School Report: Orange, Olive, Spring Rock and Liberty

Source: The DeWitt Standard, Feb. 23, 1859

ORANGE

There is but one school in this township, which is taught by a female whose success indicates her adaptation to the business of teaching.  The school, for some reason, is not as well attended as it ought to be.

Some persons think that a female should not teach a winter school where scholars of some age attend, such a conclusion is very unreasonable; there is no reason why a female should not teach in winter as well as in summer, if she boards near the school, nor is there any reason why the larger scholars should not attend school when such a teacher is employed, if she be fully competent to instruct them.

The school house is a poor affair, made of brick, and needs to be propped up to save the walls from falling.

OLIVE

In this district, four schools are sustained.  One of these is taught by a female, who labors under great embarrassment for want of room.  The school occupies a small room in a private dwelling, which scarcely affords vacent spae to hear a class recite.  The school is not making the best improvement, there being too much confusion and inattention, arising, very much from the narrowness and inconvenience of the place they occupy.  We must have better school rooms before there will be a great advance in our schools.

One of the other schools numbers about twenty scholars, and seem to be doing very well, they occupy a log house, quite small and inconvenient.  Another house will be erected soon.

The other school numbers about thirty scholars, and is making fair progress.  The teacher enters heartily into his work and aims at system and order.  The house, as far as it is finished, is a good one, and when properly seated, will be commodious and convenient.

There was one school not in session when I called.

SPRING ROCK

I found but one public school in this township, which was at Wheatland.  A female teacher is employed in this school, which numbers about twenty scholars, mostly small.

The teacher keeps her house in order, and the children are evidently making good advancement.  No school building has yet been erected at this point, a small room in a private dwelling being used for the purpose at present.

LIBERTY

I found two schools in session in this district; one of these if very large, numbering about fifty scholars, a number entirely too large for the room they occupy.  The building, though a good one, is very small and badly arranged; it would have cost but a trifle more to have had it arranged with respect to comfort and convenience.  The school is in a thriving condition generally; the teacher failed in his instructions in reading, however, there being too little attention to pauses and inflections.

The other school numbers about twenty pupils, and meet in a small private dwelling with very poor accomodations by way of desks and seats.  The school, in some respects, seems to be improving, especially in spelling and writing, but there was a want of life and interest in study and recitations.

Another school was in progress in this district, for a season, but the cold drove them from the apology for a school room which they occupied, and the enterprise was abandoned.

SUPERINTENDENT.