The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-01-22
public school Visiting,

cd industrious, and perscvering Miss Laura s. Poole
By brief examination of the separate grades o
pupils over GO in number, the submission OF few
elementary test questions, and similar processes,
became evident to the visitor that Carrolltor
school is well organized, efficiently governed, anC
thoroughly taught. Having closed the usual excr
CseS of such occasions received appropriate answer
to searching inquiries, and offered such suggestion
as presented themselves the Examiner was prepar
ing to withdraw, when the subject of vocal music II
school was incidentally mentioned; and then, o
course the pupils in that school very wisely ant
proftaby practice singing every day, they made
their school-hOuse ring in such manner as raptu
rously to stir the heart. Observing that few little
girls were peculiarly rolling their little hands arounC
each other, apparently trying thus TO catch the
teachers attention, its significance was inquired
into, when the handwriting was explained to be
one of the many funny actions in executing com
ical song entitled Johnnie Smoker" which never
fails TO excite sensitive risibles in the highest de
gree. This Johnnie Smoker exercise, very
Iaughable, is not INDUCED in as part of the pupils
studies but it is sometimes permitted in that school
as a relaxation. and scarcely anything is better
adapted the purpose for which 1t is allowed. The
practice, however, of singing appropriate piece:
adapted to chiIdrens voices, the tendency of which
is to purify the heart and cultivate the taste, is
important part of the daily programme in the ex
cellent school at Carroton as 1t should be IN every
From what is above said in reference to the Elk
aminers proceedings in the Carrollton school, the
reader may form pretty correct general idea of his
methods in all other schools in addition to the sta
tsticS, which he is careful to collect and enter III
full in his travelling Journal and therefore, to AVOID
tresome repettions, much of what might properly
be said every separate school, may safely be omit
ted here because the visitors exercise in one sen DOL
SANDY MOUNT SCHo0L-Withdrawin from Car,
clifton to continue his labOrS having reached the
pike the Examiner there encountered quite an aged
and apparently frail pedestrian slowly vending his
way 10 the residence OF his relative living some dis
lance off, a road half full or more of snow drift
Imagining the extreme difficulty of q walk or slide
over such path and seeing sleigh track, which
as afterwards appeared, wound around the frozen
drifts and through the fields when the road was i'm
passable he invited the foot traveller into his sleigh
and in few minutes deposited him safely at the
hospitable residence of his friend Azarah Oursler,
Esq Declining to accept kind invitation to stop
to warm, the school visitor dashed on, taking the
back track and striking the pike where he lett IT,
soon arrived at Sandy Mount where he found the
teacher to be Miss Ida +. Cox. looking almost as
youthful as some of her little pupils and not much
larger but dignied as an empress and as busy as
bird building her first nest i'll the hedge, hopefully
anticipating the training of her young brood SO that
they Will be able oy to the highest before
the close OF their first Summer. Can the pupils VINO
shall read this see any comparison between them
selves trying to learn, and the efforts OF the young
birds TO train themselves to ny so high that they
will be able when the Spring opens to build their
own nests so high to be out of reach of the COM
mon dangers to which they are liable? Will they
remember too that to learn to fly each little bird
must perseverngly exercise its own wings THAT
the wings of the mother bird, or the teacher BIRD
however actively at work, cannot more than by pre-
cept and example help the little birds to fly From
this little figure, If reflected upon and understood
the boys and girls may see that to succeed, they
must faithfully and persistenty exercise their own
powers Of mind and body, ana not depend entlrely
on the teacher, whatever may be his or her merits
On leaving Sandy Mount, the Examiner about the
time snow began to descend fell into the pleasant
company of Mr.. Herring, an esteemed School Com
missioner, having with him in his sleigh the Kew.
Mr.. Ederdice, and joining these friends he accom-
panied them home where, after a palatable supper,
ethics of all sorts, good, bad and Indifferent and
perhaps doubtful embracing mysteries beyond nu-
man Ken all, however. kept within roper bounds
by the reverend colloqulst, We're amply discussed,
soaring some of the party so much that company Ill
the sleeping apartments was not undesirable eSpe-
calIy as ghostly whispering elves i'll the shape OF
SnOW-tlakGS countless numbers, were putting
against the window panes all around the house.
FINKsBURG GRADED SCHooIS,-Haviug enjoyed q
very comfortable nights rest the Examiner accom-
panied by his friend Mr.. Herring, at an early hour
entered the Graded Schools at finksburg, embra-
cling two departments the first branch in the charge
of Mr. d. l.. Farrar, and the second i'll that of Miss
Mary Z. Johnson both reliable, accomplished and
Industrious teachers. Among the enjoyable incl
dents, one quite amusing was related Inc puplS,
having learned somewhere that in old togy times
the custom OF 'barrng-out the teachers at Christ
mas was prevalent but having also learned that that
senseess old custom was long since abandoned, took
into their wise young heaus that instead OF barring
out they would bar The teachers III and themselves
out by locking the door from the outside. thus, as
the pupils thought the teachers within to be pretty
well adapted each to the other and commissioning
their extreme bash1ulness, they would force upon
them the long sought opportunity to make a life
engagement before the close OF the leap yearSo near
at hand; and there the boys kept their teachers
locked up where they could not help but look at if
they did not talk to each other, while the pupils
took long play, peeping in at the windows once in
a while to see how their machine-made counting
At last an acceptable compromise was
proposed, Santa Claus, who always appears When
such fun is progressing near Christmas literally
threw his sweetness all both departments, the
teachers again took command, and the pupils soon
sobered down, to get their faces straight and their
minds in proper repose for renewed efforts at the
OF the new year. AT the time OF the visit
each department OF the school was in very fine
condition, Mr. Farrar's department under admira-
BILE discipline full of life and spirit with the highest
rightly directed aspirations, industrously at
work, while Miss JohnsOns department, embracing
the lower grades was well governed and thoroughly
IN the primary clements
MAHLOE'S SCHooL-lhe TWO school visitors. tray
ding out the new pike connecting Fnksburg
and MechanicSville and turning up the Deer Park
road arrived at Mahlon's in good time to complete
the visit before dinner. Here that veteran educate
ry of high qualifications and long experience i'll the
Mr.. John c. Nutting, has IN brief time
built up IL school of which the county may well be
proud. In a school lot embracing about three acres
covered with fine timber stands the school-house of
stone recently rebuilt and enlarged, making it
one among the best in the county. Mr.. Nuttings
pupils i'll his higher classes Will iavorably compare
with those of the same grades anywhere, and having
discarded the use Of the guardian rod his discipline
and government approximate perfection. 1nad-
verenty. perhaps, but certainly unlntentionally,
that can be given to q school, by saying
that in his long experience teacher
he had never before had control of more obedient,
more amiable, and more agreeable pupils Think
Of that, boys and girls What credit it is to you,
when a conscientious teacher, as Mr. Nutting is
known to be, can thus speak OF you.
Having repaired to the residence of Mr.. Nutting,
where during rich repast graced with the cordial
ty of the amiable Mrs. Nuttng, who was once q
highly esteemed teacher herself the visitors greatly
enjoyed themselves, while DOn eStitying his appre
,iatiOn of the attention paid to him, by frequent
playful shakes of his hind foot and friendly nps at
,yrrything near him had his strength renewed with
portion of the contents OF Mr. Nuttings corn-crib.
LOUISVILLE SCHoOL-Hooking up again and tax
ng the back track to the pike, that. to the Nico
iumus road, and down that passing a "colored"
chool at PUole'S, with which request was left to
lold the school in session until their return. the
Tistors dashed on to Louisville, where Mr.. Milton
:. Ebaugh is rapidly ma king for himself an envi-
lble reputation as teacher. Having gathered and
loted the school statistics and briefly Submit ID the
ID to depart. being satisfied that Louisville school is
IL good hands and safely progressing.
POOLE'S "COLoRED' SCHOOL.-Back again I'D the
anne road, the "CooreQ' school at PooIes was
cached III ample time to say and do all that was
bought necessary, Here, of course, little was ex-
ected; and the visitors were not much disapDoint-
d.; but the impression was made that the present
eacher is all improvement upon the previous ones
that place; and that disposition to profit from
ven the peculiar Robert" to whom the teacher
allied special attention as subject for admonition,
ng all effort
Leaving the ''coIored" pupils advised to apply
themselves diligently to the improvements of their
Kinds and hearts, while, when they can read we'll,
heir origin will suggest at least the study OF
he Geography of Africa with interest, the visitors
here another night was passed comfortably and
leaSurably.
DEER PARK scHooL.--In the morning, Mr., Herring
er bringing up the rear, proud to have Mrs Herring
V his side, wendell their way by shorter path
cross the country here and there grazing the snow
ritS to Deer Park school at Germantown. Having
riehy gone through the usual exercises of school
isting observed the methods of the teacher Mr.
quila Niece, and oife. ed few suggestions to the
,achcr and pupils some ofWhich appeared to amuse
he pleasant lady visitor, who kindly favored the
ccasion with her presence, the Examiner, tearing
imsclf away from his agreeable travelling compan-
)ns, struck out alone for Fair Mount school, passing
apidly around by Deer Park church, across by the
'avis road to Bird Hill, and down the Nicodemus
Dad to the school.
FAIR MOUNT SCHooL.-Herc we found young but
lpidly improving teacher Mr.. n. c. Harden presi-
ing with becoming dignity and industry over more
nan 30 pupils well governed and thoroughly in
tructed in elementary knowledge. The old school
ouse is decaying and, like all WORKOUT things,
assing away but the young intellects of the pupils
Il new school house can be provided for them, as
hey deserve, promise Il brilliant future The noon
our having arrived at the close of the proceedings
nd the pupils exercises thereon the Examiner and
ION were invited to neighboring residence for re-
reShment, where the former had the very great
easure to meet, unexpectedly in the person OF Mr.
.indsays charming lady former very much es-
eemed teacher, whose cordial alacrty in prepare
ions for dinner. encouraged the visitor to ask per-
lssion to suggest what would be most acceptable
nd behold! besides delicious cup of coffee or a
up of delicious coffee, which ever you please and
alatable subStantialS in abundance, the suggested
owl of milk and bread as white as SHOW was sIl- |
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