Brookings register. (Brookings, S.D.) 1890-1894, 1891-01-09
BroOkings High School and Agricultural
College.

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article from the pen of g. stranger,
and We are certain it will not fail to
interest all that may read it:
Brookings is very remarkable
little town. The first house was built
! In it ten years ago, when the railway
then came through, and now it has q
population OF over $500, with an
Agricultural college, a High school,
court house, sheriff and all county
officers, four churches and q number
OF handsome private houses. 1t
covers an area OF some four square
miles, which gives the town an open,
healthy look and leaves the inhabi.
tants in full possession of the fresh
breezes OF the prairie.
In my journeylngs further west, |
stopped here for night to see the
place Of which, In Minnesota, | had
heard much that was good, and |
have been more than repaid. was
met by an obliging ministerial friend
who kindly became my escort for the
day. Our first visit was to the High
school in the afternoon, and the hour
turned out to be q lucky one. There
were exercises going on which had
not seen in any school on either side
of the Atlantic. The exercises referred
to are designated, Rhetoricals.
In each OF the intermediate, gram.
maj and high school divisions, the
pupils have n Society" conducted en-.
tlrely by themselves under the eye of
their respective teachers. This society
meets on Friday afternoon every
IL RI hn
care TO look IN. In the grammar class
room were assembled about $50
pupils, representatives OF three
societies, with Miss Jones OF the gl am.
mar department., moving around to
see that all things were done decently
and in order. On the platform sat
two boys and a girl apparently OF
twelve summers or SO, each with pro-
gram in their hand. You could
scarcely take in the whole situation
at a glance and wanted some informa-
ton. A whisper to the little girl on
the platform brought the prompt re-
ply, "Oh, we are three societies, they
are presidents OF two OF them, and
am president OF the other The
presidents in turn got up, and In the
language As dignitied az that of the
British Association" announced
the different items on the program.
! There We're recitations, songs, music
and charades ali gone through In u
credltable way to children. The joint
choir OF the society sang pieces at in
tervals and had their accompani-
ments played on an organ by a smart
looking girl of thirteen, IN gold specta
cles. A word spoken in the ear OF one
OF the hoy presidents, at one point by
Miss Jones, brought the boy to his
| feet i'll u second to announce that 1--WE
will now listen TO a piece by the
! Brookings Band" Outside, in the
corridor. brass band, composed Of
| boys belonelng to the school, ana
trained by the Professor OF Music in
the college, struck up lively Ameri-
can air. That finished, the work
p,oper OF the "societies" again moved
on apace.
IN the class room Of Principal
Robinson in the high school depart
ment meanwhile, a similar program
though more advanced altopether was
being executed. About $50 pupils
were there also. On the platform, at
u writing table were sitting boy and
girl. The boy, sixteen seemingly, who
looked grave and thouehttul. and
stopped tar too much for his years,
was president. The girl, two years
his junior perhaps, with bright. in
tellectual face, was secretary. When
we entered the room, girl pupil was
crlticislng unsparInply some OF the
things done 81. the previous meeting.
Then came an essay by boy on the
"Indian Troubles" 1t was neatly
prepared and well read. 1t seemed
to me calculated to bring down the
house, and would have done it'll be-
lieve, if it had not wound up in the
last sentence with the hope that the
whole Indian race, in their own inter
ests and that OF the white would be
speedily exterminated. The society
did not quite seem to appreciate such
summary proceedings with the mobile
red man." A girl with a natural dash
OF playful humor in her countenanoe oe
recited "Ths Bachelor" with such
good emphasis and meaning thrown
in, that the risible faculties and ad-
miration of the visitors as we'll as the
school were considerably excited.
Then followed a song by the choir,
"Just before the Battle Mother"
apropos, as it appeared, OF the Indian
"Rising," and when this was sung we
had reluctantly to 60, leaving
the society with the "Stars
and Stripes" suspended on pole, in
wooden socket, keeping guard inside
the door OF the room. On being asked
to say q word after coming out OF the
Principals room, to the intermediate