Year: 1871

MR. EDITOR On Thursday evening Of last


week we attended by invitation, and quite M


expectedly, an exhibition of the Grammar De-


partment OF the Union School Of your village.


1t is always pleasure to witness a school of
youth vieing with each other in their ascent OF


the Hill Of Science. 1t has been said by some
old vinegar-visaged misanthrope, whose name
we are glad we have forgotten, that education
would do very well for fools, but that people
delusion that both these classes are made bet
ter and happier by the advantages Of general
education, it is a glorious delusion and one
that the American people are likely to follow
for many years to come. Anthony Trollope,
the clever Englishman, who made tour OF this
country several years since to avail himself Of
the knowledge of American life and institu-
tions, said in one of his letters home, that the
amount of knowledge OF the boarding school
misses in the New York public schools was
fairly appalling. We do not confess to any
such surprise on this occasion, nor should we,
had the performances been unusually merito-
ious. as some OF them were, for we OF this
free and happy land have been disciplined to
any amount Of credulity in that direction. AS
there was a marked difference IN the efforts as
well as the pieces, we design no disparagement
to any OF the little folks, though we designate
few which seemed to us superior.


Among them was the little Scotch Duette,
charmingly sung by Junio Warner and Lizzie
Johnson The extreme youth Of the song
sters made the little love dtty all the more in
teresting, as they dlscoursed to each other in
tender tones and more tender glances, from
under their Highland caps.


Toll Roland, Toll !" very well rendered
recitation by little Miss frankie Otis, who
spoke in we'll rounded woman's voice, worthy
of one who could number more years.


The concert recitation by about dozen boys
and girls entitled 1.-The Drummer's BRIDE, " was
extremely interesting and we'll performed-the
voices being a close imitation of the muffled
tattoo, which sends the soldier to his night
quarters, and in imagination, the listener to
the night bivouac.


The colloquy Of " The Village with one Gen
tleman, was u good thing and well brought
out by SIX girls and the unfortunate young
man who was obliged to entertain the noisy
group all at once. \ hard time we'll feigned.


''The Unfortunate Man." comic song well
sung and acted by Frank Ward.


Many more pieces were spoken and acted
which, should we attempt a criticism, it would
be in the gestures and entrance and departure
from the stage. In some instances these very |
much lacked ease and grace--two essential
requisites to interesting performances on the
rostrum. AS this is a common fault we shall
be pardoned for these friendly words of eau
ton.


Even the best performance, however, was not
more interesting to the stranger visitor than
the contemplation of the noble structure, the
new school house, Of which the people OF Paw
Paw are 80 justly proud. And In this they
need not be 80 exalted as in the grand idea
that its doors are wide open, inviting the poor
and the down troiien, and the coiorei boy and
girl to an equal seat with the professional and
rich mans sons and daughters. American soil
is literally and eminently the land of the free /;
and slaves, in any sense, cannot breathe our
air-except in fashion-and common sense will |
put her tyranny to fight as one Of old did the
ten thousand. -"