Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-10-27
sTeachers, institute Of Portage County.

t Pursuant to previous notice, meeting of Teach
/ ers and Friends of Education of Portage County,
! convened at the Court House in Ravenna, on Sat
urday, the 2sd inst, for the purpose of considering
, the expediency of organizing Teachers Insti-
tute for said County. On motion, o. P. Brown,
/ Esq, was chosen Chairman, and C. P. HART,
Secretary. The sense of the meeting was then
| taken as to the propriety of an immediate organ
ization and convention of the proposed society !;
whereupon it appeared that, in the opinion of the
majority Of the teachers present, it was deemed
neXpedient, considering the lateness of the season
and other unfayorable circumstances, to hold a
/ Teachers Institute this Fall. Regret was unani
mously expressed that steps had not been taken
for the accomplishment Of the desired object at
earlier and more auspicious period of the season.
( Believing that the exigencies of our common
schools demand the estnhl shms mt of the contem-
plated Institution the earliest practicable PERIOD
a committee appointed to issue call for that
! purpose in the Spring, at such time and place as
they may deem requisite for the fulfllment of the
enterprise. The following are the names of said
| committee:
o. P. Brown, Esq, Ravenna, Chairman;
IlCIGCtlC. oiii,
E. B. Omsted, Prin. Atwater Academy;
! ]. K. Pickett, Prin. Shalersville Institute.
C. G. Terry, Prin. Nelson Academy;
r. L. Dodge, Prin. Ravenna Institute,
| o. w. Strong, Edinburgh; :
A. Pickett, Prin. Windham Academy;
c. p. Hart, Prn Seminary OF Natural Science,
! Ravenna.
An Informal resolution Yves then passed, recom-
mendiag the committee to visit and examine as
many OF the district schools of the county as cir
cumstances will permit, with the view to report
their condition to the Institute. Having directed
the Secretary to prepare resolutions for publca-
ton, defining more particularly its sentiments,
| position, and action, the meeting adjourned sine
| de-
RESOLUTIONS.
! Inasmuch as it is generally conceded that pop
| ular education, both intellectual and moral, is
essential as well to the existence and perpetuty
| of free Institutions as to human happiness; and
inasmuch as its power is made available to these
ends only in proportion to its general diffusion
among the masses; therefore
Resogued, That, under free government, the
the most important object Of popular action, is to
make the principle of intelligence general in the
mass, and to elevate it as knowledge increases
Rcsolued, That the accomplishment Of this great
object among us, community, mainly devolves
upon our common schools; that while the develop
ment of the faculties of the human understanding,
OF the cultivation Of mind, is the proper object OF
all schools and systems of instruction. the primo
ry schools may justly be regarded as the more in
fiuential, because far the more numerous.
Resolued, That the teachers of our schools ought
therefore, to cultivate in themselves, to an emf
nent and characteristic degree, those qualities and
principles of knowledge, which, as the moulders
of the American mind, it is SO essential the latter
should possess. y
ResoSued, That the position of a teacher is one
which requires the constant analysis of the sub
iect of his teaching; and that to do this, he must
understand not merely its results, but all the con-
nections, dependencies, and relations by which
those results are obtained.
Resolred, That teachers should not only have
thorough knowledge of the subject-matter to be
taught but should acquaint themselves with, that
they may practice, the best or most approved
methods Of nstruction-such indeed, as experience
has demonstrated to be superior
Resolued, That, as Teachers' Institutes are spec
tally designed and admirably adapted to mpart
this land of knowledge, they constitute an mpor-
tant auxiliary to the promotion of general mtelli-
oence, and as such will ever receive the colnmen-
dation and support of all who are not too proud to
learn OF too ignorant to appreciate their benefits
c. p HART, }Secret0rU.