Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-08-14

and those who have listened have all
learned much OF the best method Of relat-
ing the stories that are essential in the
primary teaching and so useful IN the
higher grades.
Boys Taught 60 Garden.
Another phase OF the play movement
shows itself in the gardens that are the
pride OF all the schools Seeds are fur
nished the children and tools with which to
work and the favorable patches of the
school yards are spaded up and sown In
radishes and lettuce and onions and all the
other spring vegetables that do not need
too much care and attention.
Five OF six hundred boys are drawn into
the work through their school teachers and
the workers of the Young Mems Christian
association. which is an institution second
only to the public schools in the work II
does to keep young boys interested in
wholesome pursuits. Every spring there is
competitive exhibit and the proud gar
deners show the results of their abors for
prizcs and praise
All the possibilities .. their own back
yards at home are made known to the chill
dren in this way. A mode of playing that
brings not only present pleasure but ru-
ture results I'm comfort or gain Is not hard
TO teach and does immeasurable good.
The seed merchants OF the city are glad
to furnish to the children through the
schools as distributors, all the flower seeds
that they will take at cost. Every child is
given a chance to send in his or her own
order early In the season and when the
seeds come. instruction Is given in how to
care for each sort of plant.
And It is not only the children them
selves who reap the rewards of this pleas
ant activity. The results are seen in better
kept yards, in fresh and beautiful flowers
beds where before were weed patches and
bare spots.
High school Athletics.
Higher still than the grades the play
spirit manifests itself in the high school
under faculty supervision. High school
athletics are q necessary part of the pre-
paratory schools activities and many
youths receive training through them that
they would otherwise miss altogether In
the Omaha High school the girls have a
fine gymnasium of their own with an in
structor and they have their competitive
contests in basket ball and other spirited
games
Another high school activity that seems
little too staid and earnest to be classed
with the play activities, but in fact an
outgrowth Of the same desire for individual
accomplishment outside of the class ROOM
is the work of the many societies. These
clubs organized and managed under the
direction of teachers take up debating and
orstory, music, languages such as Latin
and German. literature and composition
the discussion of travel and life in foreign
countries and everything else that may in
terest the high school youth in an intel
lectual way.
The bank glee club and orchestra are
large organizations with enthusiastic MEM
bers who spend their time gladly for thu
good of the cause The work of the Latin
society in awakening an interest in the
classics and in classic times and places
has attracted the attention of the faculties
of higher schools. pupil may belong to
several of these at the same time and his
interests developed along many lines at
once. All these activities go to make the
school life more pleasurable. more helpful
and less a dreary monotony.
The schools OF Omaha are used by the
board of education as a means of supplying
better teachers for the future and teach
the superintendent of instruction has been
successfully carried on for several years
Teachers Training school.
The course extends over two years, and
girls are accepted to take up the work who
have had a high school education. There
have always been about forty girls en-
tered at time in the two years course
divided evenly between those studying FOR
kindergarten work and those who aspire to
teaching in the grades. SAL
For four days in the week these girls
go to assigned schools and work with tho
| teachers. They are called upon to help il
the actual work of school teaching, 1t il
their duty as well as the regular teachers
| to get acquainted with the individual need!
| and desires Of all the pupils, and. by thu
time the two years are up, they know {
| great deal OF the teachers trials and prob
lens, although they have been bearing
very little responsibility.
On the fifth day OF the school week the!
are instructed in a class room in the theor!
of pedagogy. The supervisors that hav