AN HOUR IN SCHOOL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 39, 10 September 1887, Page 2

AN HOUR IN SCHOOL.

rfiY AN KX-tEDAOOCUE.' Thebe ia an aphorism that the happiest days of ones life are schooldays, the days when marbles and tops have almost equal value with pound notes, and teflee and lollies rank amongst the main joys of existence Ttue the happiness is duly tempered with the sundiy smalt woes; occasional castigations, of dire Sombats with “ stiff ’’ sums; or small agonies at Being “ kept ifi” on a fine sdnny afternoon. But after pH th? mild Heartburnings and small sorrows of youth pass away as quickly as they some, and, all things considered, the truth of the saying I quoted is almost undoubted. At any rate, If the rows of aheeiful faces I saw the other day up at the Gisborne School ba any criterion as to the contented mluds of their possessors, the saying evidently holds good with our Gisborne youngsters. To an expedagogue a new school has a special interest, and when that school has gained a reputation far and wide for good work, its interest is increased. Mr Morgan having kindly as-

sented to my wish to have a " look round,” I found myself last Wednesday afternoon being duly taken charge ot by that gentleman, and proceeded to put my desire into execution. First we have a lock in at the Sixth standard room. Here we find Mr Bull in charge of some twenty boys and eight or nine girls, all hard at work at a written geography lesson. Order, admirable; room, bright, well ventilated, everything in flwt-ciass orderall points to be noted, Here nt one end, apart from the others, are a few boys and girls who have passed the Sixth standard, and are still in the school. These do not still do the Sixth woik, but attack a wider range of study under Mr Bull’s supervision. Of course with a big Sixth to work, they cannot get much actual tuition, but they work well by themselves, getting occasional help when Mr Bull can spare time. They wrestle with the mysteries of Latin declensions, worry out those wretched verba, are plodding on to easy equations in Algebra, and have successfully conquered the. first, twenty “props” of Euclid. To the common cry that a boy or girl should leave school when he or she passes the Fourth, here is an excellent answer to ba found in this room. The average age here in the Sixth standard seems to be about twelve, here is one at ten, another at eleven, very few over twelve. We have a look at

the exercise books and maps—models of neatnesj—better map-work it would be difficult to find; lam glad to see that Mr Hill Is satisfied with one half-hour a week for science. In some districts Inspectors are madly in love with this subject and insist upon a large amount of time being devoted to it, so the unfortunate children have to puzzle their brains with all the “ ologiee,” and frequently end by doing nothing but spoiling their other really necessary work. Drawing gets 45 minutes a week, and considering tile shortness of the time, and the number to be tailght, the work shown me was very creditable indeed. Leaving Mr Ball we cross to the Third standard where Miss Sutherland, who is a recent arrival, has charge of a largo class. Here I find the youngsters all agog before a big map of North America. For a class lesson they are massed at one end ot the room, and they aro now exploring the Mississippi Valley, in imagination. The accuracy of the answers astonishes one until we are informed they are going over old work with a view to the all-important examination in October. Another look at the oXercise-bOoks. The

writing is exceptionally good for thia standard —far better than what pasaea a child in the Wellington province. The neatness of the books ia also very marked. The third is a very important standard, for unless well prepared the work in the fourth becomes almost impossible to be got through in the year. However, these children seem all to be ahead of the standard work, and when they go on a step higher they will be quite ready for their troubles. Before we leave this room we have some reading, in which I noticed a charming absence of the sing-song which is so frequently met with, and an equally pleasing presence of the aspirate, so frequently omitted. The school-cleaners do not have to sweep up many h's dropped in this school, that’s one thing certain. “Now for my favourites," says Mr Morgan, as we pass along to Standard IV. “ I’ve some grand fellows here,” says my conductor, “ but they're a bit skittish at times.” The truth of his last remark is confirmed in a striking manner, for as we enter the room we hear an ominous' swish I swish! swish!” and arrive just in time to see one of the skittish ones retiring to his seat, ruefully and tearfully rubbing the palms of his hands together in a most ludicrously comical style. The old adage of " spare the rod and spoil the child ” evidently finds credence here, I am glad to see. Theorists may prate of “ moral suasion " as they like, but a little whacking, judiciously laid on, never hurt a boy yet, and does him a world of good at times, though no doubt the " swished " one, just sitting down, would not support the contention. Both boys and girls in this room look an especially bright lot and Miss Evans speaks well of her charges. Some roguish young rascals amongst the lade, I am glad to see, Out upon your smug-faced, goody-goody boys, with “nary a goak in them,” as Artemus Ward says) give me a boy with a dash of mischief in him. Who does not love Tom Sawyer, with all his pranks, or chuckle over the wily juvenile wickedness of a Huckleberry Finn. Mark Twain brings back to his adult readers many a memory of juvenile scrapes, and long may they enjoy their small pranks, say I. Despite the reputation of " larkiness ” enjoyed by this lot, the work is good, excellent writing—the writing all round the school is exceptionally good—good reading, and some very good mental arithmetic, of which more anon, I meet with an old acquaintance or two in this room. Here is our friend Dick Whittington, divested of his London glory and without his cat, a slate and a book taking the place of poor puss. Here is Master Jimmy Buchanan, who reads for my benefit “ The Story of the Birkenhead,” and right well he reads, too. “ Do those theatricals do the regular work any harm?” I ask. " Not a bit of it,” contends Mr Morgan, “ it sharpens their wits, spurs their energies—a capital thing if not carried to excess.” Having examined some maps by Douglas Graham and Hedley Thompson, both of whose productions were produced for my edification by the loudlyexpressed wish of the class, we leave Miss Evans to her work, and the " larky ” class to their studies, and trot on to Standard V. Here we find Mr Woodward, who seems as popular in school as he is out of it. Again the discipline seems excellent, class under good control, attention good. That abomination of the average schoolboy, to wit analysis and parsing, is on, and it is pleasing to notice the master's clear explanation and good method. As in the other classes the blackboard is in constant use and with good effect. Mr Morgan delivers a spirited enconium on the work of his favourite Fourth as to mapping, thereby exciting much enthusiasm amongst the Fifth, as to their own particular shining lights, some of whose work in their exercise books is certainly well up to the mark. A short chat here and we come to Standard 11. Here we come across the pupil-teacher system in force, and apparently with good results. A mental arithmetic display is made for my benefit, and I must say to my complete astonishment. Certainly a speciality of this school is this same mental arithmetic, I never saw such quickness and such wonderful accuracy. On now to Standard I. where some three score lasses and lads are being instructed in the mysteries of simple subtraction. Here in these lower standards must much hard work be done, for here is the raw material from which is evolved the future Sixth standard crack. A merry well-behaved crowd of youngsters ; no fear, no terrorism, everyone seems to be happy and enjoying their work. It was rather late when we interviewed Miss Dawson’s battalions in the Infant school, and some had gone Lome for the day. Attendance to-day 335 in this department alone 1 That is what we read on the board, and the thought ariiesas to what on eaith will they all find to do when they grow up, and what large families the Gisborne people must have However, theories as to Malthusianism and calculations as to thefuture don’t trouble the heads of the infants; they seem jolly enough. Here are youngsters of all kinds, shock-headed boys, clean-cropped boys, looking as if they had been subject to the traditional basin system of hair cutting at home, quiet demure-looking boys, larkylooking boys, boys to the right of you and boy t to the left of you. And the girls—here they

every variety of pinafore, some with a plain little white one, othere-Yn the full glory of a crewel worked apron. The bovs ark hard at work *t,arithmetic, and the gitfl *t(j sewing. It is useless id protekt niy ignorance of sewing, and Mr Morgan takes out of the drawer wondrously patched socks, cunningly hemmed handkerchiefs, and tailor work which would put the average snip to utter shame, The next male generation In Gieborne will bless Miss Dawson and the setting slhm. Wb«tl their wives taw On their buttops ntdOstly and darn up the yawning gap in the heel of 3 sock. Don’t talk to mo about raising the school age, you retrenchment.run-rabid folks, Go up and see those three hundred, children under klisy Dawson’s oaretdi supervision—ice the habits d! order; neatness, find civility which are dally Inou'cated, ano if yod'kc tw converted, I'm a Dutchman, Miss Dawion II evidently both an efficient and popular mistress, and the void left by the long-to-be-lamented death of Mil Bull, hat been well filled. With the infants my task was a task which became a pleasure as I journeyed through the WhOol. Wai gop<| order, neat work, and smiling faces, No trisci of terrorism in this school—that il eaeily Men by the visitor who hai ever taught. The masters and mistresses aro evidently not feared, but liked, and the work is done chMr* fully. Before my visit I wondered at the excellent work turned out by this school I after visiting it I wonder no longer. It if to thk excellent, hard-working staff ■ that the credit is due, and the town is to be congratulated upon possessing such a staff. In writing the above I have doubtless missed many a point I ought to have referred to, but those interested must pardon a careless 'observer, I must thank Mr Morgan lor the time and trouble he took to explain everything; and conclude by wishing both masters and soholari every ppß?tble success at the forthcoming eXi aminations,