The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-10-03
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
MEErfNo or THE TEACHERS. ASSOCIATION

The Columbian Teachers Association held their r.rn
lar monthly meeting at the Smithsonian Institution
yesterday niornng Dr. s. Il. Ioonfis requested per-
mission 70 show and explain an instrument invented
by Mr.. Gordon, OF London. 1t was kind Of pro-
ttactor used In surveying and architecture He
asked the Association to appoint committee to re-
port upon the instrument. Professor q Richards
mentioned similar INSTRUMENT which had Just been
patented by friend Of his and hoped tho commit
tee would be autho.ssd seport Upon both Dir LOOMS
objected TO any competition comparison on the sru
ments before the committee The subject was postponed
until after the consideration OF the regular order Prof
Macleod then made some remarks the best mode Of
teaching elocuon In schools and observed that there
were four requisites TO correct Harmonious and forcble
eocntion namely 1st vocal power of utteranee Cd the
speaker should understand and feel the exact degree of
sentiment he desires to express 3d. he must be ercu
sivcy occupied with the subectmatter expressed and
not with mere sounds and motions and 4th. he must
have cultivated taste avoid extravaganza Prof
Macleod gave some examples OF reading to illustrate his
remarks Mr.. Wight followed with some appropriate
remarks on the same subject and read several passages
from Campbell and other standard authors Prof Richards
also expressed his views which struck us as eminenty
practical IIo remarked that good reader would in
the first place. enuncate and articulate every letter
which onght to be heard distinctly and he would pro
nounce every word accurately and with such force as
viii enable all his hearers to hear him with ease Sec
ondly he would reld with such meditation of voice
emphasis and gesture would make the hearer attend
only to the sentiment of what, read or in other
words to turn the attention of the nearer to the
matter rather than to tho of reading Such
reader speaker is not likely to be praised or condemned
such while tho speaker who may exhibit remarkable
precision of tone and gesture may BIO called an orator
Dstnctncss Of articulation depends upon proper ut
terance of the vowels and consonants of Ian
guage. Vowels constitute the music of oratory ;
and the meditation OF the voice depends upon the
vowel sounds, which can DO given on every degree
Of the musical scale. Consonants are required to
give peculiar character to the word and to enable
the heaer to distinguish it from Others as well as to dis
tngush every part of the word itself To make good
readers must begin with the chid-begin with him
he begins to utter the first elementary sounds the
first letter and the first word At that time the voice
should be cultivated rather than at any other period of
his life The child, at tho very first should learn to
give the proper utterance to all the elementary sounds
He should also be taught to give the proper meditation
to the voice at the very earliest part of his education
and this matter of course, will be most easily done
by making him understand what he reads There an
excellent Scripture direction upon that subject which is
found in the eighth chapter and eighth of Nehe-
miah 80 they read in the book in the law of God,
dcrstand the reading Prof R. remarked that he did
not know Of any better direction than that in any Of our
books oratory. He then spoke of the difficulty of
breaking up bad habits and the importance that the
child should commence right, and read several passages
in further illustration Of his remarks
on noti3a It ordered that the first hour of the
next Hisatiag b5 devoted % the aiae subject
II Rspaas aanoanttd that wllr this subject should
b a2g1sal ~ Dr. Toomts you'd opea tho subject OF
gscgtar8cai teEtbocks and gaog .aphy as a whole tie
also stated that naA -ccsiYel communication from
Mr.. Barnard, who well known friend OF euucs-
ton and who informed him that he about to come
to this city, and had consented to deliver public lecture
upon any educational topic that might be suggested He
would probably be here in the of two or three
weeks and due notice would be given of the lecture
On motion by DIR. Looms, resolution adopted
that hereafter quarter before twelve the discussion of
literary subjects shall terminate for the purpose of con-
sidering such business as may be presented
On motion by Mr.. Wight, resolution adopted for
the appointment of committee Of three to examine the
protractng instrument of Mr. Gordon exhibited to this
association by Dr. Loomis and also any similar nsru
ment that may be brought to their notice. and that this
committee prepare and present to Mr. Gordon their opn
ion the opinion of the association the absolute or
relative merits of this instrument provided that this ar
rangement be satisfactory to Mr.. Gordon.
The Chairman stated that he would appoint the COM
mtteo at future time not being prepared to an
nounce 1t now.
The association then adjourned until the first Satur
day in November. These meetings quite interesting
and largely attended not only by the teachers our
public schools but by others who feel interest in the
cause OF education. The discussions are conducted in
friendly spirit and the information elected but be
of great benefit to all present. while the examples and
Illustrations in elocution give variety and add zest to
the exercises
has affixed his official signature to acts Of the following
nature
An act regulating tho sale Of poisos which prohibits
any druggist other person to sell give away except
upon the prescription of physician the personal ap
picaon Of responsible white person Of full age any
clc of medicine belonging to the class of poisons and
in all where such articles sold under the above
restrictions the word poison shall be marked thereon
and also deaths head and crossbones except in cases
of physicians prescriptions, and the druggist shall keep
in register the name age, SEX and residence of the per-
obtaining the poison the and quantity of the
article sold given away, with the day and date of the
SALE and the purpose for which said poison required
The penalty for violation Of the above provisions Is
less than ten than twenty dollars.
Joint resolution for the appointment of committee to
inquire into the subject of establishing house of correc
tion or refuge.
Act making appropriations for the removal Of ohal,
Stops, SC.
Act increasing the rates Of license averns to
charge tvo hundred dollars for tayerns here there aro