud write "2 bu." under "S boys"
"Now add those up" ordered Mr..
Young.
The boy unhesitatingly added: 8
and 8 are Ia, and 3 are IS.
"Now, what's that3' asked Mr..
Young.
The boy was nonplussed.
Mr.. Young.-Sixteen WHAT
The righteousness of the question
WAS so apparent that the scholars
laughed. They were reprimanded
for this by Mr.. Young, who assured
them that it was no laughing mat
ter. AS the boy Ind performed an i'm
possibility in adding an abstract
number to two concrete numbers
The boy had evidently understood
Mr.. Young to command him to add
the figures.
After Mr.. Young Professor Van
Wagenen addressed number of
questions to the scholars, all of which
were promptly answered.
At the close of the examination
Mr.. Young Informed the TINES re-
porter that the inspection OF the in
termediate department had been
satisfactory. There is no doubt that
the pupils know how to repeat, and
even practically demonstrate, their
various studies, but they cannot ex-
plain them; for instance, in arithme-
tic, they understand the practice of
the various rules, but are not con
versant with their theory. This was
demonstrated by boy who, being
made TO write 1000. was told to
subtract 1. He quickly wrote the
correct answer, but wnen asked to
ansylze it he was unable to explain
where he got "that 10" from which
he borrowed for his first 8. This de-
feet in her scholars the teacher should
endeavor to correct by explanations,
couched in plain terms, at each les
son.
EXAMINING THE PRINCIPAL.
On their return to the High School
the Board examined Professor Van
Wageneu, each member addressing
such questions as he saw fiji. T. +.
Mack kept a tally of the answers.
After while, having failed to secure
a single discredit mark he put away
pencil and paper, and examined Mr.,
Van Wagenen 10 Chemistry, Philoso-
ply, Geometry, etc. There was lit
orally no end to the questions, but
the replies were invariably prompt
and correct. Mr.. Mack (who must
have "crammed" for the occasion,
else he is a walking cyclopedia~,