The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-21
CITY ] NEWS
WHAT HELPED THEM
Seward School Grade Graduates Tell
Of Helpful Influences in
School Life.
Self Reliance, Facility Of EXPIRES
sion, Perseverance, Etc, Among
the Lessons Learned.

This afternoon. at the eighth grade
commencement Of the south district, a
paper was read that will attract the
thoughtful consideration of all who are
interested in education and particularly
In the Minneapolis public schools It
was entitled Opinions and was read by
Adelbert Palson OF the Seward school. AS
| is explained insthe paper herewith given,
| all of the grades graduates were asked
a few weeks ago, quite without warning,
| to write an exercise giving briefly what
they, believed to be the greatest influence
Of their school life. The result was an
interesting revelation to the teachers, and
| the set Of papers are full Of suggestions
A group Of the opinions, showing many
phases, were culled for the paper read to-
day, and represent the whole fairly. The
paper is as follows: ..
! Children form opinions all during their
school life; these they change from time
to time, as new light comes to them and
they form better judgments. Only he
| (ore was 1t she?) who is convinced against
his will is Of the same opinion STILL
| Grown people never seem to recognize that
we do form opinions, or that our -opin-
| ions are worth anything. Hence we were
the more surprised when, one day towards
| the close of our eighth year, we were
asked to think seriously Of all the time
since we entered the baby room, seven or
eight years ago, many of us with beat
ing hearts. sobbing out our loudest pro-
| test to our mothers, who that day set
our unwilling feet In the path leading to
the Temple Of knowledge. We were asked
to write an honest opinion Of what we
really thought helped most, individu
ally, during our school life, thus far. This
we did to the best of our ability, and here
are our opinions
! last year Mr.. Bowling, the speaker Of
the house in our own state legislature,
addressed our class. When I saw for my
self what a man with only one leg, one
arm and no hand could do for himself,
/ made up my mind that boy with all
his limbs could do as much. It made me
thankful for a good body, for health and
a chance~to do something. I then realized
that every one is his own master. What
I shall be depends upon myself-not on
parents or teachers. The lesson learned
that day Of dependence upon my own
efforts helped me most
zone Of the girls wrote thus:
Many beautiful lessons have come to
me since I entered the baby room eight
so much for me as the study of the pic
ture Of Sir Galahad. "A lesson like that,
which shows the beauty of pure heart,
is one that does more to influence ones
life than all the arithmetic, or grammar
or history a person could ever learn. The
weak and the helpless shall be better for
my having lived near them. just the same
as the weak and lowly were better for
Galahad's help
Thinks for Himself.
"And here is boys opinion:
LAS child my sole aim was to get
exact answers to my examples as quickly
as I could. I learned perseverance, and
exactness. learned to think for myself
this year, for If ! didn't, my. teacher
merely laughed at any attempt made to
have her think for me. She always in
terpreted ones II don't understand as
Il am lazy, please work for me- and
what boy wants to be put in that class?
That sentence so full OF reprooI, 1orced
me to use my own brain. 1t will help
me all through life to be Independent, to
depend upon myself alone. I learned that
have just as much power to help my
self as any one else has, If use it. This
is what helped me most : .
"'Spelling,' says girl, helped me most
Understanding the derivation and exact
meaning of words helps me to express
my thoughts better. In eighth grade
learned to distinguish the shades Of mean
ing Of words, just the same as dis
tinguish tones Of color. It really gives
me new light on all I read:'
IA boy says:
.Punctuality to the minute, obedience
to all rules and cheerfulness in doing oul
r work have all Influenced me very much
l. 1 learned, to look on my work as priv
:. lege and to be glad to have an opportunity
>. of doing something to help myself by do
- ing it.
e Here is another boys opinion:
|, MANY good things have been dom
) for me during my school life, but re
If gard the opening up Of the book Worl'
Le by my teacher when she read to us an
l.. when she Influenced US boys to get libra
=, ry cards to use in getting books from tn
;, public library branch established In Sew
II ard school, as the one thing that vii
% help me most in the future I shall neve
E. forget my teachers reading OF tn
e. "Krishts Of the Round Table, it was a.
e so beautiful and real I shall always Low
.. the book almost as much as I loved 81
Galahad himself. I am very sure my III
win be influenced always by the book,
the picture and by the little talks on
r read It, q +.