Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1912-04-25
OUR SCHOOL WITH
A POOR TEACHER.

{; fourth reading class was called up to
recite. She had no method Of calling:
any way to get them to the recitation
seats was her plan. So after much
confusion and less of time, the mem
bers of the class struggled to the
front by ones and twoes as it suited
| their convenience.
When all We're as nearly ready as
they ever were in this school, the
teacher, sitting at her desk, announce
ed, John, read" John arose, threw
one foot upon the seat, held the book
in his lap, proceeded to read the first
paragraph. The selection was en-
titled, Useful Knowledge page 172.
SWinton's reader. BY slow work and
much spelling of some words and mis-
pronouncing of others, John managed
to get to the last word of the third
line and stopped short "Spell the
word says the teacher. "A-b-o-r-ig-i-
nos" spells John. Why, John, that
word is A-bor-i-ginnes. John re-
peated it after the teacher and con
tinued, a few words furtheer when
some one in the rear of the room
spells, "P-u-r-p-o-s-e-s.'' s'That word
is proposes, Jane. Now study your
lesson and don't bother me- Go on,
John John continued another line.
"Teacher, I can't find Memphis
speaks up another. "Stop your noise,
Susan, and hunt for something else"
Teacher, make Ole stop pinching
me- "Ole! you behave yourself and
git your gogrofy lesson" Attention,
school, says the teacher, .snow
want you all to git to work or some
one will be punished.''
While the rest of the pupils and the
teacher were engaged in these side
issues, John lost his place. When he
had finally found it, he said the rest
OF the words in the paragraph, mis-
pronouncing in all Is words. Moth.
Ing was said about these, as no one
had noticed them. Too much else was
going on for anyone to notice Johns
mistakes.
Emma, read next" said the teach
er Emma opens her book and be-
gins to hunt for the place, which in
time, is found with Johns help for he
still had his finger where he left off.
Emma read like whirlwind, calling
every word something, tho scarcely
word could be understood. Thus the
recitation continued, each reader be-
ing interrupted more or less by other
}pupils asking questions and the
teacher answering them The lesson
covered eight pages and as many days
could have been spent upon it by this
class. It contained at least sixty
words that the pupils did not under
stand well enough to use in sentences
OF their own making. They could
not spell, pronounce, nor divide into
syllables many of the words Many
geographical terms and places were
mentioned in the lesson could have
been explained by use of the set of
maps, which had been hidden away in
the dusty closet. These maps had
cost the district $4,000 and if proper
ly used, were worth $500 to the dis
trict, but this teacher thot it was too
much trouble to use them. To do so
properly, she would have to put extra
preparation upon the lessons. The
dictionary should have been freely
used in the preparation Of this lesson.
The pupils might have been asked
while studying the lesson, to pick out
and write in different columns, the
nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc. They
might have done the same with words
| Of three syllables, four syllables and
SO on, but no. None Of these things
were done.
The next lesson was hurriedly as
signed and the fourth reading class
took their seats as they had left
them, a little older but not wiser.
The above is merely a sample of
the daily class work done in this
school.
When the time for intermission
came, the teacher simply said,
Schools dismissed and all made
rush for the door, yelling at the top
Of their voices.
The school room was not decorated
except by some cards hanging by one
corner, crayon marks about the walls,
and a few lunches Of leaves that had
been put there three years before and
they had not been busted since they
| entered the school room.
There was also a begrimed motto
to be seen above the teachers desk,