The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-05-04
EDUCATIONAL.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, JUSTLY
AUsTIN,s PRIDE.
Visit of the BOARD of Trustees and
visitors Friday,
And the Examination OF the Diff
ferent Grades and
Glasses.
DecIamatIons and Essays by the
Pupils.

Friday last the closing exercises OF the
Austin public schools, after a two-week's
thorough and rigid test, at which many
visitors and friends or the schools were
present, took place. Instructions were
given to all the teachers as TO the time
and hour Of the day, what to do and how
to conduct the examinations in each and
every grade room, and right well were
those Instructions followed. Pupils that
could not spell a word, and many that
did not know letter, when they entered
the schools, wrote, after the dictations
OF their teachers, with an ease and facili-
ty of action and with a beauty OF PEN
nanship, that would have been creditable
10 students of several years. standing. On
the morning of Friday, the
BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
consisting of Captain A. p. Woodbridge.
president; Mr.. III. G. Steele, General b.
G. Ludlow and County Judge u. Il. Full
more, taking with them Professor Smith
Ragsdale, a member of the board of uni
versIty regents, and Superintendent j. b.
VIM and STATESMAN reporter, started
upon a tour of inspection. Taking in their
route first the
CoLoRED SCHOOLS,
at the United States brick school house,
they were received there by several hun
dred pupils and their teachers. The ex-
papers of the pupils of the
several grades were exhibited and passed
under a careful review of the board of
trustees, who seemed to be well pleased
with the progress of the pupils, and COM
mended the teachers for their satisfac-
tory work. After an hour spent here,
the board went to the
PASCHAL SCHOOL HOUSE,
situated in the tenth ward, in which
there were five grade rooms. The COM
pany was received by several hundred
pupils with their teachers, and conducted
to the grade room of Miss NJ. v. Jones,
principal of the school and teacher
of the grammar grade A ana b..
This grade is one of the most interesting
in the building, composed of boys and
girls of fine intelligence and personal ap-
pearance. The board and visitors care
fully inspected their examination pa
pers and passed very favorably upon the
results OF their school work. They were
with some excellent decla-
nations by Misses Johanna Wolf, For
mey, Beaumont, Erin Miller, Atbel
Estis, Masters David McFall and John
Sweetman. The visitors taking leave of
this grade, passed to the grammer grade,
c and ID, taught by
MISS JULIA A. MCCONNELL,
one of the most earnest and efficient
teachers OF the city schools. Here the
board were received and welcomed by a
mastery little address delivered in an
earnest manner by Master Samuel Posey,
as follows:
THE ADDRESS.
For the eight months good school we
have had, L feel that 1 would like TO re-
.I-a 20 oil vhA hAl 80
make il the success IL has proved to be,
without desiring to lessen the debt l
owe; think only speak the feelings of
my schoolmates when l say that we want
the trustees, who give their time and
work without pay, the superintendent,
with his many duties, aid especially our
teacher, whose patience we have no
doubt so often tried, to know that e are
grateful for the benefit we have received;
and 1 hope we may SO use what we have
learned AS to prove to all the excellence
of the public free schools of Austin.
Then followed the kind address to the
aud board of trustees by
Miss Maud Coggeshall, a sweet little girl
(ten years. whose father died In this city
u short time since.
ADDRESS.
To the Superintendent aud the Board of Trus-
tees:
For the first time in the history of Aus
tin you are assembled here to reap the
fruits of your noble work, whose great
wants have been felt for many years, and
we, the pupils of that great institution,
which Is now so firmly established and in
the most fiourishing condition under the
splendid supervision of Prof. Winn, who,
by his kind. firm and winning ways, has
endeared himself to us all, we to-day
tender you our sincerest gratitude.
Though to you, Miss Mccormick, our
dear teacher, whose whole soul seemed
wrapped up in the pupils confided to your
trust, even we have deemed you strict at
times, now we realize what a good and
worthy teacher you ha been to us. We
shall never forget how sincerely you
strived to advance us. We bid good
by to you only for the present, hoping
that we will all meet again.
And now a last word to you, my school
mates allow me to say, let us apply our
selves more diligently than ever TO our
studies, these long four months of vaca-
ton, so that when we meet again we can
maintain our present positions in school.
Leaving this grade, the next visited
was the primary grade, and ID, taught
by
MISS FELICIA L. MILLER.
This is grade of very small children,
many of whom commenced their letters
this session. Their examination papers,
in writing, spelling, numbers, and repro
duction of object lessons, showed a pro-
gress that could not be attained under
any other system of Instruction. The
exercises hefe were enter
tanning, and alike credita5le to pupils
and teacher. The next room visited was
the primary grade, \ and B, taught by
MISS LULA NJ. LINN.
Here were heard excellent declama-
tons and recitatlons by Misses Lydia
Litman. Ida Kissael, and Master Claude
Hinton. This grade, according to
their examination papers, cannot be
surpassed by any in the city.
Passing thence to the primary grade
room, Q and ID, OF
MISS NJ. L. SLOSS,
the board was received also by the prl-
mary grades A, b, G and ID, of Miss Cora
Arthur and Miss Adina de Zavalla, which
had there assembled, with many visitors.
Here, at the blackboard, stood two emil
nent artists OF Miss sloss's grade, with
crayons in hand, sketching scenes and
figures. The one was Master Walter
Lane, eight years, and the other Miss
Adele Brunei, about nine years. Miss
Sloss exhibited to the visitors the exam
ination papers of the grade in writing,
spellings and numbers, from dictation and
in the reproduction of OBJ
ject lessons. The visitors were fncredu-
loas when they saw the accurate spell
ing, the elegant penmanship of pupils
that eight months ago did not know their
letters and to add to the Won
der was little German girl about
eight years (whose name is not re-
that in November last
entered the school and at the time could
not speak q word of English, completely
knowledge of the alphabet.
Now she reads English well, and writes
readily and neatly from dictation.
they saw of the school work here, passed
to the
GRADED SCHOOL BUILDING,
west of the Avenue. Here is the largest
school building In the city, and said to
be the finest in the state. In this build
ing are the grade rooms of nine teachers,
including the teacher of German. Here
Is the high school department for boys
and girls, under the instruction of Prof.
@. A. Burchard and Miss Aurelia Brown.
The high school pupils were just in the
midst of their exercises, and received
their visitors an mediGs res, and treated
them to readings and declamations. by
the following:
Observation-Disclosures Frank Raymond,
Waverly Smith and Claude Stuart.
Original Essays-Misses Mary Raymond
and Emma Grant.
Dialogue-Misses Norton and Andrews.
Tableau-"Beside the Bars"
The visitors were next introduced into
the grammar grade, A and b, taught by
MISS ocTAvIA CLIFTON.
Here were assembled also the pupils Of
Miss Fannie Pfaeffiin. These are two of
the most excellent and progressive gram
mar grades of the city schools. taught by
teachers inferior in professional ability
to none. Passing thence to the grammar
grades c and d, taught by
MES. T. KILLER AND MRS. NJ. II. SMITH.