Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1889-02-16
EDUCATIONAL MATTERS.
Observations In Four Rural Shoots and
"A bay IN the Normal Department Ct
the College.

"A bay In the Normal Department sf
h College.
Yankton, Feb. 16-To the Press g.
Dakotsiap: Thursday morning; Feb
7th, your correspondent took o seat in
Superintendent Hills double rig and
from MIR. Frank Horder s. We were soon
landed at the school house near MIR. Jos.
Violin, district M. 80. We entered the
school, found Miss Nellie e. King from
Yankton in charge OF the school. Miss
King l believe was formerly q member
of Yankton college. Since last in the
school house it had been thoroughly
oyerhauled ctiled in it's walls, and over
head end supplied by substantial and
ample black board surface. Change had
been made in the general arrangement OF
the room adding greatly to convenience
and appearance. The dsy of our visit the
attendance was small, less than usual, yet
Ihe exhibit OF the several classes showed
decided improvements and the general
appearance OF the pupils showed q com
%mendabie desire to avail themselves OF
the opportunities offered. Some of the
pupils on roll we're members OF Yankton
college last term. Miss Van Osdel one
OF the recent college pupils we found
hard a. work in the latter part OF the
advanced arithmetic.
Miss King appeared at home ia these
different problems. We spent q very
pleasant and 1 trust a profitable fore
noon In Miss Kings school
and then after dinner at our
friend, MIR, j. Yolins. we were driven
to the school house in district number
seven, taught by Miss Alice l.. Irving,
from Gayville. This s,hool Is ten miles
northeast from Yankton. Oar reception
by the lady teacher was very cordial.
The instruction was decidedly first GLASS !.
This school lie small, yet the entire pupils
OF the district, with one exception, were
ell In their places in the school. This
school is doing good work.
Monday morning we were promptly
at the boarding house of the superin-
tenient-the Commercial house-and
found tbs superintendent true to his
notices we find IN all the school houses
-"never be late" Dne and o quarter
hours in q singing cold ride we were
safely landed at the school house in
Utica, district number fourteen, John III.
Ooacher, teacher. Mr.. Coacher has been
q member Of our college. Oar early
+ appearance was by surprise, for the
school had hardly been called. a warm
fire and wraps removed We sooa had a
hearing ear and seeing eye for gather
, ing in the substantial aud ever abiding
messages coming from the school room.
! A half hour after the school was called
six children entered the room, Super
, %intendent Hills, seeing the tardy pupils,
was soon on his feet aud with crayon in
l hand was at the blackboard writing
s.L.cst, By FIVE boys and enc gil, thirty
golden moments which could not be
, found" This notice WAS but q
notice OF warning TO others that they
might guard the precious moments with
care, improving each moment as it is
passing.
Oae Of the most attractive exercises OF
the @ fning hour was q class OF Bohemian
children about eight or ten years of age
who could not speak English. First the
teacher told one, pointing to O pictured
sheet. in which WAS a man, q toy, o dog
and q pup, pointing to the man he said
"Is is d man, then TO the dog, SIT is q
dog, it is a boy, it is o pup" Then Mr.
Hills took q bell saying; 'It is q bell, ,
! the class all repeating one by one, then
q cup, 'it is a cup" Then he took q
broom. saying: at is o broom" The
object lessons were received by these
little Bohemians with the greatest in.
terest and went home wiser at night
than they came in the morning. II they
did not certainly he who now writes
these facts went away wiser. The great
blessing coming through our school
system is to fuse and then run into q
tmoli a character L conformity with oui
free institutions. The teacher made
J grateful mention OF our visit to his
y school and the pupils manifested the
came grateful recognition OF our visit
Being ct one OF the we'll to do farmers in
the neighborhood M. Jas. Rankin we
= we're soon at the school house OF district
No. 10. Here we had o very pleasant
reception from the teacher, Miss Minnie
L. Henderson, of Ysnkton and a former
t graduate of our high school. We were
: not long in the room before we saw the
F., importing power which went forth, this
. teacher giving inspiration to all her
pupils. She was . born teacher, she
9 knew her power and how to 1ss ID for
edification aud not for destruction. No
g one could be in her school without
= drinking into her spirit. / found nc
laggards in her school room. Our earn
est and working superintendent showed
his familiarity with school work, the
n teacher and pupils were glad at hi
p presence, No pupil was passed By
him. He had a word of encouragement
q for each aud all.
oil The next morning, Tuesday 18th, W,
resolved to look into the normal classe,
q in the college to see what kind of drill.
!, ing our future teachers were receiving
before they enter this important ant
inviting field. Certainly we cannot vel