Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-05-02
EDUCATIONAL,
c. ID. BELDEN, EDITOR.

Horace R. Wells, of Lansing, com.
menced the summer term in Dexter vii.
lagc last week.
The schools at Ramsey and Lansing
village were visited last week. Miss
Wheeler is teaching her first term at Ram
sey. At Lansing Geo. E. Vaughan and
Mabel Vaughan are the teachers.
Last Saturday was Arbor Day and we
hope our teachers in all parts of the coun.
ty made an effort to observe it appropri-
ately. 1t will not be too late to plant
trees next Saturday on school grounds
that are still unimproved.
The school house in District 81 Mar
shall, has been removed to Elkton. A
petition is now before the commissioners
to divide the district and new school
house will probably be built in the west
part.
Supt. Belden visited the Lyle village
schools last Thursday. There are lust
81 pupils enrolled IN the primary depart
ment and they are kept busy and inter
ested The attendance in the grammar
department is small
The current impression that the salary
of the Superintendent of Schools in this
county is fixed by the number of districts
were formed every year, the salary would
remain the same, under our special law.
The organization of new districts means
more work and no larger salary for the
superintendent. The only purpose he
has in advising changes in the present
district limits, is to secure convenient
school privileges for the greatest possible
number of children.
Tho T,omon oo~~oo
ton with the State Teachers Institute
was very interesting. We give the pro-
gram: Music. Star of the Silent Night !"
quartette; Biographical sketch of Mr..
Lowell" Prof McCleary; 1.-The Singing
Leaves" Miss Anna W. Stout; 'On the
capture of fugitive Slaye near Wash
ington," Mr.. A. Tibbitts; duet. Misses
Sherwood and Howe; THE Courtin',"
Miss May Willard; Ambrose" Prof.
Niles; The first snow fall" Miss NJ A.
Tilton; solo, Ave Maria," Miss Della
Anderson; quotations from Lowell; The
Heritage" Miss Winnie Ober; music,
America.
Children are almost ceaselessy &C tive
They must be. 1t is their nature From
morning waking to evening sleeping
Their minds are busy and their limbs are
in motion. 1t is Gods way of develop
ing mind and muscle. AS the budding
powers of mind and body grow, there is
natural craving for activity. 1t is just
as natural and lrrepresible as the desire
for food. We wonder sometimes that this
constant activity does not tire out the
little brain and body But pleasant work
is easy work, and frequent change gives
rest. No child could do the half of what
it does. were it not for the pleasure it
feels in the exercise of mind and muscle,
and the variety of its work and play.
The wise teacher will work in accord
ance with these three laws of child ma
ture: The law Of necessity for constant
activity; the law of necessity for enjoy
ment in work; the law of necessity fol
variety and frequent change. Hence the
successful teacher finds it necessary to
plan variety of what we call, busy work
to occupy the time of the smaller children
that would otherwise be spent in mischief
or in most terribly tiresome and soul.
dwarfng ldleness. The direct object OF
such work is to prevent mischief, by keep
ing the children so busy and so happy
that they will have neither time nor in
clination for mischief, and to give them
an added interest in their school and
school work. The direct object, as in al
primary work, is to teach the children tc
see, to think, and to express thought
Each exercise should aid the lesson of tht
day in reading, in spelling, in numbers
or In language.