The Detroit times., 1909-01-20
BIC HIGH SCHOOL
IS MANAGED BY
BRIGHT GIRLS
WASHINGTON IRVING iNSTiTu-
TON SETS A BRILLIANT EXAM
PIE OF THE development OF
CHARACTER.

NEW YORK, Jan. WHERE'S the
teacher?"
That Is what a visitor TO the open
ing exercises at any OF the five build
ngs Of the Washington Irving high
school invariably asks. He will see
no sign of principal assistant, or 9TH
or adult person on the platform. In
stead, seven or eight young misses
will come out upon the stage and seat
themselves. One will come forward
and say:
The meeting will please come to
order. We shall open school this morn
ing with a selection from the twenty
first chapter OF the Book Of Proverbs. .
She reads the passage in clear, dis
tinct voice, and takes her seat. A
girl comes forward with the stars
and stripes: another girl takes her
place at the piano: the students rise.
bring their hands TO their foreheads
in the attitude of the military salute
and sing together:
Il pledge allegiance TO my flag and
TO the republic for which 1t stands,
one nation indivisble and liberty and
justice for all.
Under guidance of a girl choister
they sing patriotic song.
A secretary then reads the minutes
OF similar meeting Of the day before
and undergoes criticism and correc-
ton from the other girls. Then comes
the literary and musical program OF
the day, 10 minutes OF II, every morn
ing. nothing ever read, always spok-
en- directly TO the audience. At times
three or four or 10 or so girls in the
rear OF the room rise to their feet.
This is because the speaker cannot be
heard. Sc must begin again. watch
her audience, and, at the first sign of
any one rising, she must repeat her
message.
Rules for Speaking.
There are tricks OF the trade in
speaking TO an audience. Every Wash
ington Irving girl. from the day Of her
entrance TO her departure, is drilled on
four simple directions. They were
given to the girls five years ago by
Director Frank Damrosch, In q course
Of lectures on public speaking. They
cover every essential of successful or
atory.
Rule one is: Pick out one OF the
most distant auditors and snterest
her" You must stop selhshly think
ing about yourself. or you are useless
as a platform speaker. Get out OF
yourself. DO something for somebody
else.
II you concentrate your attention on
a girl in the back seat. and watch
her face TO see whether she is listen
ing to you and understanding you;
If you make her listen and understand
you, your mind goes away from your
self TO her and you give out the mag
netism that is so we'll known a neces-
sity for successful platform workers.
whether actors or speakers.
The daily practice of this Damrosch
maxim for four years has developed
a wonderful absence of self-conscious-
ness, timidity and awkwardness in the
Washington Irving misses, as quite
the most natural school girls she had
ever seen" Mayor Mcclellan, who
was introduced to an audience OF
two thousand in the great hall OF
Cooper union, by 14-year-old Mar
guerite Gebhardi Of the Eighty-eighth.
st. branch of the school, who presided
over the meeting, said, the natural
ease and grace with which these girls
manage assemblies Is remarkable"
The other three secrets OF good
speaking set forth by Dr. Damrosch
are: Think of the lips; separate the
syllables; look out for the conson-
ants"
Nothing Is said about loudness, or
pitch, or any OF the hundred other
details OF the professional elocution-
list; but by perpetual insistance
these four simple rules. the Washing
ton Irving girls have become the most
efficient speakers In the city.
Accomplishment Noticeable.
II can always tell Washington Irt.
ing girl at once by the way she an
swers, clearly and distinctly" says
DR.. Elizabeth Jarrett, the board of ed
ucation's medical examiner, before
whom the candidates for admission TO
the Teachers training school must
come for certificates of physical fit
ness for entering the pedagogical field.
The teachers in the training school
say they can pick out the Washington
Irving girls by the way they take
charge of the class when the students
are given practice in the management
of the other students.
How is 1t that this particlar ac-
complishment is especially notable in
one Of the citys large public schools?
The writer's Inquiries trace 1t back TO
curious circumstance involving the
suggestion OF a citizen who is not a
teacher at all. When Patrick f. Nc.
Gowan, now president OF the board
aldermen, was member OF the school
board he selected the Washington Irv.
ing high school as his especial charge.
His residence is but short walk dis
tant from three OF its buildings. He
became a frequent visitor, and from
his activity in looking after the insti.
tutions interests In the board OF edu-
cation he soon became known as the
school father"
President MCGOWAN has ideas on
school management. One is that a
school ought not to be organized on
the lines OF an absolute monarchy. or
like military system. or a factory.
or a corporation. or an office, or a
store. but that IL should be on the lines
of the home and the family.
According TO DR.. Koch. the famous
German savant. the crocodile will nave
t. be exterminated from Africa before
the sleeping sickness can be con.
quered. as the disease Is spread by a