Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1854-04-26
Teachers Institute Rt Worcester,
April gath.
FIRST DAY.

The Teachers Institute commenced its ses-
sion on Monday evening, oath inst, in the
CITY Hall. The attendance was very numer-
Gus, and the audience seemed to be deeply in
terested in the proceedings. More than 200
teachers from abroad, were present, to whom
several of our good citizens have opened their
hospitable doors.
The Introductory lecture of the series, was
delivered by Professor Agassiz. His subject
was Natural History. The Professor said that
the objects of nature, to the uninstructed
mind, were like the alphabet to child that
did not know how to read. 1t was only when
we understood how to combine and arrange
them properly, that they became the symbols
of intelligent design. Organized Nature has
millions Of individual representatives, which
are infinitely diversified in their several char
acteristics; but there are, after all, only four
great series of organized beings, possessing
general characteristics which distinguish them.
And again all organized beings are produced
from eggs which have the same general form,
and are of almost the same original essence.
The idea the Professor wished his audience to
deduce from this, was that Nature was per-
fectly simply in her first principles. That all
the varied forms, and wonderful diversities of
appearances which we saw in animated Nature
were developed from ova, which resemble both
in form and essence. the yolk of an egg.
Radiates, Articulates, Vertibrates, and
MaInalia in embryo, are of the same spheri-
cal form, but under the intelligent direction of
the Divine Architect of Nature, they become
developed each after its kind.
In teaching Natural History, the instructor
should follow the course of Nature. He should
lead his pupil from the original principles of
organized nature-the alphabet Of Natural His
tory--onward to the infinite notifications of
phenomena, which are developed from those
first principles.
Professor Agassiz illustrated his lecture by
diagrams, which he drew, with chalk, on the
blackboard. His example, in this respect,
will not be lost to the teachers who listened
to lgis clear, concise, and admirably simple in
introduction to the study of Natural His
tory.
SECOND DAY.
On Tuesday, 25th inst, at o'clock A. NJ,
the second session of the Institute took place,
in the City Hall. Professor Whitaker lee
tured ON drawing and painting. He showed
that the elements of drawing consisted of only
two sorts of lines, straight and curved, with
their notifications. This art, like all other arts,
was distinguished by perfect simplicity in its
first principles. He was the most successful
artist who could most perfectly conceal the
evidences of that laborious study by which he
had acquired skill, and who could best repre-
sent the simplicity of nature.
Professor Guyot lectured, by appointment,
from 10 to II o'clock, on Physical Geography,
and, in the absence Of Professor Mason, he
tinued his lecture to IL M The learned Pro-
fessor repudiated the too popular idea that
teaching child the names of places is teach
ing it geography. True geographical knowl-
edge consists in having an intelligent concep-
ton, not only of the physical appearances of
the Earth's surface, and of its political diyi-
sions and history, but also of the relations of
is several parts to the sea and sky, which pro-
duce the notifications of climate sc. After an
able introduction to his general subject, M.
Guyot described, with maps, the physical
character of New England, and demonstrated
that it is separated, by a remarkable natural
depression, from the rest of the United States.
He showed number Of beautiful and re-
markable condolences between the forms Of
the sea shore, the highlands, and mountain
ranges of the interior; all giving evidence of
design in their construction.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Professor Guyot resumed his lecture, on Phys.
ical Geography, at 2 O'Clock p. NJ. The west
srn hemisphere was the subject Of his dis
course.
p,oc,ssor Vh;tt,iar continned his able and