Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-11-07
Educational Convention ut Norway.

The call Of Hon. r. y. Weston, State Su.
perintendeut. for Convention Of teachers
in Oxford County In the Dcmocra:
OF Oct ai.-met with q handsome response
in the attendance on the meeting. Of Fri.
day ard Saturday last.
Being q purely voluntary matter.
the las, legislature, with somewhat, qucs.
nonable policy withdrew the State a,d here.
,OfOrc given for the special instruction Of
,eaeher,.-,be Convention was highly salts
factory in numbers and interest.
The roll. .hew some l25 members present
n, the session. OF which large majority
were practical teachers. The Convention
was organized by the choice OF the proper
officers. Reporters were appointed n, each
session to report a, the next.
Bot briei notice Of the principal and
mos, interesting proceedings can be ai,emp,
cd 10 hi. report. ASIDE from the presence
~ our worthy Superintendent, and for =
PAR, of,he time OF Mr.. 4. :. iiuntrc--, tor
mer Normal teacher in Brids,on Academy,
no gentlemen from abroad were In attend
ancs 90 as.i., in the exercises.
Mr.. Weston, who indeed Is hos, in
IN him.elf.-eondueted the general exercises
throughout. and in hi. own inimitable aud
happy manner interested and proh,ed all.
The information communicated by him on
various branches OF study. hi. hints on mat.
tiers connected with the teachers calling
hi. suggestion. on the management Of
schools, we,e most valuable and instructive:
and could bu, stimulate teachers pre.cn, 81
carry them on, in their own practice. and
animate them in their difficult, We, too often
unapprscia'ei labor-.
The opening session on Thursday evening,
va. occupied by Mr.. Weston. in an Inior.
nal address on the tendency snd danger Of
the teacher 10 ruH mio ,Iiruns,, 20 ride hos.
hs,. Thu. subject wa. made eminen,ly
practical and wa. illustrated plainly and
iorcibly.
In the sessions Of Friday and Saturday he
presented some OF the results OF hi. in,os,i
cations in /" English pronunciation, giving
much valuable information on this ,eIins
suhrct, noticing many common and vulgar
error. exhibiting the sounds Of the novels:
discussing various words on which authors.
tie. are divided; and enforcing on teacher.
attention TO pronunciation u, a matter Of
fundamental and vital Importance.
lie me, the rival aud warning claims o.!
Webster and Worcester by middle course,
advising Mt 20 adopt or rgci either wholly.
bu, on di.putsd word. to " choose and be
correct" ye, have " a reason FOR The choice,
taste, fancy or iash'on,"
|, may be Of interes, To the public TO know
tia, these lectures on " English PrOnuncia.
,ion," will form the basis Of series OF ar
,ieles in coming number. OF the Maine
Teacher. Discussions on such n subject
from 81 able scholar, will be Of srea, value
in the pre.cn, confusion in pronunciation.
and certainly members Of the convention
wall Judge from what they heard that the
articles will be worth at lea., halt the price
oftba, valuable educational journal for the
coming year.
Mr. q. +. Leonard Of Norway c,nduc,sd
the exercise. IN Mathematics. selecting some
OF the 80 called easy, We, really Iif!icul, top.
les in arithmetic. for discussion and cxpla.
nation, exhibiting the bes, method Of teach.
Ing them. Remarks on Grammar. also.
and mode Of teaching. were made BY Mr..
W. NJ. Brook. OF Woodstock. Both Of tho
above gentlemen. from long and successful
experience IN teaching. were able to interest
and instruct the Convention.
Friday evening Mr.. Weston gave Zee.
turs. Subject" The Teacher" The
Speaker said. to succeed we'll. the teacher
mus, be lire teacher, capable Of infosins
hi. own life and energy into his pupils.
The pupil Is sure to DO inspired in q greater
or less degree, by the energy Of the teacher.
lie did not wish the teacher TO be loud and
bois,erous in his words and actions, bu,
calm. dicnlGed and energetic. moving about
the room In an easy. graceful manner.
Such a teacher would 10 certain to lead
hi. pupil. along from ono step to another
with entire success. AZ lie supposed he
was speaking TO live teachers, he need not
show tho other side OF the picture. No ono
could be successful teacher, without clear
had and sound body.
Mr.. Weston was followed by Mr. Hunt
re.s Of Bridg,on Academy. Mr.. II. spoke
Of the different methods Of teaching. In.
stead OF giving lessons by pages. no would
DO |, by topics. Ito would also teach read.
ing by word, instead Of letters. Scholars
would better understand their lessons, BY
these methods OF teaching.
SIR. IIuniress. only present Friday even
ing and Saturday, discussed Normal teach.
ing. exhibiting and illustrating its princi.
pie. and methods. commencing them to the
attention Of the Convention. No subject 10
Of greater importance to practical teachers,
and IN none 10 instruction more needed, and
it is earnestly hoped by oil " living teach
er," that the teachers Of our State may
soon have some Of the advantages IN this
re.pec, that sister Sta.ss have 60 long en-
pyed.
At diirsreu. periods In the session, colo.
quies on school management brought ou'
\ from the members themselves MANY OF the