The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1881-05-12

docks letters will be interesting, no one who
has read his writings during many years OF
newspaper work in Kansas will have the
least doubt. They will be exhaustive, con-
else, and above all things reliable. We are
pleased to promise the readers Of the Com
nsonwealM a series of readable, spicy letters.
|
ADAY IN TIE WICHITA SCHOOLS.
To All Wzom IL Kcy Concern:
One interested in education would do well
to visit, il not already, the city schools.
Having an opportunity short time ago,
awaited myself of the privilege, and enjoyed
treat, to which had looked forward with
considerable interest. In q short article, as
this must necessarily be, it would be difficult
to enter into thorough digest Of what
saw, heard and thought while making the
rounds Of the schools.
Not having any idea OF contributing to
your columns on this subject, l took no
'.notes." The fact is had no time to do so.
was for the time being all ''cyes and ears"
passive receptacle Of good things.
On that bright, pleasant morning placed
myself in charge Of the superintendent,
Prof L. G. A. Copley, to whom l am very
much indebted for the pleasure of my visit,
and we directed our way toward the fourth
ward building. The first thing noticeable,
as we approached the house, was lot of
shade trees planted about the grounds, and
l could but make mental comparison of the
surroundings Of school buildings: Ii the
country dare say there is not one in thirty
that have anything better than the stately
sunfOwsr' to cast shade or protect from
the wind, and even that is hailed with de-
light by the grim and remorseless granger
teacher, "as the harbingcr Of victory" And
he "sings new song" of the swarm time
coming" or in other words, he pulls it up
root and branch to build fire with, and
glad to get it.
In the city everything seems to be neat,
comfortable, and in harmony with the beau
tifuI.
How is this, brother farmers? We have at
least one advantage over our city cousins,
| and that is we have more land, and not so
valuable as theirs, that we ought to orna-
ment, but we do not. Are the children Of
the city any better or more deserving than
those Of the country: /.
But digress. Following my very courte-
Gus conductor, we passed up the steps, he
rcmarking that he would show me school
Of over nine hundred pupils, with but very
few cases Of tardiness. He gave me the num-
ber, but fail to recall it at present. Thought
| at the time it was a very limited number in
deed for the number enrolled.
1t speaks well for the superintendent and
his score of teachers. They seem to vie with
each other in the doing away with hardness,
one teacher remarking that she had detailed
| one or two pupils to hunt up absentees. 1t
is very cOmmendable motive TO gather the
children in, but can it not be carried to ex-
tremes!
Children of school age belong to the State
| portion of the year. and should be looked
after somewhat; yet have not parents a pri-
| mary authority over them. And should we
presume on that authority too much. II
have no doubt but would do the same as
| the teacher under like circumstances, but l
| sometimes think that we carry the matter OF
| authority too far.
The first room visited was that of the as
sistant principal, Mr.. Webb. The ''high
SCHOOL, work is done here. After song by
| the pupils, and prayer rendered very i'm
prcssively by Prof. Webb, the first work in
hand was the proof Of several theorems in
geometry, by original demon stration, which
were handled well by Miss Lizzie Ross, OIL
| lie Bolts, and others with whom am not ac-
quainted.
The order observed here seemed to be of
the unconstrained kind, or a sort Of ''liberty
| to do right and security against wrong"
which is pleasant to see. In the superinten-
dents room. Prof. Copley was conducting or
leading in his happy style class in English
literature, they taking notes from the black
board Of the various author, and listening
to the vivid and pointed description OF the
same by their teacher. The professor seems
to possess the faculty of making the work of
the pupils to seem to be as good as 4 picnic
excursion.
These We're the only rooms I visited in
which the work was being done Tor doing.
which is ito
At recess, also ut noon, at the proper time,
the tap, tap OF the drum was heard and the
marching could be distinctly heard from all
over the building, each pupil keeping good |
step to the drum beats; and notwithstaad- |
Ing Brother Whites criticism on this plan OF |
procedure, found nothing to which to OBJ |
ject. looked upon it as simply method of
signals, not necessarily cngendering mar
tial or warlke spirit in the pupils, but teach
ing them obedience TO command given to |
move in given manner.
Taking Brother Whites view we might.
with equal propriety, in accordance with
command TODD any kind of work obeyed by
the pupil, to say that the teacher is a captain
or a general.
After recess VIC visited first grade room.
taught by Mrs. Warmer. 1t seems the Or
der is changed from what used to be the Gus
tom. Instead Of the first being the higest
grade, as was once the custom, it is the low
est now, which is very sensible, think.
Mrs. Warmer has about seventy or eighty
pupils-'chart'' or first reader pupils
How she managed to keep still, interest and
instruct that many little urciins was mys-
terry to me, but she did il easily and well.
Keep them employed. seemed to be the mot
to, and also give them variety. Ii seemed
that but very few minutes was given TO any
one topic, and the rapidity with which they
were taken from one branch to another, the
range Of ideas. and the answers elected from
those bright little fellows, was really inter-
esting. While they were talking very joy-
Dusly, and thinking about their cat. dog, |
rabbit or hen, they scarcely thought this was
reading" and when some one made mis-
lake in language, and was corrected, and all
aught the use Of the language thereby, they !.
had not the least idea in the world tina, :
his was grammar And when they counted, I
Iddej and suhtracted numbers and objects.
lou were TO tell them they were studying c
rithmetic, they would look at you with as !,
enlistment, and would think You We're fiji ,
ling. H
The success in advancing pupils depends
uite largely in the work OF this grade. and
thei primary grades. II well done, rapid
is made in the higher grades: III
nd il poorly done. rsts rersa.
Mrs. Warmer seems 10 have introduced -
he Kindergarten method Of teaching should i,