Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-10-04
NEW ENGLAND LETTER.
WEsrFlELD, Mass, Sept. 81, lSt

DEAR News: AS The most of my
Lille has been speut in school
work it would be natural for ME to
look into some of the New England
schools. Last Monday morning the
superintendent invited me TO ride with
him into the country and visit schools.
We spent the day in riding and visit
ing three schools. Massachusetts has
adopted the township system, and the
superintendent of the town schools has
also the supervision of the country
schools in his township. There are
many advantages gained by this sys-
tenn.
One striking feature I noticed was
that music was as much study as
language or any other branch. All
the high school students in the rural
districts attend the town high schools.
Tuesday l spent in the ''School Of
Observation" or the "Model School"as
it is called. This is opposite The state
normal where her students make OBJ
servations and class criticisms on act
ual school work in all the grades.
Wednesday morning, my niece, a
sister of Miss Clara Noble. took me in
carriage over one Of the most roman
tic roads that can be found in Massa-
chusetts. The last four miles were
through forest filled with beautiful
cascades which opened into small
but highly cultivated valley. This is
surrounded and formed by five hills
ranging froN five to eight hundred
feet high. Near the center of the val
ley was large, white farm house. In
front OH both sides of the road, are
long rows of sugar maple trees which
must be about seventy-five years old.
These trees were putting OIL their rich
autumn colors. AS we drove into the
yard what smiling face should greet
us but one well known and loved by
former students of Baxter Springs.
The pupils that used to gather six
years ago in the room now occupied
by my honored and esteemed friend,
Miss Ada Danglade, will never forget
the highly cultured and broad minded
teacher known as Miss Emma Pierce.
It was the same only changed in
name, that came ont and gave us
hearty welcome. Her name is now
Mrs. Marshall Stowe, a name that is
known ana highly honored through
those, delightful regions. The great
grandfather of the present male Occu-
pant formed settlement there before
the revolutionary war. He was low
or of historic relics and preserved
many of that period. The son aud
grandson have had high appreciation
Of those precious symbols of former
civilization and in room in that farm
mansion under lock and key are pre-
served many objects which to-day are
of much interest to every beholder but
which will increase in interest as the
generations succeed each other. Then
outside, across the street, is school
house that was built more than hun
dred years ago. 1t has not been used
for the last fifty years, but it is well
preserved. There are the broad planks
around the walls where the Older pu-
pills turned to write, and while they
studied aud reCiled used The front edge
as q rest for their hacks. There are
the same seats used by hoys and girls
who attended school before the pres
emt century. They arc not much like
modern seats. After dinner that a
king would enjoy, we all took walk
TO the summit of one Of those hills
where we could take in three town
ships with most of their varied undu-
latiUns. As IstOni there said, "HOw
l wish my Gertrude was here TO see
and paint this highly picturesque
scene"
Reluctantly we descended from that
eminence. The picture painted there
by the supreme artist have brought
with me, but as must carry II as
mental picture Ia the future / can not
show il 10 my friends. o.
As the sun approached the western
bills, after many questions aud an
swers and delightful day, we were
obliged to say ''g'IOd bre." Her last
words were, "Tell all my Baxter
friends 10 come aud see nle." II Il
was onlyh few miles instead OF fif-
teen hundred, how many would accept
/ the invitation.
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