The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-07-29

fectly! She told them dainty little anecdotes OF
city life, most artfully intermingled with practi-
cal information. Matters went on till the sixth
day, and then she began to systematic her
school, and also her course OF instruction.
She began with geography Their attention
was first called TO ali the forms which the stones
and stumps of trees made in a sluggish stream,
with which they were all familiar. She did not
say such a stone represented continent, or
such q stump an island, but she dealt entirely
with the concrete She aroused the children's
interest to notice these forms
map OF Florida was shown them, the out
line raced On the impromptu board, Tallahassee
rightly placed, and then she said pointing to
the last: This means the town, children now.
can any one tell me what the whole picture is p
Only four could guess, and yet there were boys
and girls from to Is years old present She
led them to say, The State of Florida" and by
means Of q piece of honeycomb, showed that
States connection with the rest OF the Union,
each cell representing state. and the whole the
Union. From this one subject she has taught
the spelling of many words used in converse
ton with them, reading Of statements made,
general geography OF United States, elements OF
arithmetic from the number Of states These
have all been shown to older pupils, and. gradu-
ally reaching younger ones, she has begun read
ing by the word method and has proceeded with
few phonic elements
She reads 70 them all 20 minutes each day
some interesting story, with historical or geo
graphical references in it, and altogether she
has awakened a most surprising thirst for in
formation among as utterly ignorant a crowd Of
children as could be found within the same
area.
The day was gala day for them. The
teacher told them interesting facts about the sur
face of the New England States, and the occu-
patons Of the people. Included in the lesson
Landing of Pilgrims, 1920, they already knew
the settlement Of st. Augustine, 1855, and James
town 16O7,) description of Plymouth rock, Bos-
ton harbor. Bunker Hill, for Massachusetts,
shipbuilding and fisheries, for Maine; granite
quarries and Mt Washington, for New Hamp-
shire Green Mountains and Ethan Allan's cap
ture OF Ticonderoga for Vermont; the fashionable
watering place of Newport, the tiny State with
two Capitals, and carriage making, for Rhode
Island beauty of the Connecticut river and Yale
College, for Connecticut
1t was beautiful sight to watch their rapt, at
tentive faces, and then doubly pleasant 10 hear
their intelligent questions and comments. They
are fast losing their old, half negro dialect, and
unconsciously beginning to copy the language of
their teacher. have been installed assistant.
and thoroughly enjoy my position. l must re-
turn to the town in short time, but shall spend
all my spare time out here The school has in
creased to 11S, and, fortunately, many of the
planters have become interested, and are for
warding books, States pencils, maps and other
school room requisites, and, better still have
promised the teacher $50 month and board
while she stays. l fervently hope that the
awaken lg of the people TO the extreme igno-
rance of the children will arouse the landowners
to incorporate regular school fund. Now, do
you think that many of this ladys ideas might
be utilized in the Northern class-rooms The
children hear Of noted places, and am sure they
will enjoy locating them on the map, and will
gladly listen to historical or geographical facts
concerning these places. Why, New York State
alone is nexhausiible! l think supplementary
geography or history equally as good as supple
mentary reading and am positive should enjoy
it il were l child