Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-04-14

The following productions are from
students Of the Ogden high school, each
being fairly representative Of the ability
Of the average pupil in each class OF that
department Miss Ella McNeely has
the work in English in the high school
In charge;
rHE SCHOOL or SLEEPY HOLLOW
The school Of Sleepy Hollow was
similar In character to those Of many OF
the eastern states
The school house was rudcly con.
stfucted Of logs. but In New England,
where granite was plentiful, Il was
usually Of this rock.
The building contained but one small
room, lighted by four windows, the
panes Of which were eight by ten inches.
Around the door and window sills were
cracks and crevices, caused by the
shrinkage Of the wood. This constituted
the system Of ventilation, which, how
ever pleasant IN the spring and early
autumn, was very uncomfortable in
winter, as the wind, rain. or snow was
freely admitted. The walls were OF
dusky color, and IN many places the
plaster was cracked aud broken, and
the lath visible
The seats and desks, forming four
tiers, were placed around three sides Of
the room, the FIRST tier being about three
feet from the stove, which stood 10 the
center OF the room The straight backs
Of the seats were necessarily very high,
as they with q board nailed on top
formed the desks OF the next row. each
succeeding row being on a platform
few inches higher than the one IN front
A bench and the wall provided seats for
the last tier Of pupils. The seats being
too high for some Of the pupils, tEcv
constantly swung their feet, the noise
resembling
"fhe frequent sharp bang Of a wagon, vhsn
ireadIng i1fcitpiih ocr.'
The desks were pentiiully spa,tered
with ink, and nearly all Of them bore
traces Of the jackkniie.
At one end Of the room stood the
teachers desk, before which he sat in a
"rickety.chait'" with the formidable
birch" frequently In use, IN his hand.
lie laugh, the three R's"-rcadng,
writing, rithmeiic-lnd spelling. as the
pupils parents did not approve OF new.
fashioned studies, especially the con.
iugation OF verbs and that containing
''Saw.bueil, an crosses an pot.hookl,
AMI vs., a, Us and 49,
How different from the schools Of the
past OF which SLEEPY Hollow" Is an
example, are those OF the present
Our school houses arc IN most inslan.
ces large, handsome brick buildings,
surrounded by extensive, well.kept
grounds. They are usually two or three
stories In hight, and contain large. we'll.
lighed, well ventilated apartments. In
stead Of stoves for heating purposes,
steam Is used. The walls OF new build.
ings, are "hard.hnished,' and the desks,
all Of which face the same direction, are
OF maple and cherry or oak.
The schools are graded, and instead
OF one teacher, there are many. The
pupils are taught, besides reading, writ
my, arithmetic and spelling. geogra.
ply physiology. history, grammar. the
higher mathematics, English Latin.
German, French. Shorthand, book.
Keeping, etc. ELoisE CnLD,
Junior Year,
NATURES SOUNDS.
We hear them all the time-these
sounds OF Nature. In the air and the
walter from every animal and bird. each
sound, from the mighty thunder rolling
IN the distance, down TO the song OF the
uniest bird, helps 10 make up the
grand voice OF Nature. We listen
someumes-and cannot but own that
We are greatly Affected by whatever
tone la which Nature chances to ex.
press herself Who does not feel op.
pressed on dark, rainy day. Who
can resist Natures invitation 20 De
happy when the birds are singing aud
the insects arc humming in spfingumel
Others before us have listened to
Natures sounds, and they, being not as
well yefscd In scientific names as we
are, interpreted her voice as having
different meaning from the one We give
H. The ancient Scandinavians had a
curious superstition about thunder
Bonner or Thor. they believed 10 be
the god Of thunder and also Of summer
heat. When Thor became angry he
drew down his dark brows; this was
shown In the dark storm clouds lower.
Ing in the distance. lie would throw
down his AL rending hammer" and so
produce the bright flash OF lightning.
As he urged his chariot over the noun
tain tops, the thunder was heard rolling
among the mountains. lie blew Ia bis
ASA otalui anu tlt luaUlnH ht0fiusnlaat
swept the valley. We hear this same
thunder now, say electricity" and pass
on. But Il we listen more attcniiycly-
and so hear more musicllly-it speaks
TO us as il spoke TO Evangeline,
Telling that God o. 20 Heaven. and Governs
he~orld lie created
The wind, shHeking around the house
corners, moaning through the trees, and
whistllng m the chimney Is an essen
tial part Of the voice Of Nature. What
sense OF his own insignihcance one
has when he hears the mighty sound of
the fierce wind but now the wind
ceases; all Is quiet-no breath OF AR Is
stirring, and all life seems TO be NJ rest
And the silence, with truer eloquence
than that OF the wind itself, tells him
how mighty Is Nature, and how puny
man.
We may hear the deep.yoced ocean"
answering 'lhe wall OF the iorest.u
Loud from It's rocky cayerns"-ycs,
the sound of each wave, whether dash.
Ing against the shore, or searching out
the innermost recess OF an ocean cave.
helps 10 make up the roar Of the ocean
which, in accents dIsc0nsolate" seems
10 reply to that inland moan.
But the river never pauscs TO answer
the moaning trees, Il hastens forward
telling Of Us journoYngs- now gay and
happy and again silent and subdued.
always progressing toward the ocean
where us rushing g0uuI frtiY.,I.g ....tr,