Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-11-12
Gbs 4at9fflo enquirer
,itchhsld, Conn, Thursday, Nov. IL, 1857.
For the Litchfeld Enquirer. X
THE LITCHFIELD COUNTY
TEACHERS INSTITUTE.

TEACHERS INSTITUTE.
The managing authorities had decided that the
Teachers institute should be ia New Hartford
and should begin on the 10Th of Octobet. Con-
sequently. all of the poor or good teachers must
go there. if they wished to attend the same and
60 they did, IO9 of them in all, both ycunq and
old, great and small. Some came on the cars To
C"liinsvile of Winsted; and thence vent on
the stages, not in them, as they were generally
otherwise filled. Some came upon their under.
sfandtng-came over the hills and through the val
Iess, through the long fotests, with the FROST
bitten leaves dropping continually to the ground.
Chestnuts and acorns lay scattered under the
foot, inviting the hungry pedestrian to help him-
self from Natures store-house; the skipping
red and grey squirrels were doing on every side.
There is beautiful scenery on those high New
Hartford hls--wildetness and civilization; forest
and village. all mixed together.
II was in the afternoon when approached the
village from the son'h, and it lay SO pleasantly
that was forced to stop and admire its beauty.
Surrounded on(every side by high hills covered
by large trees Of the oak and chestnut, with here
and there a pine, and on either side of the wind.
Ing Pennington lay the white houses of New
Hartford. THE sun shone dimly, but the water
rolling oSef the mi=dam in wave-lIke form, spa,-
Killed., and the river, the old Turks, rolled on as
maJeslically as though no white man had stopped
its pfogress.
But mine was not the painters part but the
hearers; and lherefofs t!hdged on to the Hall,
where my brothers and sisters in the Teachers
tstse had already assembled. There were that
Day but few of us-yet still they came. and the
large Hall seemed but poorly filed, though ere
Friday passed, there was no room for more for
the citizens of the village began to find that
good feast was provided for all. On the stage
at the west end Of the Hall, stood MI Northend,
Editor OF the Common School Journal: He was
d'scodfsins Upon some School topic. And there
TOO, was NJ S. Brown, late Principal of the Web
ster School. New Haven and also the Secretary,
MIR. North of Torrington.
cannot give here the daily programme, but /
Will only say things in brief Mr.. NorIend's
topics were-NloraIi,y illustrated by Cowboys
Moral Lcssons-Geography as il is, and as i,
ohg'fl to be taught-SpelIing, REGULATIONS, and
School Discipline. Upon him also devsved the
general management of the Institute
MIR. Brown took the departments of Elocutiop
and Heading, Grammar und Analysis, Mental
Arithmetic, and some minor points pertaining to
Schools.
Pr The subject Of Penmanshp was taken up by
MIR. North, who showed the method of teachino
with class.
Ashort, but very interesting Lecture was given
upon Writing Grammar, by the Rev. Merrill Rich
ardson, from TerryvilIe.
The Reports Of the Committees upon Criticism
were very useful.
Several Determinations Were given by various
gentlemen, which, with the Criticism of Mr..
Brown, added materially to the interest Of the ex
ercises.
Lectures were given every evening in the order
as follows: Monday evening, by Hon. Francis
Gillette. Tuesday. by Rev. Mr. Spencer of New
Hartford. Upon the " Devotion of the Teacher. I"
Wednesday, by the Rev. Mr.. Richardson, upon
:" The Bearing Of Education upon the State"
Thursday, by the Hon. ID. N. Camp, Superin,en-
dent OF Common Schools, upon 1.-THE Common
schools and their improvement; and on Friday.
Mr. Nor'hend discoursed upon 1.-THE Work and
Workers Of Education" These were all listen
ed to by large audiences, (the Hall being literally
packed every evening by citizens of the place
ana With the utmost attention, the boys stampino
and capping their hands at each anecdp,e, of
which, IN all OF the Lectures except Mr.. Camps
there was tnls supply and in his was such a
quantity Of matter Of fact truths. that no spice was
Aeccssart to make the thing suit.
The Evening Exercises were generally closed
By Evolutionary Reading from Mr.. Brown, who
showed 10 good advantage the power and com.
pass of the human voice.
little blind boy of the village, who attended
the sessions of the Institute, elected much inter
Is. by his promp. answers in Mental Arithmetic
and other studies, and formed feature which
will not be soon forgotten.
vi COURSE, another important item to be consid.
cred, was the purchasing Of sundry books exhib:
tied by agents and others, consisting in whole OF
in part Of Arithmetic, Biographies, Writing
Books. Works upon Teaching, &c. &c. There
is little doub. but that it is poor time for Book
Agents.
The people seemed TO vie with one and another
in their entertainment of the Teachers. and every
dslicacy of their cooking was brought on to the
already loaded tables, to add to already more than
enough. Some entertained the idea that they
wished to load them down, and this proven, their
departure: hardly believe this; bu, i do think
that they made Thanksgiving come thirty days
too soon:
On the last evening, the Committee of tlesolt.
'ons reported, thanking the people for their care
Of them, and Observation-Disclosures the ofHcs,s