Appalachian Heritage

26 NOTE: The Hindman School began in 1887 using a frame store building for classes, /iue months public school and five months subscription or "select" school. Knott County, with Hindman as the County Seat, was formed by an act of the Kentucky State Legislature in 1884. Three years later, in 1877, Hindman was a tiny village of about 17 houses and 100 people scattered at the forks and along the banks of Troublesome Creek with no school or church. When the citizens learned that George Clarke (who had come there from Greenup County to set up a law practice) had experience as a school teacher, they prevailed upon him toforget his law practice and start a school. Clarke responded to the need and thus began a long, illustrious career as educator in the hills ofeastern Kentucky. In 1888, with the help of citizens and students, Clarke leveled a site and built a school house (about where the Knott County Public Library now stands). Word got around and soon students from adjoining counties were coming to George Clarke's school as well. With the issues of education and its direction still strong in the news, it seemed appropriate to reprint the 1898-99 announcement of the Hindman School for a backward look and comparison. For those interested, much more information about George Clarke as well as the founding ofKnott County, appeared in Appalachian Heritage, Fall 1974-Winter 1975. CALENDAR July 25th First Term, ten weeks October 3rd Second Term, ten weeks December 16th Holidays January 3rd Third Term, ten weeks March 14th Fourth Term, ten weeks May 18th Closed. CATALOGUE OF STUDENTS 1897-98 (For this year 234 were listed with home addresses.] We present you this announcement for the twelfth year of the Hindman School, with thanks for the patronage of the past and ask for its continuance. We shall make greater effort this year to merit your approval. The tendency of the times is toward a more practical, useful education for our young people, a training that will make more producers, more men for field of profitable industry; and, with this end in view, our course of study is based upon the actual wants and necessities known to arise with students, as experienced by ourselves in our school work, both as pupil and teacher. 27 PRIMARY DEPARTMENT. "Activity is the law of childhood." The little boy or girl is naturally curious and restless. He wants to do what he sees others do. Having the proper thing done, at the proper time, and in the proper manner, is the true method of primary work. It is important that a child should be started in the way it should go. This department is under the care of an experienced teacher. Tuition, $1.00 per month. INTERMEDIATE COURSE. This course is intended for those who have completed the primary course, but need further instruction before taking professional courses. Tuition: $1.50 per month. TEACHERS' COURSE. Every class is a training class, whose methods are analyzed by both student and teacher. This course is designed to give thorough training in the branches of study commonly taught in the public schools. Not only is a complete mastery of these subjects intended, but also to give practical training in the best methods of teaching them. There is now a demand for thorough, well-trained teachers, who are fully up with the spirit of the age, who have informed themselves in the best and most approved methods of teaching, who can read and understand child nature in the little ones entrusted to their care, and who understand the order of development of the mind; for evidently there is a natural order of developing the faculties, and a teacher's success depends almost wholly upon how well he understands this natural order. It is his business to determine, as far as possible, how much the child knows about a particular subject; then it is his work to lead its mind from what it knows to what it does not know. Tuition, $2.50 per month. STATE CERTIFICATE COURSE. Teaching is a profession as well as theology or law, and those who teach should prepare to do their...