The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-09-16
THE YOUNG IDEA.
A Brief visi, to the Public Schools.

| A reporter Of the New NORTHWEST made
a hurried visit to the public schools last Tues
day morning. He found them in good work
ing order and apparently doing good service
In the principals room Mr.. j. II. Meyers has
twenty eight pupils enrolled. They seem tc
run from 10 to 10 years of age, and are bright
intelligent-looking boys and girls. Mr.
| Meyer gave the pupils thorough drill In
their reading lesson. a study that il generally
too much neglected or too quickly passed
over. The room is light and cherry. The
| walls did not seem to be encuInbered with
many maps or other guide boards to aid the
scholars on their difficult journey. There was
n map of Europe and one of the eastern part
of the United States, but none of the Pacific
Slore, and not even one OF Montana
Miss May Hodges, in the intermediate de
partment has iorty-six pupils of assorted
ages, sizes and sex. There are some excel.
lent readers among them, considering their
youth. Miss Hodges has nervous temper
ment that keeps her alive to everything going
on in the room, AMI feel certain that the
boys and girls won't go to sleep under her in
structions. There is more danger of the
teacher running her own health by a too en-.
ergetic performance of her duties. There ARE
a number of maps of rather old date on the
walls. That giving Montana shows the Ter
rItorv either when it was part Of Idaho or
before the annexation of part of Dakota.
The primary department, under charge of
Miss IONA Batterton, has an enrolment of
fifty-two scholars all quite naturally, of
very tender years. While Miss Batterton
has the largest school, upon her also devolves
the most important and difficult duties. In
her room is laid the foundation upon which
all other teachers will build. Here must the
child receive its first lessons in the art of
study and of abstract reasoning. Upon the
primary teacher depends much of the future
success Of the child. Years of after training
will hardly eradicate false ideas and false
systems instilled into the mind in the primary
school room. For this reason much more at
tenton should be paid TO the primary depart
ment by school officers than l. generally ac-
corded it. In Miss Batterton's room is a
great lack of blackboard space, an important
element in modern educational systems. The
fault prevails to some extent in all the rooms
other need of the rooms Is a set of the text
books used in each room. 1t is hardly fair to
burden the teacher with the cost of these,
and yet they should be for the teachers use
They would prove very handy, also, during
the presence of visitors, obviating to some
extent the necessity of borrowing books
from the pupils with which to supply visitors
The visit of our reporter was necessarily
brief and he would not presume to judge the
qualifications of the instructors on such
short acquaintance. He can only recommend
to the patrons that they themselves visit the
schools, thereby encouraging both teachers
and pupils, and showing an interest that will
not brook careless or wrong teaching. Teach
ers are much like other people, and no bust
ness man would expect to be well served If
he did not keep an attentive eye upon his
employees. Wen all bear watching.