Durango semi-weekly herald., 1902-06-30
DRIVE IN THE COUNTRY
AND RURAL SCHOOLS

been eXtolled to so many generations
of youth-and get up early. For
that matter. to succeed in many un-
1ertakings requires that we should
arise betimes. This article is not,
however. intended to recount the hon
ors lying in wait for those practicing
he proverb. Early to bed.s early to
Use" etc Nor is it designed to dis
0uss the other extreme. the keeping
late hours. which. though common, is
not always considered exactly proper.
| It is with the question of an early
lrive, SO delightful on summer
morning that we have most to do.
| To be sure there is the moonlight
1rive which all young folks. and 9TH
ars not so young enjoy-but that is
another story.
| The drive to the Upper Florida is
lsuallv very pleasant. That day
however the roads sidled up and down
20 that our position was anything but
| secure. The dust rose thick-clouded
INTO heaven, only to fall in heavy
| Tprinkle upon the unfortunates below
while every oak leaf and blade of
rrass along the roadside, likewise re
| Heived it's portion.
On the way we passed a camping
| party bound for cooler region-where
| lack Frost pays nightly visits and
woolen clothing is not to be despised.
very pretty sight they were in cloth
| ing as various as the flowers of the
| field. ignified-well-ha
what has dignity to do with a camp.
ng trip? She was never partial to
such amusements. Suppose, too, that
'ou were perched up on roll of bed
ling, with frying pan just above your
head. and pots and pans of various
denominations, around you, as well as
the other paraphernalia common to
iuch occasions-do you think your
0anners would hold the starch as well
rs the beautiful laundered shirt waist
YOU left at home? To really enjoy
I camping trip wear your old clothes
and your youngest disposition-then
YOU need not worry for fear of stroll
ing either.
The lumber business must be pros
porous Just now. if the number of
teams we met that morning is any
criterion. 1t reminded one of the
hymn;
More and more. more and more
Still there's more to follow"
But after turning into the Pine
liver road we saw no more of them,
'Imber. teams and dust were equally
lacking.
After a pleasant drive through a
5eautiful section of country bearing
avidences in its wide stretches of fer
lie fields, with neat buildings peep
'ng out among the trees, of thrifty
oil to the stars and stripes waving
Herrily on high in the summer air. an
1ounced our destination. Columbus
school,
1t is a nice little building. neat and
carefully kept. While the attendance
vas small, the pupils did good work
and We're orderly and attentive.
The term of school is short be-
ing but two months this summer.
The pupils will thus receive a rest be-
'ore the fall term and will not be in
LANCER of forgetting everything they
'inow on account of long vacation.
In addition to the regular studies,
the large pupils were studying short
land. This is commendable fea-
ure since knowledge of shorthand
and typewritting seems almost indis-
Densable in many professions.
Those lines of business involving
much correspondence have found it an
economy of time to use the type-writ-
er while from the fact that type
written articles are easy to read,
there is small fear of mistake, beside
the time saved to the recipient.
Doubtless the period is nor far dis
tant when shorthand will supersede
longhand The former is much more
convenient since it saves so much Ia
bor AS life grows more and more
complex and the demands on our time
increase, any economy in time or
effort is valuable. Our High schools
have their courses in short
hand and type-writing as well
as bookkeeping, which for so
many years was nearly all the
representation commercial life was al
lowed in our schools.
Shorthand and type-writing in the
High school is not, however, enough,
since so many pupils leave school be-
fore reaching the ninth grade.
knowledge of these subjects is so
eminently practical and useful in so
many ways. that it seems safe to pre-
dict that the day is coming when
pupils will be taught the principles of
shorthand in the first grade, and the
typewriter will be as common in the
home as the sewing-machine.
If the schools of La Plata county,
and especially the rural districts,
would add a typewriter to their school
room furniture, they would be taking
a step. progressive. and of practical
advantage TO their children, while the
benefit to the teacher in preparing
primary work would be incalculable.
Certainly, a typewriter would be a
more profitable investment for the
school funds than the expensive, and
often useless, charts owned by the
schools of this county. Firms hav-
| ing old-fashioned material of this
| kind which they cannot dispose Of in
ordinary trade pay agents big per
cottages to sell us their goods. at
exorbitant prices. That they can do