The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-02-07

The examination of the different
grades of the public school has been GO
ing on during the week, Yesterday the
HERALD reporter took chair in the
room and sat for couple of hours lis
tening to and witnessing the examina-
ton of the little folks in reading, arith-
metlc and measurably in composition.
During the proceedings some three pu-
plls appeared much too tardy for partici
patton in the examination. Two of them
were allowed to come in and participate,
but the other was full halt-hour too
late, and was excluded. The grades be-
fore the superintendent yesterday was
the third and the fourth-had been al
ready examined. The children appeared
very uniform in size, and the teachers
seemed in perfect control of their pupils.
The blackboard was used for the gen
eral questions and examples, and all
took their text thereirom.
1t would be impossible to state the
relative improvement of the pupils be-
tween this and last year, but il can be
said truthfully that there was greater
requirement for their attention and at
tendance. The entirely new system of
Prof. Boles must have time TO prove its
efficacy, and whether the children OF
Dallas can be brought up to his stan
dard, is an unsolved problem. Yet ii
must be said that his whole heart and
soul seems to be in his work, and ii his
first year should prove to be even meas
urably successful much more might be
expected to follow. The principal OBJ
| lection to the new superintendent
plan of teaching is; First-A seeming
desire not to discover what the children
know, hut to put the questions in such
a COMMUNICABLE style as to prevent
them telling what they do know. Sec
ondly-That he is attempting to engraft
upon aschool community in Texas a
system whiCh does not suit the
genius of the people or the needs
and characters OF the children.
The first objection is serious, II true,
and should be immediately considered
! by the school board. We don't want
any nonsense in tho education of chill
dren, and the object Of an examination
is not TO find out what mode the ingen-
uity of a superintendent can invent to
| show oil what he knows, or how badly
the children have hitherto been taught,
| but to probe tie depths of their knOwl-
edge and display their progress and dis
cipline. III child is examined in
geography, he should be SO questioned
as to bring out, by the very easiest and
mOsJ suggestive questions, all he knows
on the subject. So peculiarly about
arithmetic and history, and it is neither
encouraging to pupil, nor pleasant to
parent, TO see their children fail TO
answer questions as to matters, about
which, they know them to be well in
formed, simply because the questions
are mystically propounded
AS TO the new. system, by all means
let 1t be tested, the reporter heard it
said, but do not allow seeming failure
to discourage those who see in II great
virtue. The professor is deeply earn
est man, and with proper regard for the
new conditions under which he regu-
lates our schools, may prove success.
Just ut present it looks doubtful. To-
day the little ones appeared well, and
the teachers, all lady teachers, were ev-
identity fully prepared for their part Of
the work. The examinations will con-
time next week, and the results will
be duly given, with the assistance of
Prof. Boles, who has promised to give
data, from which much more satisiac.
tory article can be written than tho one
now given the readers of the HERALD;
then the better view of the school status
can be obtained.