The Washington times., 1895-06-19
A Word from BrOokIand.

am not quite sure wh ether The Times
in its souvenir edition wilIhave q column
devoted to Brookland or not, but, while
realizing that the interest of the majority
of your readers will center in the most
popular and influential of the city schools,
there are. other branchesi of our educa-
| tonal system which would fain be rep
resented in this great gathering OF the
clans.
When first assigned to duty at Brook
land visions of delightful rides on the
electric cars, fresh country breeZeS, fields
of daisies, and most enchanting of all to
the mind of an entflu siasuc science
teacher, meadows abounding in butter
flies, grasshoppers and birds, caused Brook
land TO appear school teachers para
disc, and made me willing, even anxious,
To exchange the routine OF school work
in the city for an insight into life in a
country school"
But alas! no friendly prophet looked
into the future to warn me that the winter
of 1895 was not to be all smiles and
sunshine; that there We're in store for us
storms and billiards that would block
roads, stop cars, and make life in the
suburbs doubtful blessing. The blizzard
is thing of the past, aud far be ii from
me in the face of the coming heat TO COM
plain OF anything the very memory or
which is cooling aud refreshing
Again was l disappointed in failing to
lind the country schoolof my dreams. In
the well appointed brick building /
could trace little resemblance to the
old-time SCHOOL house by the road,
ragged beggar summing Z" Only on a
winter day, when felt my blood slowly
congealing, did | awake to a realization
of the fact that l was dependent, not on
steam heat, but on two very substantial
looking stoves, which had grown cold
with neglect Unfortunately, my nor
NAL course failed to include attention
to fires
In the children, too, / found little or
no difference from those in attendance in
the city schools In but one particular can
an exception be made and that is in the
line of science work. In the tt1cky pop
ulated portions of the city, the child's
knowledge OF plants, animals insects, birds
etc, is derived almost entirely from in
formation gained in the school-room and
an occasional visit to the country; whereas
these little people coming into daily con-
tact with the world of nature so dear
TO every childish heart, can supplement-
each lesson with interesting facts CLEANED
from their own observation.
For instance, lesson on birds viii
arouse the greatest enthusiasm and each
one will recall some fact in this connection,
as Jenny Wren has built her nest on our
porch Il watched a flock OF wild geese
flying north last Saturday" or Il heard
the swallows in our chimney last night,
and an endless variety of statements show
ing how these little people have used their
eyes and cars.
The plant work is fun of pleasure when
pursued with these children, many of whom
assist in planting the iced and then watch
with eager eyes its gradual development.
No danger of puzzling these little ones
rrftIn Nvh fhnranphiV dpn1nr-
allied a whole school last year when
the question, "Of what use are the eyes
of q potato?" elected the various re-
sponses, ITO zee with Z" ITO hold them in
ground" and finally. ITO hold them on
the busiest" This too in the presence of
supervising principal and trustee! Truly
the answers OF children are uncertain
quantities But our little ones at Brook
land shave learned from personal obser-
vation the proper time and manner for
the planting of vegetables and grain
aud the time for the harvesting of each.
1t is interesting to note the eagerness with
which these children watch the change of
weather and seasons Rain in the country
means far more than in the city, and the
coming of spring is an event long watched
for How their eyes danced with delight
at the suggestion of a trip to the woods in
search of the first arbutus flower and with
what JOY they greeted the birds as many
familiar ones came back to their old hauntsl
But the school work at BTookland is not
confined TO the study of birds and flowers.
Although we have two grades in a room, the
work is carried on upon the same lines as
those prescribed in the city schools, and
after the completion OF the four-room ad-
dition to be commenced this summer, it is
likely that in the near future BroOkland will
be able To boast of regularly graded school
with 4 full corps of teachers. To this end
both principal and teachers are working and
when it is accomplished we VIII extend to
the readers of Tire Times a most cordial in
vitation to visit not country school, -
but a well equipped branch of the great edu-
cational system of the Capital City.
NJ. z. GIVEN,
Prookland D. C.