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Show THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS As Seen by n "Reporter" HepresenMive. NOT PROPERLY GRADED. Central School Housft Sorely Needed Plenty of Room'' at Present Noter. On Tuesday last a representative ol this paper visited the district schools, and found them in a flourishing condition. The first school visited was Mr. Ssott's, corner ol Main and Ftrst North. The school room is 10x30 with a 12 loot ceiling. ceil-ing. It is pretty well ventilated and lighted having S windows all ot which were partly open permitting; plenty of fresh air to enter the room. The school room has a seating capacity of 80 persons per-sons and already 64 of that number are 'n attendance, 24 boys and 40 girls. The desks have beeh repaired and repainted and look quite well, but are rather clumsy clum-sy and inconvenient. New desks are ineeded and also n.-w benches. The school, taking everything in consideration, considera-tion, is pretty fair. The pupils are progressing pro-gressing nicely and all seem under perfect per-fect control. They are dressed neatly, but some are barefooted and not provided pro-vided with handkerchiefs. The next school visited was Miss Scott's. He th; reporter) saw a narrow room rathei dingv looking about 12x30 -with a 12 foot ceiling. The light is nc-t so very good, coming from the north side of the building, but thete arefouT windows and perhaps sufficient suf-ficient air and light is admitted on an ordinarily clear day. The desks here are modern and the room presents a neat and clean appearance. There are 52 pupils in this school, but on this day but 30 wvre present, the balance being absent on account of colds, work, etc. The children are orderly and all seem to take great interest in their studies. Miss Scott works somewhat to a disadvantage disad-vantage having no desk. The benches also are not of the best. The next school visited was the South ward primary. This room is well aired and lighted, having eight windows and one door, three windows on the south three on the north and two and the door on the ea3t. The sun shines into the room when it is most needed, in the morning. The room is as clean and neat as a school room can possibly bend the pupils look bright and intelligent. The teacher, Miss Louise Keller, seemes to have remarkable control over the pupils and they, as In the other schools, seem to have aa affectionate regard for their teacher. , The reporter passed in mst as the physical culture exercises were in progresfiand watched the movements with great interest. The pupils are well drilled in the exercises and seem to take a keeo interest in them. The children I attending this school seem more orderly ' and "better behaved than in any other , school in the city, although all are good, j There are 64 pupils enrolled, 34 boys ; and 30 girls. The school room in bright and cheerful, but the floor is very bad ! indeed and the benches are about worn 1 out. The desks here are of the hand-; hand-; made pattern, clumsy and awkward, cut with their new coat of paint they present a fair appearance. A new floor and new desks and benches are needed in this room and needed badly. This wound up the visits for one day and on the following afternoon the reporter re-porter started out again, calling first at the advanced school where the fourth and fifth readers are taught. This room is large, has a high ceiling and is well ventilated, having six large windows to admit light and air. A large clock adorns the wall on the south and ticks fouith the seconds of time. This room is the best yet visited and the repprter was pleased with its appearance, - but there is srll room for improvement. There are 55 pupils enrolled and there is toora for a few mow but not many. The pupils are orderly and obedient and all seem to take an unusually great interest in their studies. The teacher, Mr. Ezra Christiansen, is a bright, intelligen young man. although this is his firat year, he is meeting with remarkable suc-ces. suc-ces. The pupils seem to respect him aud in return he is patient and kind with them. The next school visited was that of N W. Anderson in the South ward assembly assem-bly hall. This is by far the best room in the city.having an abundance of room, light and air. The second and third glades are taught here and the names of 47 bright boys and girls are enrolled on the records. The teacher showed our regresentative some specimens of drawing, draw-ing, the works of the pupils, and all of them were good, some being very nearperlect. The school room is the best and most cheerful in the city, the pupils are very studious and the teacher j has reason to be proud of his school. It will be seen by reading the above that the schools, at present, are in fair condition, but by this time next month they will be overcrowded. While there is at present, plenty or room, it 13 not of tho right kind. The ceilings in most places being to low, the floors in poor condition and the desks not of the best. Nearly all of the teachers labor to some disadvantage. The schools, although better than heretofore, are not properly graded. There are two schools in the citv where the same grades, the second and third, are taught. This is not a3 it shonld be- If the second reader grade was taught in one school and the third in the other, the teachers of the seperate sehools would be better able to handle the clases.- Everything would be more convenient and the pupils and teachers could work to greater advantage. Ihe same condition exists with regard to the primary and first reader grades, and this could also be bettered by having the first grade taught in one school and the primary in the.other. Most of the build ings, while they answer the purposo, are hardly fit for schoolrooms. What is needed is a central schaol and .a large one at that. The schools are now scattered scat-tered and arranged on the here and there plin. They should be centralized. A central school would do this and also make the matter of grading very easy. The trustees say they have done the best they could, and as this is no doubt true, we hope they will not stop there but go on and do better work until they have a central school s.nd then work to improve that in every way possible. pos-sible. Manti has a large number of school children and is entitled to bet ter school facilities than those furnished at present. With regard to the, instructors instruc-tors it can be safely said that Manti has the best corps of teachers of any city of its size in the territory. All the teachers cordially welcomed the reporter and expressed ex-pressed themselves as delighted to receive re-ceive visitors. Parents should visit the schools as often a9 possible, their visits would encourage and cheer the teachers and be ol great benefit to the pupils, and besides they could see for themselves bow the schools are conducted. , NOTES. In several schools the snapping of fingers to attract the teacher's attention was noticable. This is a bad habit for one to get into and should not be allowed. In all the schools there are one or two who have loose arms and swing them frantically above their heads when desiring desir-ing the teachers attention. Physical culture is fast becoming an important feature in the public schools, nd this is as it should be. The teachers hold weekly meetings and they are full of interest to pedagogues. peda-gogues. A central school should be built as soon as possible and the classes properly proper-ly graded. Parents should see that their children are provided with handkerchiefs. All the teachers have a big job on their hands blit seem equal to it. Miss Scott should be provided with a desk. |
