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THE SUNDAY OREGpyiAyv PORTEAyiy dCTOBR 22, 1905: ;
1 H i
Bj Marlon Mac Rae.
THE srrpwth and character of a city's
schools is generally conceded to bo
indicative of the material progress
of the cltj1. This being, the case, Port
land can bo said to have made remark
able strides In adxancement in the half
cenrury of her history, for her public
schools tell a good story. The publlcr
school system vras Inaugurated in 1SS1.
when a log 'building on First street near
Oak was purchased and a teacher em
ployed, who was compensated through
public funds. John T. Outhouse was the
first, teacher, and there are a number, of
his pupils still living here, whose remin
iscences of those early school days are
r almost as interesting as the story of our
present-day school system. The first
school which' was.' built with public funds
wos the old . Central High School, which
.stood on tbe sito of the present Portland
Hotel. This was built In 3S57. At that
time grades had been Introduced into the
school system, pnd In the '70s six grades
were Included In the high-school course.
This was increased to seven, eight, and
finally by 3Ir. illgler to-nlne.
The change In the character of our
schools has come with the Increased at
tendance ahd"nfcccssary provision for the
same; As" new-, schools became necessary
there was n demand for late Improve
ments, and at present Portland Is said to
have one of the best systems in the coun-
try- The growth Is best shown by, the
Increased attendance. In 1ST5 the enroll
ment was 1700,' in 1SS3 it was 397S, in 1S33
It had reached 10.5&I, and last June it was
15.S77. Today the averago dally attend
ance Is 14,115, and the one teacher of 1S51
has been supplanted by 29S Instructors
and supervisors who, with their pupils,
occupy 32 large up-to-date schools.
The character of Instruction given the
pupils of . the Portland public schools Is
of the highest, and the addition of man
ual training this year Is considered one
of the best steps taken along the lines
of-jnaterlal advancement. Principals and.
teachers arc unanimous In agreeing that
this training-of the hand and eye Is of
greatest value to the mind. Miss Dlm
ick. principal of the Brooklyn School,
states that sho finds pupils who were
heretofore comparatively dull In mathe
matics' to have brightened up wonder
fully In this study since they have been
taught to put Its principles Into active
operation. Many look upon manual train
ing as only learning to handle a saw or
tIo carpentry, hut this mistaken Idea
should be corrected and the value of such
a branch appreciated by parents. The
j latest step taken by the school commis
sioners. vVBS me ciwuuu ui auiJCivum
of sewing. When cookery Is added to the
public school system of this city. Port
land will be abreast ofthe best cities in
the United States. f
t CKv Superintendent of School Frank
RIgler has devised and Introduced a
course of study for" the Portland schools
which has solved the problem of dull
pupils keeping bright ones back In their
course. The entire school course covers
nine years, but by dividing It Into a first
and second dMslon, so that the bright
pupils can go into tbe first and when pos
sible finish in seven years instead of be
ing retarded by those who are not so
quick' at their studies, tho two classes
arc divided according to their actual ca
pabilities and a pupil is not compelled
to remain In school two years- longer
than is really necessary- Commissioner
of Education Harris, of "Washington, D.
C, who spoke at the educational conven
tion at the Lewis and Clark Fair, paid
Mr. RIgler the very high tribute of say
ing that he had done more toward the
development of the individual child by
this system than any other superintend
ent of schools. In- the country. The many
Eastern-visitors who attended this con
ventloriagreed that the Portland schools
ranWed with tho best in the counry. that
they are free from conservatism and also
from some of the useless fnds which
Eastern schools have taken up.
The fine display made at the Lewi3 and
Clark Exposition by the Portland schools
will bear out this opinion of the educa
tional delegates, for It Is one of which
"W
ELI., thank heaven, they are
gone!" exclaimed Mrs. Purvis,
wiping nervous perspiration from ber
brow. "Of all the fortnights of miserable
uncertainty I ever spent, .this has been
the worst. Maria Voorhls was. my best
friend in our school days, she was my
maid of honor at our wedding, and she is
the most lovable woman on my list of
frljmjjs to this day. but that little girl of
hers Is an Impossible proposition. I never
want her" to visit us again.
"Here we were with a lovely yard and
back, side and front porch for that child
to play In. but nothing was qulto good
enough for her playground except the par
lor or Harry's den. When oho was not
making Indian tents out of Harrys new
views of Pompeii, she was using my
Cloisonne teapot to serve her dolls a
luncheon and all her mother would say
was this: ' 'Isn't she the most inventive
little thing? She takes pleasure out of
everything, and you do not have to start
games or buy toys to amuse her!'
"Gladly would I havo Invested J10va
day in toys If ehe would have played
with them and left my property alone.
Imagine my feelings when one afternoon
she' came Into the parlor' where her
mother and I were receiving callers, wear
ing my new real Chinese kimono. She
did look absurdly cute, but that did not
prevent the pale pink lining from mopping
up the dust on the floor. And Maria said
with that appreciative smile of hers:
'Doesn't she look cute? 'You mustn't
mind, Helen. Tu see, she Is used to
-dressing up in my clothes at home; but
If you really do mind' you can just
picture tho accent with which she said
that. "Very well. baby.'Aunt Helen don't
like llttlo girls to wear her pltty clothes.
You had best take It upstairs."
"But the did not drag It back up those
stairs. I carried It up myself.
"If I tried to write a note while she
was in the room, that child would pIclTI
up and examine everything on my desk.
If I was dressing, my toilet articles at
tracted her attention. Her fingers just
seemed to Itch to handle things, and you
know what show a mero hostess has
against the, whims- of a foolish mother's
first born. As a result. Instead of visltine
Maria next Winter, I will decline with,
thanks, then there will be no come-back
One Rule for Bringing Up Children
1
354
sv3ea.v.-. ::
any city could well be proud. The entire
school course was illustrated by several
of tho schools, and som of, thorn took
one study through fr.om beginning to
end. Brooklyn, for instance, and 'Couch,
-too. illustrated the course In-mathematics
from the prlma"ry to the last grade, mak
ing a thoroughly Interesting exhibit.
More attention- is now given to matters
of health la the public schools than ever
before," and the" sanitary precautions are
of tho greatest. V few years ago there
was complaint that otfr schools were not
progressive on this point, and the, City
Federation of Women's Clubs todk up
the task of enforcing existing laws. In
troducing new ones and Improving hygenic
conditions la schools generally. The com
mittee sent out on this task did earnest
and effective work, for their agitation of
the subject opened the eyes of the public
to existing needs, and it was not long
before funds were forthcoming to make
needed Improvements. The new schools
which have been erected recently are all
that could be desired In regard to sani
tation, ventilation andllght, and all up-to-date
equipment Is used.
There has been $17S,1S14 spent this year
In new school buildings and additions,
but. notwithstanding this fact, the school
authorities are dismayed to find that
there is still an overflow of pupils. The
High School cannot accommodate its pu
pils, and many have to be accommodated
In other schools. The erection of the
new High School on the East Side will
solve this problem, however, and Its com
pletion Is eagerly anticipated.. Real estate
was purchased for the Brooklyn School at
a cost of $100), and for the Davis School
to the amount of $14,000. The new build
ings and additions are of Interest to. ail
taxpayers:
In the form of a return visit. T am
sorry but never again that child in my"
blouse."
How many hostesses have echoed that
sentiment on the heels of the departing
guest? And how ftfw have ever dared to
talk seriously to the young mother about
the child's unfortunate proclivities? It Is
certainly overdoing one's duties as a
hostess to endure such treatment at the
hands of a small and utterly Irresponsi
ble guest, "
The child Who "never let? things alone"
Is the child who In later years develops
an Inordinate' desire to run the affairs of
her neighbors-, to read the letters ad
dressed to other persons and to fall en
tirely in respect for the rights of her
neighbors.
The father who gives baby brother his
J50 gold watch to play with, so that he
may finish his game of pinochle or read
v
Woman a Wedding Director
ShcC Discovers New AVay by Which Sex Can Earn Money.
A wide-awake woman in Boston has
found a new outlet for a woman's ac
tivity by taking chargo of weddings.
On the day of the marriage ceremony
the bride and the bride's mother are
generally too busy and too tired to give
much attention to the management of
details. As a helper in this household
emergency, the wedding director fills
a long-felt want. The name of this
pioneer is Mrs. Nellie Bllfflns, and she
lives with her husband and daughter
on Boston's aristocratic Beacon street.
Mrs. Biiffins' method Is to get to the
house early and to. give her first at
tention to the trousseau. She sees to
It that the dress, gloves and slippers
are Jusf right, he then takes charge
of the packing.- The bride eats her
luncheon in comfort, knowing that ev
erything sho needs will be In her bags
and trunks, carefully Inventoried in a
little- book as to Its precise location.
Mrs. Biiffins is at tha church door
before the marriage ceremony to give
the last' touches to tho bride's gown
before the bride enters the church.
The girl's mother Is even saved from
having to see that the rooms are put
In order after the newly "wedded wife-
tit i i
- f:v -
Atkinson School, addltian...
I 31.384 SS
Portland Hemostead School, addi
tion
Brooklyn Sehool. addition
Clinton Kellv School, addition. .
,34 S.
,020.
.100
."
210
310
.132.
540.
I Portsmouth School, addition
Alblna. Central School, new
School bulldlnfc on B. 2StJi at.. nsw
Davis School on 21st stf. new...,
Ladd School, new
Total .....JITS.lSt.W
In addition to this, 523.317743 was expend
ed for repairs to buildings -and J107.340.79
for miscellaneous expenses.- the latter in
cluding heating, lighting. Insurance, man
ual training department, stationery, print
ing, school furniture and payable bills.
Tho total disbursements of salaries last
year reached 5206.433.05. This year It will
exceed that, all of which shows that Port
land is growing rapidly, and with It her
school system Is expanding Into one of tha
largest on tho Pacific Coast.
Oregon has a compulsory education law.
but It is said to be a dead letter, for the
reason that there is no way to enforce It.
The appointment of an officer or commis
sioner to attend to the enforcement of this
la. with funds placed at his disposal
for the purpose, would be of greatest
service to the coming citizens as well as
to the present. Tho crying need for a
regular business course In the High School
Is another that should receive the- atten
tion of taxpayers and the public at large,
as it doubtless will in the near future
Portland is tobe congratulated on hav
ing good schools, efficient superintendents,
principals and teachers, and clever pu-1
pUs. The boys and girls who graduate at
the High School go out into the world
well equipped for the battles of life, and
where not able to add college courses to
the education received there, will never
find 'themselves handicapped through lack
of knowledge.
the evening paper is training that ch'U
in. the direction which leada to disrespect
for the property and rights of other per
sons. The woman who takes her child
calling and Interjperses neighborhood gos
sip with such remarks as "Now, Bessie,
don't touch that vase," and "Bessie, dear,
be very careful. You might break Mrs.
Jones' pretty statue," hay neglected to
Implant in her child's mind the Invalu
able rule to- keep her hands off the prop
erty of other persons.
As soon as a child learns to differen
tiate between the things that are good to
play with and the things that should be
left alone he has taken his first lesson In
private respect for public property. This
leason Is taught not by nagging after tho
child Is old enough to be taken about, but
from the moment the little hands reach
out for the shiny things which were never
meant for baby fingers to handle.
has gone on ber wedding tour. Mrs.
Bllfflns attends to all that.
The value of the work of the wed
ding director Is beat attested by the
popularity it has attained. Most of
her business. Mrs. Biiffins says, comes
Indirectly. It has grown on the prin
ciple of the advertisement of a certain
merchant some years ago: "If you
don't like it, tell me; If you do like It,
tell others."
At first many people were Inclined to
pooh-pooh the idea of a wedding di
rector. Today, however, they have
learned tnat even to run a wedding
properly takes some expert knowledge.
Mrs. Biiffins Is a student of design and
decorative art as well as of the chang
ing fashions. Frequent visits to New
York and occasional ones to Purls n
kable her to bring back ideas of how
riney manage mese things In other
places, uut more valuable yet are the
many suggestions her woman's wit and
her woman's taste enable her to add
to the convenience or the beauty of tua
wedding. Philadelphia Telegraph.
The old local costumes are sMU worn In
many parti of Russia. There Is sreat va
riety In them, but rich embroidery and ao
Imposing headdress of some sort arc com
moa to all.
Hill