Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-02-24
Nothing but Leaves.
Composition read by Miss Beulah Joiner at the
City High School)

Composition read by Miss Beulah Joiner at the
City High SCHOOL,
Some eighteen and half hun.
dred years ago, there was one who
saw a beautiful fig tree, and hungry
he went to the tree, but found nothing
but leaves on it. He said let no fruit
grow on thee hence-forward forever. :
And presently the tree withered
away. There was nothing but leaves
where there should have been fruit
A man plants an orchard, and
sits with folded hands waiting fol
the fruit. He thinks his duty Is
done, and now does not prune his
trees or care for them The years
pass by and at the proper time he
visits the orchard, and instead Of the
fruit he expects, he finds nothing
but leaves. Why?
Another man plants an orchard
and being DESTROYS to have his trees
flourish works at them constantly.
plowlng, hoeing and enriching the
ground. They grow rapidly, branch
ing out in all directions. He in
season visits his orchard, only to
find a mass of leaves. Why?
A third man plants an orchard,
and with great care selects the best
spot on his farm, carefully and thor
oughly prepares the ground, and
plants the trees. He keeps the
weeds away and is careful not to dis
turb the soil too much, and when
the branches get too thick, takes his
knife and removes most of them
leaving the trees quite bare. When
the time comes he goes to the or.
chard and is beautifully rewarded
with beautiful plump fruit. Why I!
a lady engages to teach a school
She walks in with an indifferent
look on her face, and calls school
takes the names and gives out les
sons When she calls the recita
tons she asks questions from the
book, and if not properly answered
sends the pupils to their seats t.
learn them. This she continues
during the term, and at the close
wonders why more has not been &C
complished She finds nothing but
leaves. Why?
Another lady takes school, and
works with all her might. She Is
anxious to have her pupils advance
50 she gives long lessons and bur.
ries them through the books. Al
the end of the term she looks fol-
her fruit, and finds only leaves
Why?
A third lady engages to teach q
school, and with pleasant smile en-
tiers the room. She finds just where
each scholar belongs. and classities
them accordingly. She gives short
lessons, but requires them to be
thoroughly learned before proceed.
ing. If any are ahead of their real
position, have become too flourish.
ing, she kindly, but thoroughly
prunes them. At the end of the
term though there are leaves, there
is also fruit. Why?
Was not that man who planted
his orchard doing all of his duty ?
Was no: the teacher who heard the
lessons doing all of her duty? NJ
think not. They did not sacrifice
themselves for their orchards. They
simply put the trees in the un-
prepared ground, and waited for
them to grow.
lii III. second case the ground was
made too rich, and the trees grew
too fast, aud were allowed to waste
their strength upon leaves and
branches, instead Of fruit.
The third man and teacher,
worked no harder than the second,
but they did not fear to prime the
trees for they knew it was for the
best. ALL that was the secret ol
their success.
How many times we high school
students leave our compositions till
the last Monday night, and even
Tuesday afternoon, and then take a
pen and hastily write a few lines
about anything that enters our
heads.
Our teachers search them to find