The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-10-30
SCHOOL ROOM DECORATION.
Paper Read at the Institute By Miss Riley
on the Above Subject

Paper Read at the Institute BY Miss Riley
on the Above Subject.
The subjects under consideration
are surely very important ones, and /
ones, of which we fear, is not enough |
thought and time given to by the
teachers of Garrett county.
What is more elegant to the eye of |
pedagogy than a handsomely decorat- !
ed school room? | do not believe |
there is a greater incentive for teach
er and pupils to do good, honest work |
while in a schoolroom than, that |
when they may wish to lift their
eyes for a moments rest from their |
arduous tasks, they may glance from
floor to ceiling and see everything |
neat and tidy and in its place. Every
teacher is surely blest with more or
less anxiety to have the rooms of |
their own house neat and cheerful. |
Then, as the different schoolrooms of |
this county are to be our respective |
places of abode for six long O. |
months, we, as teachers, should see
that they are decorated and kept, so
far as possible, IN accordance with |
the rooms of "home, sweet home" |
l sincerely believe teachers path
way would be less rugged and I'M
pleasant if they would spend part |
of their leisure time in arranging |
h. L., 20
schoolroom instead of spending so
much of it brooding over some I'M
pleasant thought, rumored by some
inconsiderate person.
And we would say that in attempt
ing to decorate your schoolroom, by |
all means ask for the support and
sympathy of your pupils. The little
ones, and perhaps the larger ones,
too, will take delighted interest in
the work and in the teacher also, if |
thew are but asked to lend helping
hand. They will contribute gener-
ously to your decorations, and will
often part with pictures and paint
ings from their "stock of childhood |
pleasures just for the sake of gain
ing the teachers confidence and love.
There are many ways in which
schoolroom may be decorated that
will prove beneficial to the school.
l will simply mention one article of
interest and that is 1.-THE American
Flag" This, if possible, should be
found in every schoolroom. There is
nothing more beautiful, or of more
splendor than odd Glory" Besides,
if the illustration is before the eyes
as well as before the minds of the
pupils, that interesting lesson or por-
ton of history connected with it, is
so much more easily taught and in
stilled into the minds. No matter
how small the article of decoration
may be, it always consists of some
object from which an effective and
beneficial lesson may be taught that
will develop the young minds, if the
teacher handles the subject earnestly
in her own mind before presenting it.
| So we see that decorations not only
add to the beauty and cheerfulness
of the room, but assist so often as
supplementary work for the little
ones; and quite frequently thought
may be dropped that the larger ones
have not had the opportunity to
grasp. How eager they are to listen,
and how much more eager are they
then to continue their contributions
to the decoration of the schoolroom,
thinking there will be new thoughts
and inspirations brought up by the
teacher in next lesson. So it is very
essential that we teachers keep on
our guard and keep plenty of mater
ial lin the way of decorations) on
hand, in order that our pupils may
be led to think and question.
The care of the school property is
chiefly within the hands of the
teacher from this standpoint. The
teacher should carefully dictate to
the pupils, on the first morning of
school, the cautions to be observed
with regard to the care of school
property. Then the teacher should
be very careful to set an example for
the pupils to follow. 1t has been
wisely said, in comparing a child with