Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-12-29
SOUTH AMERICAN SCHOOLS.

You ask for my experiences in
South American schools: AS have
never taught IN the schools, | know
very little about them. Nearly TWEEN
ty years ago | had contract with
the government OF Guatemala, &. A..
to go as "Pianista" for that govern
mcnt, which did, but when my
contract ended left them and took
"private pupils" All branches are
taught in their language and for ten
years scarcely heard any English.
Five years ago went to Valpar,
also, Chill, and remained three
years, and had only private scholars,
hut the school system is considered
very good. Chill being Il very pic
turesque country, there is ample OPP
poitunitv for one to study the works
of nature; consequently there are
many artists there and all nativ. S
know more or less Of drawing and
! painting. Some of the English High
school pupils do good work, and at
the end Of the wear the hest draw
,ngs are sent to England, where they
are judged and prizes sent back to
| the two winners. At the "Liceo"
| government ethooD tor Young la
dies, music and German take pre-.
cedence OF other things; that is ow-
~; l""u, t, h";"5" Ee"-,"" d;rer-
tora, also having - many German
teachers.
Blu in : ruth rs we'll as Central
America the schools make pcri,l-
" al some one language beSid,. their
oNn, and one Seldo meets IA n tive
who doe, not speak three languages
and often more. ( Shonld have
said the educated natives. Either
country is Il COOL place in which to
learn languages. AS they say,
'rvrry language under the sun is
spoken here
Two years ago crossed the Andes
mountains to Tie Argentine repub-
lie, and let nc tell those who are
studying geography that two nights
we slept over HOOP feet above sea
level the first nssht under the shad-
ow OF No!can Aconcagua, the ish-
est point OF South America, .,.4,o
feet high; the second night under
Mt. Tupungata, the next highest
point, !I,4I,' feet.
In BuenoS Aires the normal schoo's (!
and converts seem to he M@ schools. |
| was invited to visit the National |!
Normal School IN LA Plata. The
drectora is North American.
All branches are taught in Spanish
and it is necessary to know the Ian-
guage we'll to be able to teach it.
The school buildings are beautiful
and immense. The corridors and
some rooms have tiled floors, etc.
a very large gymnasium with all
the modern appliances, also Il we'll
stocked laboratory and many other
things pertaining To schools are
there.
the State Normal Soho ITS of the
Argentine republic were stated hv
President Sarm!ento, who IN ue. a
UP 20 thc Cniteu ItateS ana among
other things the normal school sys-
TEN seemed to strike him so forc,blv
that he took fifteen normal graduates
back with him and established
schools in different parts OF the re-
public.
After twenty yeas teaching the
teachers can retire on a pension Of
$500 4 month, but they must spend
their days there, although allowed
so many months. once in S, often,
to leave the country Like all places
and people, some have STAYED their
twenty Years, some married there
''N ot'Nio S'iiS ii'iiIS. Clt lttlN
whom | net, had only two wears to
complete the allotted time, when she
decided to leave and start Il ''vouns
ladies' seminary" She did so, and
it tailed, on v leaving her enough to
bring her bone, but she is now
teaching Spani>k in on. of our large
cities, and rs thar is the language at
the present day to think of in con-
nection with 50 many new Spanish
she will SOFA get her
money back, DIS North American
gold is much better than Sonth AM
arican paper.
The Argentlnos spend AN, amoun,
Of money for their muSical educa.
ton and have fine op,ra six months
in the wear. L.. A.B.
Taftsville, Dec. y. 1900.
PIN MOUTH UNION.
{. G. Jones and wife of Clalen- ,
don are stopping at l.. Nuchaime's
at present.
Anna kavanagh and Vernit Royce
ire spending their vacation from B.
r. \. at home. :
Mary kavanagh of Ludlow is
stopping with her parents, Mr.. and {
Mrs. James kavanagh. for Il few {
weeks.
Gertrude Leonard spent Christ |
mas at her home in Rutland. :
Annie Brown is spending her va {
'ation with her grand parents, Mr.. {
md Mrs. A n. Earle.
Frank Rogers and wife of West \
were at A. J. Hadley's
Il INrIAl w j. i :.