The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-10-24
NIGHT SCHOOL STARTS WE'LL
FIFTY-SIx SCHOLARS ON HAND
FOR THE FIRST ROLL
Better Opening Attendance Than In
Former Years-MadisOn Building
Being Used for the Work-TaIk
With Miss Short.

'Grey-haired men and small boys occu-
pied adjoining seats at the opening of the
night school at the Madison school last
evening. All were intent in pursuit Of
the same knowledge, and in their bear
ing there was avinced an earnestness
that Is lacking in the ordinary public
school class. In previous years the
night school has been held in the st.
Paul commons, but this year the school
board has shown it's appreciation Of the
Importance of the work by granting the
use of rooms on the top floor Of the
Madison school When the rolls were
called last evening there were fifty-six
present: over double the former attend
ance on opening nights.
The school Is in charge of Miss Short,
assisted by Montague Farrar, principal
of the Quincy school, and Mr.. Nison. Il
student at Hamline university. Speak
ing of the work Miss Short said last
night as she surveyed the heterogeneous
assemblage drawn together by the desire
for knowledge:
Our pupils are not the subjects o.
charity in any sense of the word. Each
pays 81 per month, and the desire foa
learning is much greater than at the
day schools. We are very much gratif1ed
by the attendance tonight. 1t augers
we'll for the success of the school. We
ranging in age from fifty to sixteen, but
L suppose the average age would be
about thirty. The sexes are about equal
ly divided. All are employed during
day time and come here to acquire
knowledge for the purpose of lettering
their conditions. Out of the number
there are ten who know but little Eng
fish and must start from the lowest
classes; the others. some of them, are
fitted for entrance to the high school.
Our scholars do not care for the spe.
cial branches like music and drawing.
What they want is practical knowledge.
We teach them practical business arith-
metic. bookkeeping, practical grammar,
commercial work, reading and spelling.
Three, is special interest manifested
in the bookkeeping course. We have
the school for six months every Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday ana Friday, and at
the end Of the year most of the pupils
will have acquired good practical edu-
cation. 1t is sometimes pathetic, as II,
one instance that came across tonight
in assigning the scholars to their classes.
There is one man who has worked for
years in a wholesale house. He. is a
well educated Swede but can neither
read nor write English. This fact has
held him back and prevented his adj
vancement. Now he wants to make
up for lost time and is applying himself
to the work with all earnestness.r s1sat;
1.-THE night school is undoubtedly ac-
complishing a great work. We have
women here who have been for years
domestics in families, but who have never
learned English. They are our most
persevering students. They are quick to
learn and appreciative. Then there are
boys whose progress in life would be
otherwise retarded through their lack of
education that ought to be In the day
school but are driven to work through
necessity. The night school is a blessing.
Above all our scholars have the feeling
of independence. They pay for their
learning and they strive to get every thing
they can for their money"