The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-04
SOME VIEWS AND REVIEWS

superiority OF the public schools OF the ma
tons capital, and charming snap shots OF
artistic merit have been offered az evidence
that in point OF progressive methods, inteili-
gent ccmprchensions, and practical achieve
ment the pupils OF the washington schools
take first place.
There is q bcmely adage applicable to this
claim, which states that one story Is GOOD
TILL another Ia told II the documents IN
evidence be trustworthy Texas can not be
relegated, to second stand, in spits OF mani
fest shortcomings.
1t appears there is senatorial COMMITTEES
whose duty It is ITO make inquiry and in
ton in spelling, reading, writing. arithmetic,
geography, etc. is given In the aforesaid
institutions, and, it not. why noty
A member OF this committee, with o laud-
able desire TO begin at the beginning, in
CURED recently II the pupils were taught their
letters. He was informed They acquired the
alphabet by accretion.'' Later, he learned
that under the up TO date, progressive system
practiced IN Washington, "A pupil ia told to
dig well. and he digs it,
We rise to a question OF precedence and
claim for MIR. Wackford Squeers the dis
tinction OF having inaugurated this method.
In his model temple OF learning, when a
boy spelled window he was Immediately
sent to wash one and when he spelled gar
dem" he forthwith went and digged there.
The Washington pupils, we are told, can look
at pie, or live hen or cat. also alive.
write the name under IT, to avoid any mis-
apprehension. But they can not spell the
names Of the several States OF the Union.
and they stoutly maintain that the District
OF Columbia Is larger than Africa, and that
Chicago is situated In the northeastern part
OF Massachusetts,. And this In the seventh
grade!
a written test in history revealed tho fol-
lowing remarkable results: Pilgrims were
called pilgrims because they pilgrimed or
iourned. The pilgrims prayed for provi-
dence which was at times granted them.
When they landed, they were few in num-
Der. Being opposed to tho weather. many
died -
Evidently live pilgrim and board were
also essential to a proper elucldaton OF thia
subject
The science OF natural history and exor-
else in vertical penmauship, were happily
combined in the next test; The drone arc
/ the lazy tees and he lay all the eges. The
drone is SOS and carries bag In the body
I ani be suck the JUICE
4 1t is possible we shall live to see many
new patents taken out for the painless ad-
mil isuauun OF education. Under the wash.
ington System OF accretiou," 1t would not
surprise us TO learn that eventually the al
phabet was applied like porous plaster.
| There Is matter for mirth In all this, but
| likewise matter FOR sincere regret that the
schools in our most representative city should
be stamped as conspicuous for a curriculum
which affords such examples of suppressed
/ mental Development
~
We arc undoubtedly threatened with n
surfet OF historical romances, and of neces-
slty the wares offered bear the stamp OF
mediocrity and give no promise OF longevity.
They are in truth but logical result OF tho
surteit Of realism administered by the repre-
eentativcs OF that school OF literature. one
explanation Of the wholesale manufacture or
historical novels lies In the availability OF
the material. The great stumbling block IN
the patiwH Of most writer's ''to fortune and
. to fame" is the plot Given this, 1t rs COM
paratively easy to provide the accessories.
In the fields of history plots are indigenous,
and II becomes merely a question OK per-
sonal preference in selection. Theu:
"The battcd towers, the donJon KEEP.
2 The loophole gratgs where captiyes weep,
The Ranking walls that round them sweep,
: And the inhabitants thereof speedily cyo,vo
Themselves. tho curtain Is runs up and tho
play begins.
e The most frequent and valid accusation
II brought against the romance OF history i
= that Of artihciality, Tor artIiciality is tbs
a antithcsis OF truth, and hence OF artistic per
81 lection In it's best sense. Therefore the ties
n of the real and permanent value Of thoS
tncs Of adventure would seem TO rest up)l
tue authors technical skill as manipulate
"a the material in hand 1t Is here that nj
lro between work of the nrss anu secoH
o.ass 10 clearly drawn.
Perhaps no better illustration Of the ques
ton at Issue can be offered than Mcdonald
= "SNord of the King" 1t seems almost in
V vicious to criticso a story possessing s
many good qualities as this. 1t is inter
: estlng, 1t "a picturesque, IL Is not over
l drawn, though written BY man, IL is dis
II tinctly womahy IN tono, ana us atmospne!
l. Is wholesome and refined. TDere Is pent
OF acton. but Of animation IN the sens
u OF vitality there Is none, ana this lach con
l. dennis 1t forever to rank with the booa
La "a
Is forgoten-the books OF today To feaIia
II the difference one need but turn from MI
n McDunaId's portraits OF the Prince OF Orange
y o. OF Mr.. Bentnck. or even the neetln
,s eiu,rse given Of the great duke and glanc
l. on er the pages of Qucndn Durward Forth
J. wan. tho familiar figure Of 10 balalre,
ri the gear, greets us Bold, ignorant, dom
10 lneeting; The prototype fer all time OF "a
Al | npbtlpg man. the soldier of fortune OF IN
81 Fifteenth century. Tho very opposite
"a | every characteristic OF the master no serve
ID | Iu,ally and whom albeit in secret, he II
a garGed condescendngly. as behtted Hig,
&c laut gentleman. with an unapIiubeu Puu
o. gree a. HIS back
o. na-iun. VITA retlnue of barhars, hangme
to anl ohaIlatans in his train. An ADEPT
s. staitcralt, victim OF GROSS superstition
lis mile usiscrupulous, cowardly, cear-heant
II. nnd fard. hearted no stands tefore us. IL
,is etontIv VIC realize that these are no me
le of straw but actual tangible, nesh ~
ed bIooI folk; and we can not snake on u
IT conviction that We need oHly lVlAuM Nhc "
We ,,Iuus byraths and mazes that environ y
IS castle TO rnd again the grim, forhiddlI
er wa,!s OF P:essis le Tours standing as OF yor
es Miss wilkins las likewise frlied IN N
he latest venture 1.-The Hearts Highway
ey Notwithstanding that, unlike Mr.. McDonai
Of Sue is a recognized authority IN that seho
to Of letters which draws its inspiration diTo
as from nature and which rejects as valueIe
nd everything not distinctly appertaning to q
res realm Of actually, her story Is clear
nd deNclert in the requisites OF strens
ed and vitality Perhaps there Is era
ito ~ truth ir the statement that most OF
Is, can only 60 one thing well. Miss Wiki
MS mas done so well in her naive arr thal II
ch pitv he elected "to pitch her moving ten
within tho BORDERS OF the Old Dominion.
ne ~
s. A little maid OF Cleveland. who recent
s. lad hash fer breakfast, looked at the IA
pc, ',o mouthful OF her portion long and earnesd
II" as she roised It on her fork. Then s
his handed il ~, and It disappeared from sisl
las nut the mystery sull perYlesed ner. "Da
dv.'' she said, what was hash when u v
of euiiivcg ~ r. NJ. Pollard
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ltn EsTELLE.