Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-07
AMONG The CHERUBS.
The Approaching Vacation and
the Way it Will be Spent by
Scholar and Teacher.
Rambling Reflections Euggest-
ed by a Flying Visit to Some
Of Omahe's Schools.

In less than one month the schol.
astic year In all our educational insti-
tutions will have come to q close. It
will be attended with the usual pack,
Ing of books, exchanging Of souvenirs,
closing OF rooms and parting of
friends. Tho "gay school boy" who
cares considerably about the morrow,
and his little stster who rather emu
lates him in that respect, will hurry
home to torment their doting parents
and give their teachers q rest. And
the gentle % teacher, If she has saved
enough after her Innocent dissipation
In trifles which adorn and beautify,
will take her rest, by working harder
than ever In climbing hills, or rowing
boats, or broiliug under this sun, and
laboring generally to convince herself
that che is having a fright nice and
very..pleasant time"
Teschers, of all professions, are
most addicted to this species of recre.
alton. 1t is so delightful, in after
session days, to recount 1t to the
friend or friends who were not so
''placed" as to have been able to en-
Joy themselves.
Even though the recounting be in
spired by that secret satisfaction
which makes us all feel better than
our neighbor, let 1t be hoped the lady
may have enjoyed herself as she re-
presents, because those who know the
nature and exactions of her occupa.
ton, will oheerfully admit that she
heartily deserved 1t.
A flying visit was made to some of
our educational institutions o few days
since. An officer of the board of edu-
cation accompanied the reporter. 1t
was an unexpected Wait, and caused
the latter to feel, as a consequence,
despite tho ASSURANCE of his conductor
to the contrary, that 1t was one of In
trusion.
1t seemed TO be generally under
stood, that v~isltors, under certain cir.
c~umstances, are welcome In the
schools. The teacher generally strives
to make the call as pleasant to the
caller us 1t may bs within her power
to do, and to desire him In retiring to
carry with him q high estimate of her
ability as an instructress and of the
attsinments of her scholar.
In some of the class-rooms visited,
q stay of but o moment was INDUCED.
In others seats were taken and time
sufi Client was spent to observe not
only the method of the teacher but
also the SUCCESS with which 1t was at
tended In the imparting OF informa.
tiop. A moro than cursory view was
taken of the component elements
which entered into the composition
OF the several classes. The
children, of course, In the main,
were of American birth, though In
many instances with countenances 80
strongly marked as ct once to Identify
them, as the case may have been, with
Irish, German or Swedish ancestry.
There were colored faces, which, of
course, left no doubt al to their origin,
and upon which NJ uncomfortable :n-
telligence was distinguishab!e. Wher.
ever the reporter went these swarthy
features besmed, their owners little
thinking, perhaps, of the awful wealth
of blood that was p .ured out to achieve
for them, among other things, the
privileges they were so in~nocently en-
joying.
The school of the backwoods and
the public school'of early years have
largely passed away. The Titanic sys.
tenn of instruction by which the luck.
less student wss crammed with the
|, information which he was incapable of
approaching, because the instructor
lacked the insight to his nature to
make him not only appreciate but seek
for 1t, has, In "a manner, been con.
signed to oblivion with them. In Its
stead have come, on the part of the
teacher, u knowledge of the student
and a study of the mean 10 make
pslatable to him the mental food nee.
essary for his intellectual well being.
OF these facts the reporter was an
interested observer In many of the
~c!asses. The teachers, IN multiform
and interesting wEys, had found the
colors and flavors which attracted the
senses ef their scholars. As r conse.
quenoe, 1t was amusing TO see with
t what gusto the little ones responded
to the seductive appeals, and, unknown
to themselves, yet most heartily, swal.
lowed the sugar coated pill, or broke
+ the cake OF sugar bread which, the
, while, contained a germ OF knowledge
( that under other forms would have
{ been avoided.
There 10 a yrsat deal said about the
r bad boy In the class room, He Is q
: never ending source of annoyance to
the teacher. The reporter looked for
him, and a diligent search Of certain.
= faces failed to find him, where expert
ence suggested he lay In Disguise
+. But the bad boy was not found. II
may have been because of The wanting
skill Of the inspector, but certainly the
- - AL-A .-.twu -