University of Wisconsin Oshkosh - Quiver Yearbook (Oshkosh, WI)

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Have you seen Miss Jennie G. Marvin, principal and critic of the Grammar Department, respected by the practice teacher for her prompt, businesslike ways, and loved by every student for whom she has paved the way into the Normal. Miss Marvin renders the institution an inestimable service by inculcating into every graduate of her department, a code of sentiments that makes them thoroly in touch with the affairs of the Normal. One of her lx st known characteristics is her desire for fair play, and one of her most frequent remarks is, “1 will sift this matter to the bottom.” Again, she is a woman who is closely in sympathy with the interests and amusements of her l oys and girls, as is voiced in the words of one of them, who said. “Aunt Jennie is all right; she knows what the kids like.” The latest acquisition to our faculty is Miss Lizzie M. Arnold, as assistant critic and teacher in the grammar grades. Miss Arnold's home is in Oshkosh. She is a graduate of the Normal, to which training she has added a course at Wisconsin University, and several years of experience as a teacher. She comes to us from Indianapolis, where she has been teaching for the past three years. We sincerely hope that Miss Arnold will find the work here both pleasant and congenial. Already several grammar room pupils have been heard to make remarks highly complimentary. Of her upon whom devolves the task of managing such an unruly set of youngsters as those of “Intermediate age, is required an unusual amount of determination and executive ability. It is well for Miss Adelaide M. Parsons that she possesses these characteristics. It has been rightly said of her that she is a woman who could run anything. You can read it in her features. In the school-room she wears a brisk, business-like air. and in all cases of misdemeanor is very stem. Her practice teachers are very devoted. When asked why. they say. Oh. I don’t know, but she is lovely.” Never was there such a popular critic teacher as Miss Grace Mead, of the Second Primary Department. Being a practice teacher is but an excuse to spend much time in her very artistic room. Never before was there such a combination of good nature and common sense. Children and practice teachers all seem to imbibe her spirit and enthusiasm, and everything moves on happily, resulting in an unusual number of “Exccllents” in her department. Ix ng may she remain. Miss Mead! At least, until we. the Junior class, have had our practice work. It is Miss Elizabeth Stevens, the little lady front Connecticut, who presides over the First Primary Department. Miss Stevens has a firm, yet sympathetic, way with the children, which wins their love and inspires them to their best efforts. The practice teachers are loud in their praises of her. After a quarter with a class in her department, they begin to feel that practice work is not a disagreeable, but rather a pleasant task, after all. She has a way in dealing with them which gives them confidence in themselves. Accordingly, their classes arc so successfully conducted that we find a large number of them reaching the high standard of Excellent.” 19

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Away up on the third floor in a queer, little room dwells a queer, little man with a queer, little name —Mr. Lonna D. Arnett You always go to his class feeling confident that you will be able to recite. Mr. Arnett is a trifle bashful at first, but it soons wears off, and everybody feels at home. The first thing you know you arc talking about some question of a concept or a judgment. Me doesn't say much; you say a great deal, and think a great deal more. Yoti don’t know how he does it, yet you seem to get somewhere. You leave the class with a feeling of having acquired something. You soon learn to love the mail, even for his quaint ways and mannerisms of speech. It is always necessary to have one member of the faculty to do the social end. Such a task is allotted our musical director. Miss Adclyn S. Downing, who. with her general attractiveness and magnificent voice, effects many conquests among the townspeople. Many of them—the men, I mean—arc under physician’s care for cracked hearts. ’T is sad that there is such devastation, and we would urge upon the fair director the necessity of going a little easy, at least stringing the victims out a trifle so that there lie enough to last. The one distinguishing feature of Miss Downing’s classes is that the first row of scats is always occupied by the young gentlemen. This is our new professor of Psychology. Mr. Maurice II. Small. Me also gives a course in outline and note-hook writing, extending over four quarters. In the third quarter, he outlines the ear and eye and oesophagus. Anyone wishing a recipe for concentration should see Mr. Small at once. He can so concentrate his mind upon a subject that his head falls forward, his eyes close, his arms hang limp at his side, and at intervals strange sounds, as of the grating of rusty hinges, issue from his ported lips. Yes, and so deep is his meditation that he must lie spoken to several times in order to bring him back to a realization of his surroundings. If you have any difficulty in keeping your attention on but one thing at a time, you should make haste to try Mr. Small's true and never-failing recipe. Miss Kdna B. Lowd, the youthful assistant in the Art Department, has been with us but a short time, yet her praises are sung thruotit the school. Quietly and unassumingly she goes aliout her work, giving directions firmly and definitely, in her low. calm voice. The clear-cut. regular features show earnestness, frankness, stability, and resolution. It is with regret that we learn that Miss Lowd will not Ik- with us next year, as she returns to Pratt Institute to pursue further the study of art. When she goes she will take with her the best wishes of every one for a brilliant career in the work she has chosen, and we all confidently look forward to a time when we shall be proud to say that we studied drawing under Miss I-owd at Oshkosh Normal in 1904. This is not a Freshman, but Miss Annie I- Rooney, assistant in Elocution and English, who joined the faculty last fall. Her experiences have been varied. She has what is commonly called a crush,” for she passionately adores the head of the Rhetoric Department. She has frequently been taken for a student. Once, while she was talking in the corridor, a Senior gentleman stepped up and said, “My dear girl, you must not talk in the corridors.” However, don’t think her youthfulness a detriment to her teaching. One day, while discussing with Mr. Luke Burns her criticism on his rendition of an Irish selection, she said, “You arc evidently not Irish, and it takes an Irishman to do that selection justice.” Evidently, she is not Irish, for all her name. For further information, apply to Joe Mortimer. I I 4 I I I r I I t 1 1 18

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Some day when the spirit of exploration is upon you, take your way into the gymnasium, turn upon your right-hand down a narrow passageway, and you will come to a pleasant, commodious room which, judging from the size of the seats, you would think a dwelling-place of Brownies.” This i« the domain of Miss Faye Henley, director of Kindergarten since last September. She is a woman who thoroughly understands kindergarten methods, and is deeply in sympathy with the feelings and the troubles of the little ones. At present there is a larger attendance in this department than ever before. We all look to a large number of successful kindergarten teachers being turned out into the world to do honor to the White and Gobi. This iv Miss Clara K. Marvin, our clerk and stenographer, and faithful assistant to Mr. Sim Murphy in his various duties pertaining to the management of the institution. Miss Marvin possesses an authority greater than any mcmltcr of the faculty except the President, for she can call a student from any class at any time. One of her most onerous duties is responding to the calls of the telephone. She is very conscientious and painstaking in all her labors. The patience and cheerfulness with which she complies with our slightest requests has made Miss Marvin a general favorite. Many arc the students who have l een called to her to account for a few unexcused absences, who have gone on their way rejoicing. livery good story has a pleasant conclusion, and they lived happily ever after. Therefore we have reserved for the closing chapter of our simple annals. just the sweetest, sunniest, happiest creature we could find, our Assistant Librarian, Miss Lucy A. Potter. Some arc famed for one thing and some for another, hut to all Xormalitcs Miss Potter is famed for her kindliness. She has a habit, however, which keeps her wings from sprouting, and which is rather provoking at times. Every afternoon at five-fifteen she breaks in upon our quiet study with the whirring of her strident alarm clock, and if that fails to rouse us to departure, we hear her voice in accents firm, saying, “closing time. ($n (ftpprccififton. to fttx cBccrfuffg. to faBor fattBfuffg. to strive BopefutYg to oce in cocrg otubent unfinoum poootBiiitteo. anb lo cub eocrg otubent to attain Bto BigBeot betxfopment—to Bane a fiinb tBougBt for aff. anb a toorb of encourage ment for eacB“to set t8« rewarbo of tBe spirituaf against tBe return of (Be temporal’-anb to 6e a gutbc to us now. anb an inspiration to u at wag :— Bi «o tBe taofi requiring atT H af to otrongcof. 6roabeot. anb noSfest in cfiaracter— tljto to tlx taofi accompltoBcb 8g Our Sacuftg. 20