The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-01-07
THE SCHOOL BOYS CONVENTION.
sUPERINTENDENTs' SECTION.
Correspondence The School BcN.

Correspondence The School Bcll.
Dear Old School Bell: It has been
long time since we had our School Boys
Institute, and / promised to give you an
account of our "Superintepdents Meet
ing" 1t took good while to get the
boys together, for there wss circus in
town and the boys couldn't hardly tell
which would be the funniest, circus or
a Superintendent Section" The circus
had to "cave" though, aud the "Superin-
tendents Section" was crowded. 1t took
long time to organize, for everyone
wanted to be president, and all the men
wanted some real nice lady to be secrc.
tary so as to have the long speeches all
written out, and man does hate to
write. Tom Squiers finally got it be-
cause he run school journal full of
heavy articles and promised everybody
lots of taay in the weakly" After
calling the meeting to order and telling
the boys they needn't eat cloves just be-
cause the cold fellows did when the
"big association" met, the president
called the first speaker.
Jimmie Henry, dressed in full Super
intendent's uniform of long tailed, black
frock coat, white vest and tie, black
pants, and low cut shoes, and with white
socks turned down over the heels, rose
and moving over where the reporters
could get it all down, began to get in his
work on "What / know about the Un.
movable" Jimmie took different
vIe% of the subject from what we boys
expected. 'The Unknowable" he spoke
Of was his Superintendent, and be called
him that because he had never known
him: The 5upt. couldn't see an ordina-
ry boy without telescope, and to the
boys he became the "Unknowable." !"
Jimmie argued that Superintendents
used too much fine spun theory and not
enough good horse sense. He claimed
that they should "come off" their pedes-
tails and be little less the picturesque
statue and more of a boy, little less Of
"from the known to the unknown, and a
little moro play with the pupils; little
less bugology and more practice in find.
ing the cost of beefsteak and bread a
few hundred doses less of memory gems
and great deal more work in practical
letter aud composition writing.
Oh, but Jimmie did wade in and give
it to 'em. He sarcastically asked 'em il
they took any papers for the boys and
girls. Whether one solitary paper filled
with pondrous articles would do "us''
any good? And closed by asking them
if they did not think boys and girls
ought to have a real nice illustrated
paper like The School Bell. A paper
that would influence its readers by its
beautiful pictures as we'll as by its care
fully selected reading matter; and one
whose artistic beauty gives it right
above all others TO be "The Supplement
tary Reading" to the elegant readers OF
the present day. Tremendous applause.
DISCUSSION.
Bill Shank rose to discuss the paper, a
copy of which he had had for six mos.
Bill said he couldn't agree with his dis.
tinguished friend on the opposite side.
For, says Bill, "We boys all know that
we have more .un, and don't have to
study when the "Unknowable" don't
know u.s." What boy could smoke at
recess if the "Unknowable" was on the
play ground? Are we to be slaves ?
Can't we play ''hookey" without being
known? Are our rights to be thus bust.
ed? We don't want to write compost
tions and letters, and as for being able 10
calculate the cost of q cord of wood, it
makes my back ache to think of it.
AS for The School Bell, what do we
want of it? The old readers are the
best. We learn 'em "by heart;" stand
on one leg, lean against the desk and
just sing 'em off, without botheripg about
the meaning, and the composition out
lines" in the paper make me sick. No,
boys, give me the old "Unkuowablc, F."
bugs, gems and all. Further discussion
was given up, as book agent invited all
the boys cut to take drink of ice water
and cigar, and after giving out "sub'
jects" for our next meeting the conven-
ton adjourned. The following subjects
were announced for discussion at the
next meeting. All the boys promising
to be on hand early:
1.-What is the best way of defeating
an "Unknowable"?
Are the pupils never to have beau.
tiful newspapers "like older people,
simply because the "teacher(?)" gets a
trash premium or commission for intro
ducing c::eap affair filled with adver-
tisements?
9.-Have pupils any rights that teach
ers are bound to respect?
4.-If ten dollars will supply school
of forty pupils with The School Bell for
one year, could not firc teacher easily
raise the money, if a: all inclined?
5.-Can school desks be so made that
they will get easier to sit in about 4 p. M. :?
6.-Should recess be abolished?
7.-Shall we lend our aid in favor of
granting pensions to all faithful teachers
after twenty years service?
We hope, Mr.. Editor, that you will
stand by the pupils in these questions.
We have no paper to fight for us, and
when one does start up on our side the
Superintendent never shows us a copy
no. asks us to subscribe. Wo need a
little help, for VIC pupils are not as bad
nor as dumb as we are painted. We
would study better and act better if
teachers would only remember that they