The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-13
THE SCHOOLS EXHTRTTS.

THE SCHOOLS EXHIBITS.
Mayor Doran could put his en-
tire police force to no more profitable
work than corralling every father and
mother in the city and marching them
up to the high school there to see what
the schools of the city have done for
the education Of their children during
the school year now drawing to a
close. A special order might be made
to have those curmudgeons whose one
| sensitive nerve ganglion is in their
| pocket, and which is keenest in it's
sensations to the touch Of the tax
| gatherer, also taken into custody and
compelled to spend a few hours in
contemplating the work of the
children of this city Then especial
effort should be made to catch and
manaele that other set of abnormal
people, generally classed as "old To-
gies," who really believe that improve
ment ceased with their youth, and that
there has been nothing but degeneracy
since. They should be made to do
| double time in the assembly and other
rooms and kept constantly on the
march. Even they might come out
| with conception that they did not
know it all, and thereafter they would
prate less of tfads."
But the mayor has not the power
! to thus benefcially use his force, and.
| in the absence Of it, the GIobe makes
a special appeal to every father and
mother who can possibly spare the
tlme-and the exhibit is open evenings
to those who cannot take daylight
hours from necessitous Iabor-to
spend at least an hour in the various
rooms. Go first into the teachers
training rooms and learn how teachers
| are taught both the science and the
art of pedagogy; learn, if you ever in
your younger days taught school, how
that profession has felt the impulse of
Improvement and has changed teach
ing from mere hearing Rotations.
Keeping school, to studying of minds.
dispositions, aptitudes, individualities
| the 1nterrelations of studies, in short
| the science as we'll as the art. Pass from
| there into the department where the
work Of the children in the kinder
| garten is shown, beginning with that
OF the first term, and on until the
primary grade work is reached; note
the character Of the work, the evident
object Of it and the results attained in
awakened and trained perception. see
how the individuality of the child ap-
pears, and how much the young mind
is absorbing Of useful knowledge while
1t thinks 1t is being amused. If the
atmosphere Of the room, the kindness.
the morality. the cheerfulness, the
good dispositions cultivated, the good
| influence about these minds in their
| first stages Of development, could also
be added, no person, however soured
could go from it's inspection without
feeling that there the foundations of
character were being we'll laid.
Then go through the grade school
work from the first to the eighth
| grade, note the increasing assurance.
self-conf1dence, Of the pupils and the
rate OF progress made. Take time and
look over some Of the papers and see
| how modern methods of education are
making knowledge hunters of the
children, teaching them to Investigate.
search, find and generalize for them
/ selves. Ask yourself candidly if VOL,
could do as well If put to the same
task. Then go into the high school
work. Start with that much derided
branch, the Mechanic Arts, examine
| closely the work these amateur artt-
sans have done. and ask yourself II
boys thus started will not go out to
their life work well equipped. Inspect
the joinery and see how scrupuIously
| well done the work Is; look at the
work of the machine shop and srnithy
and see what this practical education
! is doing. Then If sneer at that
school, fell from your lips ask to be
! forgiven. And SO on through the
| academic work. noting everywhere
what the actual work Is and how II f.
| done. And then 60 home and VOW that
you will not rest until all impedinlents
in the way Of keeping the schools up ia
| past standards shall be removed. Rest
assured that you will know more for
| few hours thus spent and be better
| citizens for 1t.