The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1892-12-17
ANCHOR OF STATE.
The Public Schools of Neihart Are
in a Good Healthy
Condition.
ARISTOTLES OF TOMORROW
Some Particulars and Suggestions as
Furnished BY Our Local
Reporter.

The public schools here were visited
this week and found to be in a healthy
state of progress The two departments
are as full at they can conveniently be,
and "A little too crowded for convenience.
Both teachers are kept extremely busy
in order to have the work done on time
and to give each recitation its proper
amount of attention.
Our scribe first called at the room of
Mrs. Baker and was received with Il
CHEEKY welcome. Mrs. Baker has the
primary room with As enrolled, which she
divides into three grades, primer, first
and second reader, classifying them by
giving them position in the room.
It would be difficult to describe the
MANY interesting lessons of the morning,
and the ready turns of genuine wit, dis
played by the young thinkers. They
show remarkably well the hand of the
master teacher who leads them out. Mrs.
Baker teaches much by the object meth
cd, giving explanations by means
of something the children can
see, aiming to reach the thought
through the eye and ear. This
method is highly commendable in that
children grasp readily the thought Of
things held before their eyes when pup
lis much older find difficulty in thinking
abstractly. Although thirty-eight were
present that morning, the room was ex-
ceptionally quiet. All seemed bent on
getting lessons, and eyed the smallest
urchin poured over his book as if he
esteemed it a delightful privilege instead
of a task. The teacher has indeed
shown tact in securing this attention. She
teaches reading, spelling, numbers, writ
ing, objective geography, and songs with
light gymnastics by way of recreation,
and dismisses the youngest early in order
to prevent IN over-tax of mental force.
Prof. Lydon was found busy at his
post, but he gave our man a cordial
Greeting and a comfortable seat while
lessons progressed. This gentleman has
all the higher grades and hears 16 to Is
recitations daily besides exercising a
general supervision over the dicipline of
the schools. He teaches all the common
branches and also bookkeeping. His
classes in history and in physiology are
quite interesting. The grading is not
as fine as it should be, to achieve the
best results, and another school year will
find it necessary to add another room
and an extra teacher to the force.
The rooms of the school are warm and
conveniently lighted. The trustees have
been quite generous in supplying certain
furniture, such as maps, charts and black
boards. The blackboards are of rubber
cloth, covered with a coat of emery grit.
Some of them are loose and need re-
| stretching. The scholars desks are OF
good quality, latest design and are equal
to the best demand. But it were better
if the newly purchased seats had been
single instead of double as the former
has many advantages over the latter. In
procuring maps and charts they have
purchased perhaps..the best in the market
maps by the National School Furnishing
company and progressive reading ano
number charts by Mrs. Mary E. Burt, 6
leading educator in kindergarten work
McGuffey's readers, Fish's arithmetics
and Harvey's examiners are in the adop
ted course.
There is plenty Of light, each room
being supplyed with five windows. The
floors, however, could have been i'm,
proved by deadening them for sound
Large cloak rooms are appended to eacl
recitation room, where monitors keel
the wraps and overwear in tasty order
A little improvement could be made IL
the kind of books adopted and certainl.
if any author is prescribed upon any sub
iect the school should not have thu
privilege to bring any other book thar
the one prescribed simply because h
happens to have it.