The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-11-12
cHALLIs PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Hon. II. +. Powell, paid a visit
to the Public School of Challis,
to learn from personal observa-
ton, just what kind of progress
was being made-to note the ad-
vancement of the scholars, if
any, and the methods employed
in instruction.
THE PRINCIPALS DEPARTMENT.
The first department visited
was the Principals room, pre-
sided over by Miss Sara Keener,
of North Dakota. Here we found
a good enrolment and attendance
of pupils-about fifty being pres
ent, and by the regular attend
ance one can judge somewhat
the results of the school work.
We found in the first place extra
ordinary discipline, which is one
of the first and best recommends
tions necessary for a good and
successful school. 1t was also
observed that the recitations and
the school work was executed
with promptness and dispatch,
and we noted vast improvement
in an educational way prevailed
throughout the entire school
since our last visit. Some of the
high school books are now used
in this department, and it is to be
hoped that in the near future it
will be possible to establish a
regular high school course in
Challis. At present the school
rooms are overcrowded and the
teachers are overtaxed, and there
are too many grades. The only
way to meet this condition is to
add an intermediate Department,
and this will have to be done at
no distant day.
THE PRIMARY DEPARTMENT.
Our next visit was the Primary
Department, where we also found
a good enrolment and attend
ance, and also perfect discipline,
and were pleased to find such
good order maintained through
out, and more especially so be-
cause of the tender age of the
scholars, who are apt to become
weary and restless, but their
lessons are illustrated and ex-
planned to them in such a way
that they are deeply interested,
and this accounts for the good
discipline maintained. In this
department there are five grades,
from the Chart class up to the
Third Reader. This Department
is in charge of Miss Ida M.
Anderson, of Gibbonsville. Here
also promptness and dispatch is
a fundamental principle of sue.
cess. and the advancement made
by the pupils 10 this room is very
noticeable. Here is where the
responsibility of any school rests
lit is where the child receives
its first ideas in training in school,
life, and here is where the great
fundamental foundation built.
A noted speaker once truth
fully said of the Primary teacher
in eulogy "She takes the little
bantlings fresh from the home
nest and full of pouts and pas
sions, ungovernable little wretch
es whose own mothers honestly
admit that they send them tt
school to get rid of them. This
lady takes a whole car load o.
these little anarchists, half o.
whom single handed and alone
are more than a match for theil
parents and at once puts them il
a way to be useful citizens wheI
they arrive at maturity. But a
what expense of toll and sou
WEAKNESS =? Here is the mos
responsible position in the school
, and if her salary were doubled
she would yet receive less thai
she earns"
The Public SchOol OF ChalIl
has been it's pride and it should
be. What institution has an,
community of more benefit thai
! a public school The Stat'
Superintendent of Public Instruc
: ton, Miss Permeal French, onl,
two weeks ago, said in publ
print, that Custer county had tn
r best schools in Idaho. That wa
/ a nice compliment for a small
/ county in population like Custe
and so far inland. Challis ha
, one of the best public schools il
the State, outside of the Univer
sity and the two Normal schools
: as it has been proven, and thi
high standard is being kept u
this present school term unde
t the able instruction of the pres
ent corps of teachers. and tn
!, management of the directors. /
: is thought there will be suf6
cient funds for nine months G
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