The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1910-05-11
A Visit TO the Laurens Mill School

visit to the Laurens cotton mill school
some morning. From the ltindergar-
ten to the third and fourth grades
there is something to interest one who
loves these little human flowers plant
ed in the worlds garden to grow by
learning how to live. After children
have passed the fourth grade they are
sent to the town school. But it is
here in the lower grades that the seeds
for character are sown and the young
mind is impressed with the good, the
true, and the beautiful.
We reached the handsome school
building in time for the opening ex-
crcisos and went first TO Miss Simp-
sons room, where thirty five bright
young faces looked up at us as they
sat in readiness for the tap of the bell
for the opening of school. When the
bell sounded at the count of one, two
three, every child was up and in po-
sition for marching to the auditorium
The auditorium is large and attractive
and here all the grades assemble for
morning exercises. Miss Simpson read
a few verses from the Bible and the
whole room Joined i'm the morning
prayer. The children sang with
such vim and pleasure that they seem
ed as happy as birds on spring
morning, each one joining in and
swelling the chorus of young voices.
After the exercises in the auditorium
lowed by the teacher.
Our next visit was to the kinder
garten, This is comfortable room
we'll lighted and ventilated. and Miss
Thames and Miss Willie Mae Childress
have charge of this department.. At
one end of the room were two low.
broad tables around which the little
kindergarteners sat Around the walls
were black boards pictures. growing
plants and piano. When we entered
Miss Thames called the leaders from
either side and Miss Childress began
the music for a march. and each little
Il
painted circle in the center of the
room. keeping good time to the music.
The two leaders crossed and formed
large circle. Then they sang Good
morning to the Sun" and several .,her
songs. Then marching back each lit
tie child picked up his chair and af-
ter another military march placed
the chairs around the circle and were
seated ready for the teachers oues
tions. Among other things, Miss
Thames asked what was the season
of the year? All rodnd the circle lit
tie hands went up in hurry: finally
little Joe was allowed to say sprine
tlme. Well how do you know that
it is spring time?" was the next oues-
ton. The little hands went up again
and many shook in eagerness to an
swer; one little fellow could not wait
for the teachers permission but Joy
ously exclaimed cause we got lit
tie biddies at our house" After a few
more questions they sang the making
gestures, drawing the needle and
thread back and forth and hammer
ing the pegs with "a rap-a-tap-tap
rap-a-tap-tap," Baby's Ball and 9TH
er songs. When the signal was given
to be seated little fat faced fellow
who had sore finger kept standing,
and little Sam who was one of the
leaders, dear bright little fellow,
gave him gentle reminder to be
seated, in the way OF a push which
made him take his seat more en-
phatically than he anticipated doing
and. this brought threatening frown
to his face. Miss Thames at once saw
the situation and had Sam remind him
more gently and with apologies to be
seated and the frown soon vanished
little prayer song with the children
2iI kneeling around the teacher i'm
the center of the circle, was very i'm
pressive. Their promptness i'm re-
sponing to the teacher was refreshing
All seemed interested and these thirty
little children, boys and girls. four,
live and six years old. were under
perfect control and so happy with il
all, eager to learn and to be part
OF every thing. After a song where
some were swallowe and some were
mice and some were kittens. acted as
we'll as sung, there were several skin
m rfh