MADISON PARISH
SCHOOLS IN 1901
The following
is an interesting report on the condition, curriculum, teaching methods and
staff of the Madison Parish School System in 1901. It deals primarily with the
Tallulah “Graded” School and, among other things, lists the attendees in Grades
One through Seven. Apparently there were no students in Grades Eight through
Eleven.
From
REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION, 1901 pp 89-99
Delta, La. December
5, 1901.
Hon. J. V. Calhoun,
Superintendent, Baton Rouge. La.
Dear Sir--I hand you
herewith statistical report.
And in further
replying to yours of December 2d, beg to say that our white schools are so few
and small, except Tallulah of which I enclose catalogue of last year's work,
in which you will see a picture of the school house. (I will write Prof.
Nabours to send you photograph). This is the only school in our parish of much
importance. (it has enrolled this session fifty-three scholars). and they are
doing good work under Prof. R. K. Nabours, principal and Miss Oliva Richardson,
assistant, both graduates of the State Normal.
The colored schools
are very crowded; they are taught in the colored church and are improving.
We have been able to retain
our teachers as a rule.
We have no local tax,
all we receive from the parish is poll tax and criminal fines.
I suppose I should correct my
statement as to Tallulah school being the only school of importance in our
parish, as my home school (Delta school) has turned out several students who
have entered other colleges and universities with credit to the home school,
namely, Miss Oliva Richardson, who graduated at the State Normal, and her
sister Miss Bessie, who is now attending the Normal; Geo. S. Long and Albert T.
Felt, who are attending the State University at Baton Rouge; also Miss Lillie
May Long, who graduated last year at St. Kathie, Bolivar, Tenn.
We need more school
funds in our parish. The colored schools are very crowded.
But as the white
people pay the tax it is hard to get them to see that it would be to their
interest to educate the negro.
Our colored teachers
are a class of good steady negroes, who have been teaching in the parish for
some time, and giving satisfaction to both whites and blacks.
The number of our
white teachers has been reduced from thirteen last session to ten this session,
and this has been done without any loss of pupils. The reason it requires even
ten white teachers for the few white children is because they are so scattered
over the parish. Our white schools opened Oct. 7th. Our colored schools opened
Dec 2d.
Yours truly,
GEO. M. LONG,
Superintendent.
Tallulah Graded
School – Early 1900’s
CIRCULAR OF INFORMATION AND CATALOGUE OF THE
TALLULAH GRADED SCHOOL, TALLULAH, LOUISIANA-1901.
Members of School
Board:—F. L. Parker; Mound; G. L. Boney; Duckport; T. F. Ward; Tallulah; T. P.
Broaddus; Tallulah; J. H. Riley, Omega; Frank Andrews, Lamar; N. Kahn.
President; Milliken's Bend; Geo. M. Long; Secretary and Superintendent; Delta.
Teachers of the
Tallulah Graded School.—R. K. Nabours; Principal; Miss Olivia Richardson,
Assistant.
COURSE OF STUDY
Adopted by the Madison Parish School Board
for the Tallulah Graded School.
(Adopted by the State Teachers' Association.)
GRADE I.
English.
Heading.—Conversation upon familiar topics to encourage spoken language.
Writing and spelling should keep pace with all other work—especially language.
Numbers—Primary
Arithmetic—that is teaching of numbers not to exceed 20, by oral lessons with
objects. Simple combinations by 10. etc. Read to one hundred.
Science.—Observations
upon plants, animals, weather, human body, as a basis for language work and
other modes of expression.
GRADE II.
Histories.—Stories of
Columbus, Puritans, Smith, etc., as language material.
English.—Second
Reader, Language Lessons. Part I. Spelling and writing as in first grade. Have
set spelling Iessons; also writing as drill on new words learned during day in
all subjects.
Mathematics—Nicholson's
Primary Arithmetic in hands of teacher for drill. Simple figure work in
addition and subtraction.
Natural Science.—One
lesson a day devoted to observation lessons, history stories, etc. the aim
being primarily to develop language, and secondarily to teach something that
will be valuable in the study of science or history later on.
GRADE III
English.—Third
Reader. Long's Language Lessons. Part II. Writing and spelling same as second
grade. Neatness and system must characterize all written work.
Mathematics.—Intermediate
Arithmetic through Long Division.
Science.—Local
Geography. Oral lessons in physiology, botany etc.
History—Oral lessons.
GRADE IV
English.—Fourth Reader,
Longs Language—Part Ill. Spelling and writing as in second grade. Speller used
as text. Neatness any system must characterize all written work.
Mathematics.—Intermediate
Arithmetic to percentage.
Science.—New Primary
Geography. Oral lessons in physiology, botany, etc.
History.—Oral
lessons.
GRADE V.
English.—Fifth Reader
or Supplementary Reading. Begin Graded Lessons—Reed and Kellogg. Spelling and
writing as in fourth grade. Neatness and system must characterize all written
work.
Mathematics.—lntermediate
Arithmetic—half year—completed. Complete Arithmetic—half year—begun.
Science.—New Primary
Geography---completed. Oral lessons in physiology. botany, etc.
History.—School
History (begin.)
GRADE VI.
English.—Sixth Reader
or Supplementary Reading. Graded Lessons—Reed and Kellogg—completed. Spelling
and writing as in fifth grade. Neatness and system must characterize all
written work.
Mathematics.—Complete
Arithmetic continued.
Science.—Intermediate
Geography. Oral lessons in physiology. botany, etc.
History.—School
History completed and Higher begun.
GRADE VII.
English.--Reading
continued or Supplementary Reading. Lockwood's Lessons in English continued.
Spelling. From this point writing should be improved by requiring that all
exercises shall be neat and systematically arranged.
Mathematics.—Complete
Arithmetic (finished)
Science.—Intermediate
Geography completed. Oral lessons in physiology, botany, etc.
History.—Higher
History continued.
GRADE VIII
English.—Composition
and dictation to drill in punctuation, spelling, construction, etc. Selections
to be made by teacher from classic masterpieces. Two lessons per week.
Lockwood's Lessons in English, three lessons per week, first half year.
Etymology, three lessons per week, first half year. Use Webb's Etymology or
similar book. Spelling and writing have become part of the dictation and
composition.
Mathematics.—Advanced
Arithmetic—first half year Advanced Arithmetic—two lessons per week, second
half year, Elementary Algebra through the four fundamental rules, three lessons
per week.
Science.—Physiology—first
half year. Botany—second half year.
History.—Higher
History—first half year, Greek and Roman History, second half year. Use Barnes'
Text.
GRADE IX.
English.—Grammar and
Composition, three lessons per week. Whitney and Lockwood, Study of Literary
Masterpieces, two lessons per week.
Mathematics.—Algebra—Nicholson's
Elementary.
Science.—Physics,
second half year.
History—English History,
five lessons a week first half year. General History, three lessons a week,
second half year, Latin, or French, or Commercial Branches, five lessons a
week.
GRADE X.
English.—Rhetoric,
three lessons a week, Use Hart or Mill's Foundations. Study Literary
Masterpieces and Composition, two lessons a week.
Mathematics.—Algebra—five
lessons—first half year, Geometry—five lessons—second half year.
Science.—Physics—three
lessons per week. Chemistry-‑two lessons per week.
Latin, or French, or
Commercial Branches—same as grade nine.
GRADE XI
English.—Study of
History and Development of American and English Literature and Composition in
connection with study of selected masterpieces.
Mathematics—Geometry—first
half year—five lessons. Geometry—second half year—three lessons. Reviews—second
half year—two lessons.
Science.—Physical Geography—five
lessons—first half year, Review of Physics, Botany and Physical
Geography-second half year.
Latin, or French, or Commercial
Branches, same as ninth grade.
BRIEF SYLLABI OF STUDIES PURSUED IN THE
TALLULAH GRADED SCHOOL.
English.-In the lower grades,
conversation upon familiar topics is used principally for laying the
foundations for good use of language. From the first, the misuse of words or phrases
is corrected; if the correction interferes with the recitation, it is made
immediately after. The pupils are encouraged to call one another's attention
in a pleasant way to the correct forms each should use in common conversation.
These principles are followed through all the grades. Besides thorough drills
in the arrangement of Parts of Speech and analysis of sentences. There are
frequent composition exercises in which particular attention is given to
paragraphing, spelling and punctuation and choice of words. The belief that
“correctness and facility in speaking and writing are best gained by practice"
is the guiding principle throughout the study of language.
Reading.—The pupils are required to
learn the meaning and proper pronunciation of words while reading an exercise.
Some time is given to drill in articulation and pronunciation during each
lesson. The observation of punctuation marks is given special attention.
Sentences illustrating the different expressions are used in drill and their punctuation
carefully noted. McGuffey's Readers are used as texts, but much of the reading
is supplementary. The Five-Cent Classics, School World Literature Series and
selected pieces from magazines are extensively used as supplementary to the
regular books, thereby adding interest and giving general knowledge.
Arithmetic.—To
thoroughly master the principles that govern the solution of problems is a
point much emphasized in arithmetic. A sentiment against remembering the mere
formula of examples is carefully cultivated. The pupils are never allowed to
consider an example worked unless they can give reasons for each step. Numerous
practical problems suited to many kinds of business are given. When Lineal
Measurement is taught. the pupils calculate the number of rods, yards, feet and
inches between points with which they are familiar. In Square Measure, they
find the areas of lots, pastures and small fields. They measure several piles
of lumber of different sizes; measure the wood stacked in their yards; compute
the time in days, hours, etc., between familiar dates; use actual notes in
calculating interest, discount. etc., and take the examples in Stocks and Bonds
from the financial page of the current paper, and so on through the entire work
in arithmetic.
History. —In the
study of History. not only is it recognized that the pupils are to be more
successful in future life by following the profitable plans of those who have
been successful and avoiding the mistakes of the less fortunate, but the idea
that "the chief use of history study is to form moral notions in
children" is kept constantly in view. The pupils discuss the voyage of
Columbus and the Cabots and the difficulties of such voyages. They then discuss
a modern voyage and the advantages over the former. When the government during
Washington's administration is studied, a comparison is made between the
general arrangement of officers, etc., then and now, and so on with other
developments. Particular attention is given to biography. Great men's lives
are read and discussed and the salient features of their greatness given
special emphasis. Great freedom of discussion, with the careful guidance of
the teacher, is encouraged as being the best means of having the history study
bring about the best results. Geography is kept well up with history and no
event is considered learned till the place of its happening is definitely
located.
Geography.—A study of
the bayous and drainage immediately near Tallulah is made; then the formation
of the land, and then a study of the Mississippi river, and the whole system
of the Mississippi. Personal observation is encouraged. Mitchell's geographies
are used as texts, but the work is so arranged that several geographies are
consulted. Map drawing is a special feature of the geography work. No better
method of impressing locations of cities, boundaries, bodies of water and other
locations has been found. The map work consists in drawing the map in outline,
out of school, then locating the countries, bodies of water, mountains, cities,
etc.,. in class from memory.
Physiology.—Johonnot and Bouton's How
We Live for the beginners, and Martin's Human Body for the more advanced, are
the texts used. The plans of these books are followed as nearly as possible. A
great part of the work consists in studying the parts of the common animals,
cats, dogs, rabbits, etc., that correspond to the same parts of the human body.
In studying the skeleton, the bones of common animals corresponding to the
human bones are closely observed as to structure, shape and use. Drawings are
made of the bones in different positions, and in cross-sections, and
longitudinally, the study of the bones of the head, a human skull is used. When
the class has progressed well enough, a rabbit or cat is dissected (cat always
killed by the painless chloroform method) and observations and drawings made of
the larynx, trachea, lungs, heart, liver, kidneys and organs of digestion in
regard to structure and relative position to each other. When the heart, lungs,
liver and kidneys are studied separately, after their positions in the body
are well known, specimens are secured from the slaughter house and a careful
study and drawings of structure, shape and adaptability are made. Several days
are spent in examining the brain and eye. The brain is drawn and parts named.
The roots of as many parts of cranial nerves are found as possible. Several
eyes are dissected and the principle of the eye's function learned from the eye
itself. A specimen of the brain, parts of the eye and other parts of the body
are kept preserved in formalin, for the use of the class at any time. Much
reading is done in connection with the physiology work. The drawings and notes
made by the pupils are kept in permanent form for future reference.
Botany.—Bergen's (Southern Edition)
text is used, though the work is arranged so that any good book on botany may
be used and several texts are consulted. The work begins by learning the parts
of the seed. Two or three kinds of seed are planted in wet blotting paper and
the process of germination closely followed. Some seeds of different kinds are
planted in soil and daily observations and frequent drawings made of their
growth. Experiments make up a great part of the first few months' work. Seeds
are planted in boxes and bottles in wet blotting paper; and the part light
plays in the germination and early growth definitely determined. Beans are
germinated and arranged in corks floating on water, some with the seed-lobes
cut away and others with the seed-lobes intact. Then the growth of the embryos
is observed, drawings made of them and the use of the seed lobes made more apparent
than by months of book study. The pupils are encouraged to observe plants in
general, their growth and habits. Much aid is given the botany study by the
work of keeping a list of the flowers and trees as they put forth in the
spring. Notes and drawings are required to be carefully kept in permanent form.
GENERAL EXERCISES.
Literary Society.—The
pupils have a general literary society which meets on Friday evenings.
Debates, essays, recitations, music, instrumental and vocal, and the general
parliamentary practices of electing and installing officers, appointing
committees, committee work, making and voting on motions. make up the
principal part of the society's work. It is also the social feature of the
school. The people of the town and nearby plantations attend the society
meetings and take great interest in them. The pupils receive great pleasure, as
well as benefit from the society.
Medals.—In connection
with the literary society and to encourage good work along the lines it is
intended to follow, the school has offered three gold medals to be given during
the closing exercises in May 1900 a gold medal, for each, for best essay, vocal
solo and recitation.
MORNING EXERCISES.
During most of the winter months the
fifteen minutes morning exercise period is taken up in song exercise and other
employments that are pleasant and helpful. During the spring months there is a
calendar kept by each pupil of the flowers, trees and birds and weather.
Specimens of the flowers just found are brought to school and their names
taken, and some time is spent in talking of them, their habits, were found,
etc. The names of all the birds seen are calendered and conversation on their
habits and appearances and songs fills out the period. The results of this kind
of work are very gratifying. The beauties of the field and wood are made to
mean something to the pupils. The work during the day, in all departments, is
enhanced by these exercises.
Reading Table and
Library.—A large table is arranged in the principal's room and the daily
Times-Democrat is placed on it in convenient file each day. The teachers and
pupils keep the table well supplied with the current magazines and periodicals.
Whatever time the children are not actually engaged in preparing and reciting
lessons, they are encouraged to spend at this table in quiet reading. The
result from this is most pleasing. The pupils like it and the great world of today
is brought before them and whatever study they have given the past is made more
firmly a part of their knowledge. There are in the library several
well-selected books.
Music.—An excellent
music teacher resides very near and convenient to the school building. Several
pupils take piano lessons. The excellent piano in the school and the literary
society afford a splendid opportunity for cultivating musical taste, both
instrumental and vocal.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The Tallulah Graded
School is maintained by the School Board of Madison parish for the children of
the parish, but will receive pupils from any other section till the accommodations
are taken up. Tuition is free to children of the parish of Madison; pupils from
other sections will be required to pay a tuition. In regard to tuition,
application should be made to the Secretary of the School Board, Geo. M. Long,
Delta. La.
Discipline.—The
discipline is carefully watched after. The teachers endeavor to build a
sentiment in favor of correct behavior in and out of school. This effort to
have children do right from a sense of right-doing and a knowledge of the benefits
of good behavior is found to be of great aid in the work of discipline and
reduces the cases of enforced obedience to regulation to a minimum.
PROMOTIONS
Promotions are made at any time of the
year that the pupils are considered qualified to enter a higher grade. The
teachers are glad to have parents make known their wishes in regard to the promotion
of their children, but always reserve the right to finally decide as to the
wisdom of any pro-motion.
SITUATION, ETC
Tallulah is situated
in about the middle of Madison parish, Louisiana, on the Vicksburg, Shreveport
and Pacific Railroad, twenty miles west of Vicksburg, seven miles from nearest
point on Mississippi River, and is the parish site of the parish. Madison
parish is in the chief long staple cotton section of the South. Cotton from
this section brings a better price than from any other part of the country.
Pecan trees of a fine variety are grown and some of the finest pecans come from
this parish. It is a new industry but promises to become very extensive.
RAILROADS
The Vicksburg,
Shreveport and Pacific Railroad passes through the parish from east to west,
enabling people to get the New Orleans morning papers same afternoon. There are
at present two surveying parties making surveys for a railroad from New Roads,
Pointe Coupee parish, to Arkansas City. The Gould Company is making one survey,
which assures a road being built very soon. This will place Tallulah on a trunk
line from St. Louis to New Orleans.
RELIGION
There are regular
services of the Methodist Church and Episcopal Church. There is Sunday School
each Sunday. The Epworth League meets each Sunday afternoon.
PEOPLE
The people of
Tallulah and surrounding plantations are hearty in their support of the school,
giving every encouragement to the teachers that could be asked for.
SCHOOL BUILDING
The school building
is situated in a convenient portion of the town. It has three rooms fitted with
the latest desks, charts, maps, piano, and in every respect is comfortable, and
furnishes excellent conditions for well-regulated school work.
TEACHERS
The principal of the Tallulah Graded
School is a graduate of the Louisiana Slate Normal School and has had
considerable experience in teaching. During the summer he will take a course of
study in the Pedagogic Department of the Chicago University. The assistant is a
graduate of the Hillman Female College of Mississippi, and has taught several
sessions. She is also proficient in music and elocution.
NAMES OF PUPILS
Grade I. Lee Lane,
Eula Sanford, Dorothy Slack, Julian Monette, Torbert Slack.
Grade II. Windson
Hazel, Walter Scott.
Grade III. Ellie Hart,
Cornelia Lane, Hattie Hazel, Marion Stewart.
Grade IV. Eugene
Hazel. Mary McMillan. Bert Sigrest, May Sigrest, Ruth Lane, Edward Montgomery,
Fannie Steele.
Grade V. Bartlett Eisely,
Virgie Greaves, Coleman Lucas, Mathilde Erwin, Vivian Hough, B. Towne.
Grade VI. Stephen
Davis, Paul Fleming, Lucy Greaves, Norman Kauffmann, Rose McFarland, Warren
Scott. Earl Steele, Lelia Fleming, Willie Gilpin, Willie Harvey, Tom Lucas, Eddie Montgomery, Stewart Slack, Iris
Stewart.
Grade VII. Malvern
Bruce, Mike Erwin, .Jr., Katie McClellan, George Sevier, Nellie Wilson, Ernest
Erwin, Howard Hart, Alex Montgomery, Nora Slack, Nettie Yerger.