The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-09-25
OCALA SCHOOLS
AGAIN Open
Estimate This Morning Puts the At
tendance for the Season as
Larger than Ever

| Larger than Ever
The city schools opened this morn
| ing at $50 o'clock for a new ses-
sion, with what Prof. II. w. Cassels,
principal, believes is a larger attend
ance than last year. The exact num-
Der of students will not be known un-
til Prof. Cassels aas had a chance to
check up the enrolment in the vari-
Gus classes. He roughly estimates
that the number of students in the
high school has increased consider
ably, and that the number in the low
Ell classes is about the same as last
year.
For(the most part the hours this
morning were given to organization,
the assigning of classes and of books.
Short opening exercises were held in
the high school department. These
exercises were opened with a song.
Rev. j. NJ. Gross read passage from
the scripture; Rev. j. R. Herndon, Of
fered prayer. Short addresses were
made by Prof. Cassels, Mrs. William
Hooker, member of the city school
board, Mr.. w. D. earn former super
intendent of education for the county,
Rev. Herndon, and Rev. Gross. Mrs.
Allie Van Davis, teacher of express
sion, gave reading from "Hiawa-
tha." The attendance of parents and
friends was very slight. Not more
than dozen visitors were present in
the high school department.
The morning was bright and CHEEKY
and students and teachers began their
work with enthusiasm. Many of the
students were at the school buildings
before the doors were open, an hour
or more ahead of time.
Two things were stressed in the ad-
dresses made to the high school class
es. Prof. Cassels, commenting on the
very slim attendance of parents and
others at the opening exercises, and
pointing out the Importance of hav-
ing well attended exercises, said that
as long as the nigh school building
had no assembly hall it would be i'm
possible to have the efficiency in the
school that should obtain. He said
that an auditorium should be provid-
ed as soon as possible. Many of the
schools of the state, in towns much
smaller than Ocala, have auditoriums,
Prof. Cassels said. Mrs. William
Hooker, members of the city school
board, and the first woman in Florida
to be elected to such a position, made
a plea for a session Of friendliness and
cooperation. She asked that the ses-
sion of 1861 be enc of harmony
among teachers, students and par
epts. Mrs. Hooker expressed the
wishes of the trustees for a most sue
cessful year of work. She said that
the trustees had provided the proper
facilities for the schools to the extent
of the means available. Mr.. w. D.
earn, former county superintendent
of schools, thought, with Mrs. Hooker,
that an effort should be made to
make the session friendly one. Rev.
j. K. Herndon, pastor of the Presby-
terian church, also thought Mrs.
Hocker's point well taken. Rev. J.
M. Gross, pastor of the Methodist
church, said that it would be impos-
sible for the school TO do it's best work
without an auditorium, and he, too,
said that schools in towns much
smaller than Ocala were provided
with assembly halls. DR.. Gross spoke
Of the fad that is sweeping the coun-
try with regard. to children over
studying. He said that he had not
observed any tendency to over-study.
At the primary school building the
children gathered on the first floor
and began the year with song. Rev.
Bunyan Stephens, pastor of the Bap-
tist church, offered prayer, and
Prof. j. Ii. Brinson, superintendent of
the schools for the county, made a
brief address. There were many new
faces in the primary grades. The at
tendance, according to Miss Nellie
Stevens, principal, is about the same
as last year. The enrolment this
morning was about 1913 boys and girls.
In the beginners class for girls Is
in the beginners class for
boys 26, in the advanced first grade
for boys 26, for girls 80, in the Sec
ond grade Sc, and in the second grade
10 boys and "a girls.