Daily Yellowstone journal., 1888-06-16

mechanics. During the past year the
same classes have studied physiology
in the same manner. Here We saw
the latest and best charts for teaching
the important subject OF physiology
and the work Of the pupils shows that
they have studied II practically, These
classes have in the line OF science also
made study of elementary botany
and we we're pleased to note that they
had analyzed . dozen or more Of the
ordinary wild plants TO be found grow
Ing in this region. Such school work
as this makes the pupil acquainted
with the objects which he sees around
him every day and which he must
meet in the actual work of life. IL
makes them Students of nature aud
capable of spprecisting those natural
influences and forces which enable
man to subdue the earrh and gain his
subsistence from ii.
From the science, we turned 10 the
language work and here we found two
classes in English grammar and CON-
position. We saw that they had
made careful study of the parts Of
speech and especially of those difficult
ones, the intiritlve participle, and
relative pronoun, but this study Of the
relations of words, valuable ss ii IL As
a means OF mental training. was sup
plemented by drilling the pupils in
the actual use Of good English. For
this purpose We saw that both the
grammar Glasses have been a series OF
carefully graded lessons in compost
tion. These graded language tablets
seems TO use an admirable means Of
teaching pupils to express their own
thoughts in good English. During
the past year the advanced class has
studied Latin, completing Harkness'
First Latin Book and beginning TO
read Ceasar. They have made thor.
ough study Of the introductory, learn
ing to translate both Latin into Eng
lish aud English into Latin. For
their final review, we saw that the
pupils had written trauslations of two
chapters Of Caesar. In mathematics
the pupils have studied arithmetic and
algebra. In the former we noticed
that the useful subjects of percentage
and interest were thoroughly taught,
so that the pupils will be able to per.
form readily the calculations of ordi.
nary business transactions. The alge-
bra class have not done as many alge'
bra classes are prone to do, make be-
ginning and then stop. but We saw by
the written lessons displayed by the
pupils that they have mastered the
elementary principles and also the
most difficult problems and subjects of
the science. We feel sure that the
eighth grade pupils know the uses of
the mysterious "X" and the value of
the useful "O' as they are used in alge-
bra, as well as the Hindoo formula and
the higher powers of quadratics.
Algebra has been for centuriesa means
of mental training, but algebra poorly
taught is a method of dulhng the rea.
soning powers of pupils. This class
have enjoyed their algebra because
they have mastered it.
As interesting to the casual visitor
as any of the instruction in the high
school department is the reading
taught by the Use Of Irving's sketch
book, supplemented by selections from
the Youths Companion and Harper's
Young People. This work instills into
the pupils n love Of good literature and
by exercise in reproducing stories and
short selections improves the languag,
Of the pupils. But perhaps that which
most delighted us was the bookkeeping
and photography, or shorthand as 1
is commonly called. 1t is the universe
testimony Of pupils that bookkeeping
Is the most fascinating of all TIN
studies of school days. For the pas
ten months these classes have beeI
mastering the various applications o
both double and single entry to tn
different kinds of actual business
They have used the Rochester Busi
ness College text book, one Of the lat
est aud beXt books on the science o
bookkeeping and the classes have pro
duced journals and ledgers which
show that they are able to keep books
In connection with the bookkeeping
these classes have for ten months
studied short hand. We were shown
a specimen Of the work Of one Of the
pupils ana assured that the many
crooked characters which the student
had def y inscribed thereon were the
familiar lines Of the Declaration of In
dependence.
As we turned away from the school
rooms Of the public school buildings
we thought that the superintendent
aud his assistant teachers have labOred
faithfully for the advancement anl
right education of their pupils aud il
the work of the pupils |. evidence tha