Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-02-13
Our Schools.
SCHOOLS OF THE PAST.

Our Schools.
SCHOOLS OF THE PAST.
The first school in Mechanicstown wa.
held In the house now occupied by Mr.. Paine
aud the first school building erected, wal
the house occupied bv Mr.. William Cover
which recently burnt. This schoolhouse wal
built about one hundred years ago, and wal
also used for preaching. In the first schools
German only was taught, and it Is supposed
there were able instructors IN that language
Judging from some OF the scholars Of the
pact. After this the stone schoolhouse was
built, opposite the place where the Dunkard
the earliest teachers will be familiar to many
of the oldest inhabitants. Among them are
| Mr.. Donnelly and Mr.. Cacklin, who taught
in the Cover building, Miss Fannie Weems
Messrs. Medcalf, Worthington, Beam and
Crooks. In the meantime the brick school
house was built in the neighborhood of Mr.
| Wacsche's house. In these early schools
the Bible was read by all and contributed
much to the morals of Mechanlcstown
Scholars brought to school anyb0ok that they
might have at home, from which to read
To complete Pixies Arithmetic was the
height of every boy and girls ambition and
thrilled their parents hearts with pride. In
those DAYS quilts were used instead of pens
and they were both made and mended by
the teacher. One feature of the olden times,
and perhaps envied by the boys and girls of
the present age, was to find, at any hour,
the teacher fast asleep at his desk. One of
the modes Of punishment by which all were
dealt with impartially, was for the teacher
to throw Cat o nine tail in the midst Of
some miscreants, of whom, each one that
was 80 unfortunate as to be struck bv one
OF the lashes, was compelled to return 1t
to the teacher, when he was made to feel it
the second time. The more modern build.
ings used for teachings were the academy,
belonging to the l. O. o. F., and the building
used at the present day. A seminary was
started by Rev. Victor Miller in 1874. and
one by Rev Wire some years later, each of
which hourlshed for awhile and then were
known no more.
F. L.
THE IDEAL SCHOOL.
The first requisite of an ideal school, is an
ideal teacher. The school invariably reflects
the teacher. The chief and dominant attract
i've force should be the teacher personality.
This should be radiant and inspiring, and
should touch and beautifv and ennoble all
within it's contact. The first great power of
the schOolroom is the teacher and it is "lke
teacher like school," If the teacher sees
something more than the multiplication table
and diagrams. if she sees the human being
struggling IN its growth and eager for sun.
shine and attention, then the growth of the
human being is symmetrical ard beautiful,
and youth time the most glorious period OF
life Let the teacher never forget that she is
immortal rninds of hor
inspire her pupils with lofty motives and
their actions will not need her concern.
There should be but two rules in the school;
one for the boys and one for the girls. The
boys rule should be. do nothing unmanly;
the girls, do nothing unwOmanly.
The teacher should be earnest and enthus-
iastic. Nothing can be accomplished with.
out enthusiasm. Emerson says, "a man is
relieved and gay when he has put his heart
into his work and done his best; but what he
has said and done otherwise shall give him
no peace" The teacher should be in touch
with her children. She should let them
know that she is their friend, and show her
friendlincss by an interest in their affairs.
When results are unsatisfactory, the teacher
very often instead of blaming herself, turns
her attention to the text book, the school
apparatus, or some equally weak instrument,
and charges against II all the failures in her
teaching The absurditv Of this procedure
is only too apparent The text book may
be poor or excellent, but the results are poor
or excellent not because of the text book, but
because of the teacher. The good teacher is
always superior to the text book. She uses
it as means to an end and il 1t Is good it
aids so much the more. if 1t is poor she is not
dependent on it for her teaching ability but
hat Inr h,v,rv
force, and is quite independent of the un.
worthy hook. No one Is ever persuaded
when a teacher has occasion to rail at the
text book she must use Every one knows
it is the teacher, not the text book that is to
blame. A great deal might be said on the
improvement that might be made in text
books and school apparatus, of the reduction
Of the number Of pupils to teacher OF the
low salary paid and many other things, but
If the teacher is al that she ought to be, her
ability will be recognized and she will,
sooner or later, be properly compensated.
Every teacher, no doubt, has her ideal Of
what a school should be, and every conscien
tious one strives to realize this ideal; but let
her remember if she cannot realize this ideal,
she cam at least, "dealiye the real"
Let the teacher make the most of the com
pensations in her work. These may be few
and slight, but there are cOmpensatlons, and
che who is thoroughly in love with her work
will be sure to ind them. Then, with
malice toward none; with charity for all;
with flrmness IN the right, as God gives us
to see the right, let US press forward to finish
the work we are in.
EB.
THE SCHOOLS OF THE PRESENT.
We Judge the degree of civilization to
which nat ion has attained by the advance
ment it has made in the perfection of the
liberal arts, but especially to its standing in
religious and educational culture. AS a
nation we can justly be proud and thankful
for that which has been accomplished along
all these lines. But four centuries hayc
passed since the American Indian held I'M
disputed sway, not only throughout the
wood empowered wales, hills and mountain
sides of our now picturesque valley, but
throughout the broad expanse of our entire
country. And Ii has only been little more
than century since the tocsln of war pro-
claimed us free and new nation; that our
greatest advancement has been made and our
almost phenomenal attanments accom-
plished. In this particular, as in nearly all
others, our nation stands pre-. eminent We
have not the least desire to dlsparage the
supcriorities of foreign systems or disregard
the lessons we may learn from them, but in
Justice to ourselves, we must not overlook
what contributions our nation has made
toward the education of the masses Of the
people. Ours are the first people who have
undertaken to give free elementary educa-
cation to all its children in system of com
mon schools, supported, organized and
administo cred by the whole DeOple The