Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-06-22
"oLo SCHOOLS AND NEW"
Graduating Grafton of Miss Mabe

common school system of today is on
he down grade. As one leaves his
school days behind. he forgets the un-
pleasant and remembers only the en-
oyable things. On the other hand
he trials of our every day life seem
arge enough to cover the sky. When
We hear these gloomy criticisms we
eel like comforting ourselves with
he words of Mr.. Dooley: "Whin
'ead in a sermon that tn wurrld is
soin' to pot, that tn foundations iv
sovernmint is threatened, that tn
Whole fabric iv civilized s'ciety is in
langer that humanity is on tn down
Grade, an morality Is blinkin', an
hat tn future iv tn race is destruc-
ion, can always console mesilf with
van thought--it isn't So"
In our land the first school-houses
were made of logs with but one room
IN the following lines Mr. Whittier
gives us vivid description of the
school he attended:
Within the masters desk is seen,
Deep Scared by raps official;
rhe warpng floor, the battered seats.
The jack-knife's carved initial;
rhe charcoal frescos on its walls;
rs doors worn sill betraylng
The feet that. creeping slow to
school.
Went storming out to playing"
Tho school-house was one of the
most important buildings of the town
md many of the meetings were held
here The principal furniture was
he teachers desk, the long benches
'or the pupils. made so high that
many OF the little ones could not
ouch their feet to the floor: a box
stove in the center of the room. and "A
blackboard for the teachers special
$50 and too sacred to be touched by
the pupils.
The teacher was generally a man
| Of stern countenance and strict meth
DDS. Most of the teachers taught for
a term or two Just to make money to
| lit themselves for some other position; I;
many having aspirations to the pulpit
or the bar A good example of an old
| time school teacher is lrving's lcha-
| bod Crane: tall. lank figure with
| long arms and legs, a small head with
huge ears, large CLASSY eyes. and n
| long, pointed nose. or course this
| will not apply to all the teachers OF
| those times, bu. most of them were
strict and Taught in about the same
manner. making the important studies
| the three RS"
There was much made of the spell
ing matches; they were held at least
once a week and sometimes oftener.
In one of the Boston schools rec
ord of the spelling has been kept for
many years, showing that the pupils
of the present day are better spoilers
IN general, than were their grandpa
| rents.
Much time was given to committing
to memory a greater portion OF the
work. 1t has been thought lately that
not enough memorizing has been done
in our schools. but within the last
year there is a tendency to have more
verbal memorzing in all grades.
Pupils were punished for any small
offense II seen by the teacher. Some
of the punishments were whippings
standing on the floor by the teacher
or in a corner. One punishment fol
the pupil who did not know his les
son was having to stand before hi
class with tall Ounce cap on hi
head Now the punishments are dif
fetrent better results are obtained b.
gentler means.
The teachers of those times locke,
upon their work more as a trade ant
II a man failed In something els'
ne usually became a teacher Th'
wages of some of them did not ex
ceed sixteen dollars a month. AT th
present time teacher has to hay'
high school education before teach
ing a common school, and colleg
school teacher.
In the old-time school the schoo
board visited the school quite often
and especially on the last day O
school when there was n general e,
animation conducted by these specia
men, who would take some class an
q go through an examination as bes
they could or perhaps part OF the tim
g was devoted to exercises of som
+ kind, but nothing like our High schot
e graduation day.
, ne DuDlla VI ioi'S yNhio hEp 40
= little given them as inspiration. Th
p seat was rough, the teacher austere
d the books few and often far beyon
d his comprehension; the hours lonj
: and in general the path OF knowledg
l. thorny Everything was down In
S Purltanical way at school, and the al
vantages at home were comfortles
r to say the least.
s Education has been an evolution.
@ started with few houses, small an
e crowded. 1t grew by degrees until
y present all our cities have fine lare
r. school houses. and even the smalle'
/. towns have school building OF son
G. kind. The country is dotted wit
Is school-houses, well built and we
e furnished with good desks and sea
for each pupils. There are many 9TH
Ie convenlences in our schools that we
Jr not known long ago.
a. Our present day schools are on u
IL. upgrade. Massachusetts Ii an illu
O. tration; she has stood ~ well a. q