New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-05-19
NOTES ON EDUCATION.


The schools of British Columbia had an averaso
saily attendance last year of 1,2o3' LNPcn"i'
Tor the year amounted TO SlHVOo'
Tho Christian Church the sect to which TICS
sdert fairfield beloncs-is about TO establish at pCS
t;nos ob institution for the education OF po'h
3xes TO be called Drake UmVersi'y'
II misunderstood that President Bartlett OF Dar'-
~ IN send in his resignation TO the trustees
iext month. The feeling against him in TIE college
And among the alumni, Is reported 20 DC s'Io"s'
Calcutta University is a remarkably pro porous
md useful institution Last year ont oil Z'|'o oa"'
iates for admission $50 passed. sx "",c onssf,
The entrance examination and four were su'c'SSiu
Ten women are pursuing regular course "i lou,
- - +ho Harvard Annex. The ancient
languages and mathematics are INC
,onnlor branches with the female SUI
80 Tho Greek class has eighteen members
,he Latin class fifteen, and the class IN ma """i''
Ton Good progress is made, and the Stunrn's ar c
ali i'm excellent health, which apparent lN!t;vs
,na Of the affections to the scheme. The re'latira
IRE held in private houses in Camhnu-e lnc
tonrSes will continue another ye1r at lelS' aS 'T,.
tributions amounting to SI''OOo ha''
&lvcd
The nouulation of Maine during the last u'c."'
asinereascd % O3O but the school popnla'lo" has
decreased in the same time LOGS. There were '"<
,rr,,,er forms of district schools last year III W"h
I, overapc attendance ranged from two 10 Ten
oupils The State Superintendent declares 'hat h","
ING but the entire abolition of the old oatw"rh disc'
system and the substitution of the townSiP &
will remedy the trouble. ihlttA-mno OH 10 rrr
cent OF the children Of the state ar fp' ~ In
srhools Few over the age OF eighteen ks ont -
them In many country districts the chiI'r',n ' n
CIV the poor schools provided Tor theh anu is''
schools are much needed
The Hebrews of Washington have requested me
srhool Trustees of the District TO give pnc S'h"o.
boldavs for National sanitary, social or Mtctc'ua'
reasons and not account oi rchgi"' OF IT'S VIZ
tervancc They say that no days, celebrated DS
INV sect be il Christian or Jewish. ought to be
recognized by the school board" and r'icr Win
feeling TO the recent rule made by the Board 'NA'
"cbildrcn Christians. who desire to stay at home on
Good Friday and Faster Monday shall not DE
,onu,cd absent" They ask that il on DAY Kept
sacred in the family To which the scholar "i"hs',
the pupil is absent let him or her nc mLIh' ,,
ms for any other cause, thus avoiding. even ny w
plcation the recognition Of any class as IlNuIuI'
thus the chlld absent on Good Friday IS lnrh"i ~
trnt: the ch ld absent on the Day Hi A'"n'li,u. -
tn an equal footing: dlcrcn rule Is dDuSi' I'M
tustifahe and un-Amerlcan.
The stupid ahsirdites of which public school
teachers may he guilty illustrated Icy story re-
Gently related by one Of the members oi the
school committee of Springfield, Mass. lh'r'
WAS teacher" he said, "whO got INTO
what call q sepulohral nut. tire chill
dren never being allowed to smile. One gay
n visitor entered the school and noticed the pc
tnliarly solemn air of tn children and began tax
ing TO them IN a rath r merry way which started
pleasant smile all around. suddenly While the
,sitor WAS talking III, faces of the children became
t,ber again. and CHANGING behind him. tlc visitor
taw the teacher with a stern expression 81 connie
nance. making motion with her hand Ito ch"k th'
smiles Of the little , %n[I ms Hs gTH H.o 10
the selection of thoSr who tcach the oW
mary departments. II e folly 70 rl' a n"' =
If little creatures. whose int ili"n'c a. a''ihlI"
tr, lust awakening under the instuo ton cl ouHe
thoughtcss and inexperienced teacher YET uh' j
done every day. The first wears 81 ''4dN are N,TE
Important ones, and only woman I'll hT'oi ana
large nature of tact and thoroughn, -, sl)dld DC
Suffered To direct thcia
II. p Harrington, of New Bedford writes to Tic
Boston Advertiser strong and manly letter concern
ing the mistake made by the Massachusetts, school
authorities in receiving with contemptuous incf-
ference the report of the Norfolk County cNamina-
lions. These examinations we're sngularly practi-
cal and simple and showed that the children OF tins
rich region of Massachusetts, who were committing
TO memory day after day, rules, definitions
technical terms and isolated facts, were incapable
upon sudden demand OF writing plain competition
Ar short letter or Of making Of their arithmctI-
cal rules Instead of frankly confeSsing the mis-
takes of the old hidcbound system and going to
work to upr0ot IT, the school authorities have
calmly disregarded Mr. WaltOns remaTk able report
MIR Harrngton's statement of the condition OF thc
tchOols is applicable tn other States man
Massachusetts at has long been known, he
saws, "by eve rysharp->ightcd observer, III what
leep ruts of traditional routing large per cent OF
rural schools and not a few Of u more (rcichiIon'
tlass have been prosecuting. undistrbed for many
sears their nonOtonous, un1ruitful work; wretch
tily supervised as wrctchely taught: comprising
worthless aims through vicious methods; lie
rnrious incrtness with which public authorities,
while Boosting of the common schools, suffer them
10 drag along in exploded routine Is not peculiar
to MaSSa chusctts.