Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-06-07
bMONG THE SCHOOLS.
Some Comment on Current Educational
Matters.
Is the Course Of Study Overbur-
dened?-A Suggestion or Two on
the Subject-The Examinations
Finished = The Coming Com
mencement.

Inc past TWO WtehS nave pOcH "Coh'
of activity in our schools. Prof. Stahl
with his fine collection OF curicsities,
made the rounds of the schools giving
his fine lectures on the origin and devel-
opment of man as shown by the various
exhibits of implements used by him in
the lowest order of development. These
lectures were very interesting as well as
profitable to teachers and pupils alike.
Even the boys and girls of the lowest
rooms seemed to catch an inspiration
from the Professors earnest and elo-
uuent manner of delivery, and they Will
no doubt long remember many valuable
truths prescribed. Prof. Stahl Is dong
a great and good work.
Next came the Talmage lecture and
many of the teachers and pupils visited
the Fair Grounds to hear the eloquent
Divine in his great lecture on Big
Blunders," and they all felt that they
had made no blunder in going, for all
we're we'll repaid for what it cost.
The Seniors have stood their final ex-
animation, and now many are on the
ragged edge" for fear they did not pass
but they will soon know and all the
ragged edge" for ear they did not pass,
but if not-then the agony will but have
begun.
Prof. F. A. Hively, of Charleston, W.
Va, and very efficient teacher of pen
manship and drawing, has been in the
city during the past week looking out to
see if there is to be a special teacher APP
pointed in penmanship or drawing or
both, and if so he will be an applicant
for said position. The Professor is in
every way qualified for such position
and if the Board sees fit to employ such
a teacher they could scarcely do better
than to employ him. He would be the
right man for the place.
Shall the Prang tsystem Of form
study be continued in our schools?
is the question now confronting
us. 1t would be agreat pity TO
discontinue it after but one years trial,
and that year being so successful. The
children are all greatly interested in it,
and another year will show such pro-
gress as has never made in our schools
before in the study of this useful branch.
With Miss Parsons as Supervisor, it
cannot fail to be a success every way.
Continue the drawing by all means.
Tomorrow and Tuesday evenings
with Tuesday afternoon matinee for the
children we are to have Conterno's Bat
ties of Our Nation at Mozart Park. This
grand spectacular exposition is very
highly spoken of wherever it has been
exhibited and it will no doubt attract
large crowds at each performance. One
of the special features Of the occasion
will be chorus of from 70 to 100 gram
mar schmar school pupils from the diff
ferent schools of the city. They will be
under the supervision of our efficient
musical director, Miss Lucy Robinson.
This of itself insures the success of that
part of the performance.
The commencement this year will be
held at the Grand Opera House, June
18th and 26th, unless there is change
of date made at the next meeting of the
Board of Education and it is not at all
likely there will be any made. The
performance of the white pupils will
take place on the evening first mention
ed and that of the colored on the latter.
"A question presents itself to the
thouhtful educator and all others inter-
ested in the cause of education, especial
ly the education Of our boys and girls
in the public schools. Are we not over
burdening our course of study? The
writer believes that our schools Of to-
day are better than they were years sSo,
yet the thouht forces itself
upon us that there is just slight
danger that we have too much in our
grammar school curriculum. Our
boys are leaving our schools by whole
sale without finishing the course, and
as we have no optional or special course
to prepare boys for business without
finishing the entire course it behooves
us to do something to give our boys an
education. If they remain and finish
the entire public school course they are
prepared for business, but unless they
do. they are not Would it not be well
to have some option in the matter, as to
what studies are pursued by those who
do not wish to finish the entire course.
This would surely be better than to
have the pupil quit at the very TIRES
hold of the grammar room. These
suggestions are merely thrown out to
cause thought. Let us have that thought
and then we know some good will come
from it, The remedy for all would be
an addition of at most three new studies
to the course, and an extension OF two
years to the time of finishing it. This
would give us high school that would
compose favorably with that Of any
other city in the United States.