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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1915)
HOW THE EMDf WINTER QUARTERS IN THE DOLOMITES MIIONAL L SYST GVPflAL ATTAJD IN em K1ITW 5 00 WQRKS G A FJ Florence Palton Writes of Day Spent in Model Educational Institutions. WORK ALL PLAY FOR PUPILS Family Spirit Is the Strong Feature of the System Teacher Is Llko Mother of Flock Grown-Upo Attend Night Schools. By FLORENCE PATTON. Chicago. A ilay In tlio Gary (Ind.) Bchools and a half hour with William A. Wirt, educational wizard, has Just boon my privllcgo. Tho day began at eight and ended nt flvo, tho regular school poriod of a Gary child, and I carao away illlcd with an almost reverent admiration for this qulot, aimplo man of accomplish ment. I could understand why his rovolution of Gary schools had urged his namo for superintendent of Chica go schools to succeed Mrs. Young, and why Now York city begged his advlco to tho tuno of 110.000, recently. Standing in the warm fntnlly atmos phere of this Gary model placo. I know that I had hated tho stereotyped school day; tho stiff standing shoulder to shoulder in lino to march to class; tho everlasting sameness of that morning assombly; tho clang of tho boll; tho depression of that watch upon whls poring I always did havo so much to say to Mary or Sadlo or Roso ; tho "Bit up children straight" (it was so comfy to lounge a bit 1 could think bottor) and all tho rest of it that still ondures and Irks a child unmcrcl fully. How can tho grado teacher with her smattering of information oxpect to compoto in interesting a child, with tha tutor, who, through specializing, is thorough, introspective Intultlvo and resourceful? It isn't tho grndo toachcr who Is to blamo. It's tho systom. It camo over mo bo suddenly, so re freshingly in tho EmorBon trip, that I confess I was rattled when William A. Wirt, superintendent of schools of Gary, said ho was ready for a talk. "What 1b it? What is it about thiB 'placo that fits ono llko a rocking chair, mado to order?" I wanted to know. And tho qulot nnswor camo pat; "It's tho family spirit." No Overworked Children. I mentioned tho long period from eight, until llvo o'clock. Lot nobody lm nglno thoro nro overworked children in tho Gary schools. Primarily, tho extra two hours from throo to llvo, aro meant to keep tho boy and girl out of tho Btroot. It 1b a crime, according to Mr. Wirt, to lot thoso two hours bo wasted, when thoy can bo put In with Interesting play in tho school. For there is no work In tho Gary schools. It is all play, meant to bo so. And by tho appoaranco of tho children, you know this to bo so. Tho Emor Bon, like tho bigger Froobol school, ac commodates tho high school pupils, tho grado children and tho kindergar tens, all at tho snmo tlmo. Again It Is tho family idea. Tho younger ones havo constantly boforo them tho ox amplo of tho oldor children. For instance, a kindergarten room may bo placed noxt to tho botany room or tho physics laboratory. How tho big oyos stare into thoso moro digni fied quarters, how tho llttlo Imagina tions plan to reach thoro somo day! And I saw a high school pupil racing along a corridor with a llttlo tad in tow, when classes changed ono hour. Ab to changing thoro Is not sot or 3er, no rulo, no stiff lining up. In clas3 and out, pupils aro not subjected to tho constant "8h!" ndmon,lshraont. Tho toachor 1b moro llko tho mothor of tho flock or tho big Bister, and down in tho BhtfpB tho boys appear to bo work ing with father. It Is Just bocauso thoro nro no sot, prlsonllko rules, that thero is no noise and no disorder. Some Group Always Playing. And somo group Is playing all of tho tlmo. Thero aro about llvo acres Df playground about tho school and a wading pool and gardon for tho spring and summon And tho auditorium, cymnasiums nnd swimming pool aro seldom ompty. Somo group is always playing. When ono of throo groups returns for arithmetic or drawing, nn othor group gooB out to romp or to music in tho auditorium or down to tho city market. And things aro bo ar ranged that, if tho parents of a child ?o desire, a play hour may bo put In at tho family church for rollglouB Instruc tion. Tho churches havo cooperated with Mr. Wlrt in this. Peeping into tho class rooms 1 sow arithmetic pupilB Bitting about aB thoy pleased, whispering if thoy choso. ban dllng objects frooly. in tho shops, In moBt cases, presided over by a union man by tho way, nobody ap poarod to bo instructed by tho Instruc tor alono. A boy appoarcd to bo learn ing forgo work, for Instunco, aB well by consulting with a moro advancod student, as from tho teachor. In drawing class, seventh graders wero lined up at easols with fourth graders and ono high school boy was working thero with charcoal. This wholo room by tho way, had boon painted by tho painting boys, had been stenc:.ed and tilled In bv others; u Sovoro winter has already set In and Italian warriors aro lighting In tho snow, and probably will bo for tho next flvo months. The photograph shows tno snow-covered duc-out n nr Aim. trian troops In ono of tho passes. window that offended by Its stark ob long, had been changed to stained glass and its casing was mado In tho shops At tho Froobol school by tho way. all tho tables and chairs, tho cup boards and cases, wero mado by tho boys. A boy working in tho shop gota nia tlmo card and la paid GO cents an hour. At tho end of tho week, ho Is given n check which ho deposits In tho school bank and when ho has saved $80 ho bus mado a credit toward gradu ation. Aloof Dignity of a Teller. I went Into tho bank, which is run by tho pupils and ono of tho clerks. a boy of about sixteen, showed mo around. Ho had all tho aloof dignity of tho toller. Ho unbent a bit to tol' mo things, but when I inadvertently wondored whothor I could borrow ton dollurB or flfteon dollars ho frozo again. I could monkoy In tho zoology class, it appeared, but not in tho bank. Hy tho way, thero is a real zoo nt tho school, tho tenderer members are insldo and tho tougher ones outaldo. Cy Do Vry of tho Lincoln nark zoo. Chicago, has Bent thorn a pair of hawks and thero nro foxes and coyotes and hens and pheasants and groundhogs, nnd thoro was a bear. But ho sickened and was sent away. Nono of tho nnl mals shows tho slightest animosity to ward tho children. Doth pupils and animals havo been trained td nn un dorstnndlng of each other. Tho boys may go Into tho foxes' cngo nnd pot them nnd tho coyotes yowl Jealously. Wo teach no box hygleno here." said the zoology teachor, "but In our classes tho approaching motherhood of n guinea pig and tho birth of baby rab bits, and bo forth, aro taken quite as a rnnttor of course" l'di llko to havo lingered loncer In tho zoo, tho innor ono particularly, wnoro i nocamo nn interested nunll mysolf. Tho toachor has a skunk thoro, deodorized, nnd in procosB of taming. Sho clnims that skunks aro fast dlBpIacing tho Angora cat as a pot, and thoso who havo tried them say thoy aro moro playful than kittens. Every toachcr In tho Gnry schools Is BpecInllBt. Classes visit her room for what sho can particularly glvo WILL NURSE LEPERS Miss Mary ChomWowslcn. a beautiful Now York girl, hns entered a convent at SyrncuHo, N. Y for Instruction In nursing. Sho lntonds to go to Ha waiian Islands to nurso and caro for tho lopors on tho dosolnto Molokal is land, tho settlement mndo famous by Father Damlon. Bargain Marriage Day. MnsBlllon. Peter Zorgor, seventy, of this city, -a Civil war vctoran, and Miss Vordi Kittlngor, twonty-seven. of West Urookllold, appeared at tho olllco of Justlco of the Poaco C. 11. Wlsomnn nnd offorod him a $1 bill and n mnr rlago license. Tho marriage was a featuro of a dollar-day salo hold by lo cal merchants, Justlco Wlsomnn had announced ho would marry all couples for 1 1. ' t on tho Dolomlto Alns. and tho Austrian uiom. inus inoir interest is stimutf lM IUU UAJJi CBDIUII UL il U1II1U' skilled In ono especial subject, Instead' of dulled by tho smattering out-and-out drlednoss of tho grndo teacher's Imperfect equipment. Grown-Ups Attend School. Tho question of lighting reminds mo of tho ovcnlng clnsses. It Is esti mated that somo 10,000 people aro In structed dally In Gary, for tho schools nro open to men and women until nino nt night, for any lino of work they chooso to follow. In tho art craft room I saw somo of tho silver work of a woman who intends innking use of tho tenchlng for a livelihood. This Interest of tho parents Is one of tho particularly wise points in the wise administration of Mr. Wlrt. In a mill city such ns Gary tho children frequently aro taken out of school nt fourteen nnd put to work. Getting tho parents to come to school Is stimulating their interest in keeping tho children there. And as far as tho children's volition is con corned, thoy nro not daBhlng for the school exit by any means. Tho Emerson school has about 800 pupils. With Its careful scattering of class work and play tlmo it could nc- commodnto more. Tho Froobel has 1,000 day pupils and moro than that at night. I saw n girl In tho cobbler's shop there mending her shoe under tho nmuscd eyes of her instructor. "Sho wanted to know how," said tho cobbler teachor. "and so 1 let her. Lots of tho girls como to class here." I went to tho Jefferson school, too. tho first school put up by the steel milla peoplo when thoy assayed tho sand waste and named it Gary. Mr. Wlrt speedily made an attic into a gymnasium, put In his special teach ers and equipped his playground, and, barring tho elderly aspect of tho placo, It is as model as any. For tho model of tho Gary schools consists of opportunity, extravagant opportunity for work and play, work mado into play. And tho running costs no moro than In any othor city, pro portionately, whllo tho "attractions" aro far ahead in number nnd in tho method In which they nro presented. SOLDIERS NOISY DREAMERS Fight Battles In Sleep, Say Fearaomo London Landladies of Lodging Houses. London. Landladies of lodging houses near by tho railroad terminals such ns Victoria nnd Waterloo nro be coming dlllldent about tnking in sol dlors Juat back from tho front, par ticularly thoso who hnvo participated In tho recent fighting nround Loos. Tho landladies say tho poor sol diers fight tho torriblo- battle over again in their sleep nnd tho shrieks and hyatorla aro enough to shako tho strongest norvos. Many of tho men who took part in tho engagement nro afflicted with tho most torriblo of dreams and som nnmbullstlcnlly slash and kill tho Huns to tho terror of all tho other lodgers. Figures aro unobtainnblo, but tho cases of nervous breakdowns during tho last fow weeks havo reached a high figure. Even olllcors havo boen affected, and men- who havo stood up under tho strain alnco tho enrly days of tho war say that tho sightB during tho recent offensive nro too torriblo for mention. MAYORS CUT THeIrTaLARIES Joseph Chambcrlnln'a Son Takes Only Half of $5,000 ns Executive of Birmingham. London. Rent on showing their wil lingness to do tholr share In prnctlclnir national oconomy several of tho may ors of provinclnl English cities have consented to a substantial reduction In tholr salaries. Novillo Charaborlnln. bou of Joseph Chamberlain, in tho re cont elections was mado lord mayor of Birmingham, with a salary of $2, G00, Instead of tho usual 115,000. Dr. Charles O'Brien Hnrdlng, mayor of Enstbourno, has accepted a salary of $950, Instead of $1,500. Sells Bible Printed In 1754. Evnnsvlllq, lnd. Forced through financial difficulties to part with her most cherished trcanuro, Mrs. Ja cob Kohl of No. 002 Blankpnborg stroot. sold an old Ulblo to Mayor Uenjamln Boosso. Tho Blblo was pub llshod In 17C4. It '.a n Martin Lu ther trnnBlntlon and Is yellow with ago. VALUE OF GOOD FEATHERING Improves Appearance of Turkeys, At tracts Patrons and Is Good Advertising Feature. Good feathering, though not for a moment to bo regardod with turkeys as equal in importanco to vigor and hardness, is valuablo for three reasons first, because it improves the ap pearance of the flock, attracting pa trons nnd not infrequently proving a good advertising feature; second, be- :auso conformity to tho best Bhow- A Bronze Turkey, room standards makes possible oo many occasions exceedingly profitable Biuo-sales of oggs and breeding stock; third, becauso thero is no better guido to tho best breeding than tho limits of a standard variety, bo tlmt nn- avoids tho dangers of mongrel blood by striving to develop tho very high est typo of turkeys within tho confines of tho ono breed. Ranking tho desirable characters tics of the best turkoys in tho order of their importanco might give a se quence something like this: Hardi ness, vigor, immunity from disease, quickness of growth, alertness and in telligence, bono and framo, shape, size, feathering and tameness. Several of thoso qualities aro moro or less inter dependent, but tho list gives about the right impression. Turkey stock that is prolific is also to bo desired, but this quality la so closely allied to thoso first mentioned that it hardly roqulros a separate listing. TO INSURE GOOD EGG YIELD Nothing of Greater Importance Than Green Feed of Some Kind Hens Relish Alfalfa. Necessary as meat feeding is to in euro a good egg yield, It Is no more important than feeding some kind of green food For this nothing is better than cabbago, small enough to bo eaten by tho hen in ono day. This Bhould bo hung up where tho birds can peck at it without Jumping up. Mangels or beets cut open and placed on nails will usually bo eaton greedily. Onions may bo cut up and fed about twlco a week, though they should not bo given for a day or two boforo tho birds aro to bo killed for eating, on account of tho dlsngrec able flavor produced in tho meat. Hons, though having m variety of grains and a propor amount of meat, will, if deprived of green food, fall off in thoir egg yield. Cabbago or lettuce leaves thrown looso on tho feeding floor will largely bo wasted, as tho blrdB havo difficulty In tearing tho pieces apart. Potatoos aro good poul- try food, but should bo cooked, as if given raw thoy often causo digestive disturbances. If fed In excess they aro found to bo too fattening, Cut clover and alfalfa, if steamed, aro not only green feeds, but aro highly nitrogenous, but thoy will nut altogether tako tho placo of vegeta bles. START IN POULTRY BUSINESS Beginner Should Profit by Experience of Those Ahead of Him Hen Must Be Cared For. Tho man who goes into tho poultry business should profit by all that has ! boen learned by thoso who wore in the t buslnoss ahead of him, and should not try to flght It out along tho soma linos that wero adopted by his predecessors years ago. Eggs, llko plants and animals, are not mado out of nothing. Tho hen is a machino for making eggs. If tho ma chlno is a good ono, cared for nnd proporly fed, eggs may bo produced in abundance at all seasons of the year. Keeping Profitable Fowls. After a bird has Its growth It Is not profitable to keep It longer, but tho turkoy and tho goose grow for somo tlmo, and tho flesh of a turkey is really bettor a year old than It Is six months old. Still tho market de mand is for young stock. And the markot demand Is tho demand to be mot. President Wilson's Old Typewriter Cannot Spell WASHINGTON. When President WWixlson wrlets a moxsagXo to con gltozB it looks something llko th!Z?s In addition to which tho machine's alphabet is badly chowed as to legs and shoulders. The space bar r WHERE lS S-5 THA.T LETTfft You couldn't get a typewritten line out of tho president on any machine but this one not even with a dark lantern nnd a Jimmy. White House humorists Bay ho has hand-raised the poor old thing bo long ho ims dovolopod a. personal attachment for it. If so, that !b the only valuablo attachment it has. For years and years tho ancient machine has endured professorial, au thorial and presidential pecking. And pecking is right, for Mr. Wilson Is a disciple of tho Hunt system, or forefinger hesitation. Wherefore it may bo said that this is the only typewriter that over had tfto distinction of having hesitated' with a presldont. Tho low, rakish form of this ancient, rusty friend of the president re poses in his library. They understand each other's idiosyncrasies and ecccn tricities and they stand together at any tlmo to battle submarines, blockadw of neutral ports or a a oh, any darned thing. Starting Lively Campaign for Trade in China N aggressivo campaign to obtain for American business a share in tho development of tho enormous resources of China hnn hnnn ninnnnri h tho departments of stato and commerce. Tho plan contemulates tho develnn. ment of an American vested interest In China that will insure to tho United States a fair share of that country's foroign trade and bo powerful enough to tako caro of itself in tho compli cated political and commercial situa tion there. Tho scheme was doveloped by Paul S. Reinsch, minister to China: Julian H. Arnold, commercial attache at Peking, and Dr. Edwaid E. Pratt. chief of tho bureau of foreign and domestic commerce. Mr. Reinsch brought to Washington a program framed by himself and Mr. Arnold, which was submitted to Doctor Pratt, Secretary Lansing, and other officials. It was generally Indorsed, and the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce has already begun work along tho lines tho United States this winter and tour vestment in China. Stato department officials havo China sinco the recent granting of oxtenslvo special privileges demanded by Japan. No political steps havo been taken to obtain concesslona or nriviletreg for Americans, however, and tho policy of tho government has been stead fastly against commercial politics such as other nations have emnloved in China. The plan now proposed will, it is expected, develop an American in terest thero which will be powerful enough to meet tho competition of other nations. Doctor Pratt pointed out that American capital was Dillne ud as a rpsnlt. of tho European war, and that vast vestment. Tho bureau oxpects to tako offered in China and to havo an American interest strongly intrenched thero at tno close of-tho war. Work in tho desired direction has commerco bureau in tho United States, and several Now England business men aro now in China closing contracts for the installation of American machinery in cotton mills built under Chlneso government supervision. White House Social Secretary Must Know a Lot THE appointement of a new social secretary at the Whlto House has served to direct attention to tho inmortant dutinn of thin "niHMni ntinnt so llttlo is usually heard and yet who in Washington society and havo learned that it itt nn iinnnriinnnMn to admit tho wlfo of a United Statos senator to stop in or bo seated at a tablo bofore tho wife of an ambassador. Sho must know all tho rules of precodonco down to the dotting of tho "l's" and the crossing of tho "t's". Sho must bo a woman who will novcr forget that no ono may properly precede n ambassador and his wife except tho president or tho United States the vico president and tho mombers of tho cabinet and thoir wIvpk ' Not only must this question of precedence be thorouehlv undprnni iiv the social secretary in Washington, but Individual in tho wealthy resident and tho invitation list maker to know tho wuum nur employer may meet or irom Tho social secretary at tho Whlto and tho visiting lists. Sho opens nnd conference with tho mistress of tho ments sho thinks should bo accepted and dictates sho should reject. Sometimes it social secretary stretches her ingenuity a engagements of the first lady of the land uro cousiuercu eupeciany uesiraoio anu It Is No Wonder That T11,1" mRn w? st,nnc!s, guiml , iu vu V . .T"' B Jonea " st.bo until strictly to his own business ono day not long ago, when an Englishman of most pronounced typo entered tho gate. Mr. Jones is used to having pooplo thrilled as they sot foot upon that sacred soil, but this Englishman did not display tho least sign of a thrill. Ho looked at Jones and asked: "What is there to bo seen here, my man?" Now, Mr. Jones is exceedingly dis pleased when spoken to in that fash ion, and probably showed it in ills re- kl 1 . m.l, Inl, v.tn m Itin. t 41. I- 1 yij, nunu non mui ouuiu ui mu neugua 01 uoxwoou wero very ancient. Tho burly Britcn moved on and looked things over in tho garden. It wasn't long before ho returned to Mr. Jones, and, fixing his stolid gazo upon that warden it the sacred soil, mado free to remark: "Why, I see Mr. Washington got theso box trees from England." Jone exploded: "Yes, and what's moroi ho got this whole country from England Good- by." suflors from Intermittent paralysis. Somo of tho letters aro virtually mute. Others have bold, black faces. Tho ribbon is about as fresh and whole" as a battle flog in a museum. Tho mechanism generally is decrepit, and limps heavily through tho affairs of stato only under tho sovereat presi dential goading. Mr. Wilson admits It Ib far from faultless, but ho likes It, and ho is very proud of tho fact that it has no hyphen. suggested. Mr. Arnold will return to tho country to securo capital for in boen watching commercial conditions in sums of idle money aro available for In advantage of every onnortunitv now already been begun by acents of tho wields a remarkable power in direct ing the social affairs of tho adminiS' tratlon. It is generally acknowledged in Washington that the new social sec retary, Miss Edith Benhnm, a daughter of tho lato Rear Admiral Benham, has brought to the post qualifications' which ought to insure tho success of tho social regime of tho new mistress of tho White House. First, tho social secretary at the White House must bo a lady born and l)red. She must have had exnorieneo sho must also know onnh mui n,. unofficial circles. It Is necessary for norsonal nnd snrlni Htnnriin n wnom sho may recoivo calls House has chariro of thn n'noini n,n replies to every formal note, nmi nftor Whlto House accents whatever piii. sends regrets to thoso her Judgment has been said that the White House llttlo and manipulates tho dates nn.i so that sho may accept those which turn down the others. Guard Jones Exploded ncnr tho France to the grounds at . y n0t U JOnes' stlU aBa, 11 mav further information. He was attending 1 . doSt 5lpGf thisT SAY JflUSoV ?$(5vYWH0L
