The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1865-11-23
Educational Department.

lAH communications intended for this columns
should be addressed to the Educational Editsr
Of The 4tteghdnian.
Since the winter of 1862 until soma
time during the session of last winter.
legislative enactment required the teach.
ers OF each school district to hold an in.
stltute for their professional improvement
at least once every :Ho weeks AT tho
instance OF certain persons, the law has
been changed SO far as TO allow teachers
to hold these institutes or not, as thew
shall see proper. The chief reason urged
5y such as advocated the change was that
as many Institutes would be held without
the law as with it. Whether or not this
VIII prove true, 1t is not our purpose now
70 inquire, but rather to press upon the
teachers throughout the county the neces-
sity OF not allowing so good an agency to
fall dead merely because the matter has
been left to their own choice. The insti-
tute, when it is rightly conducted, is the
best friend o! the teacher, especially the
young teacher. Although it often hap
peus In thinly populated districts that to
be present at its meetings will require a
walk OF considerable distance, yet it may
b. made profitable to take that walk a
short-sighted policy, may incline some few
to think 1t is not worth their while to
spend every other Saturday at an insti-
tute seeing they do not expect to be per-
mauently engaged in teaching. That is
mistaken notion. By meeting with 9TH
ers OF greater experience, or of quicker
perceptions, Or with those who are gifted
with 'aptness to teach"-a gift that be-
longs not to the many-you will be helped
over not few difficulties and enabled to
| avoid trouble in the manage nent of YOUR
school and aided N the elucidation of
points you otherwise could Lot clearly
explain.
Six active teachers can az any time hold
an interesting aud useful township insti-
tute. Twelve are of course to be prefer.
red, but more than that number are not
needed That which makes the success
ful Institute is the iateres: and activity
shown. not mere numerical strength. As
there should be present a goodly number
OF the scholars attending where the iusti-
tute is held, let some of the most advanc-
ed De added to the classes if they seem
too small. ..-..z--@=-
At we'll conducted Institute, one adds
to the benefit OF his own experience, that
of the experience of others He may
teach Reading well, but may be defective
IN teaching Geography, and at the insti-
tute he will likely meet some one who
fails in teaching Reading but is successful
IN Geography. For the purpose of an in
Stltute Is the interchanging of views rela-
tive to the dIfferen; methods of intoxicating
the seveTal branches aud the agencies of
government. A young teacher should
attend in order to learn from older heads,
and an old teacher should not be absent
lest he become too firmly set in his own
way.
There is danger in this as in other
counties OF the State, now that the COM
pulsury law Is repealed, that there will be
retrograde movement In relation to dis
trIct Institutes. A re:rograde movement
10 this respect is a backward step of our
whole school system. The repeal of the
law imposes new duties on all who were
its friends, whether they desired its repeal
or not. 1t now devo.ves on County Sd
perinteudents, Directors, teachers, ana
citizens who upheld Institutes in times
past TO stand by them now. While Su-
perIntenGents can only urge, Directors
can stipuiate for them to be held, and ac-
tive teachers can use their personal infd-
ence. When they are ned, let the ruddy
faces Of the yeomanry of the rural dis
trictS and the paler ones of the towns and
villages be seen in attendance. The mum.
Der of inexperienced teachers is unusually
and inconvenientiy large. These should
be improved as rapidly as possible by be-
ing brought in contact with teachers Of
more enlarged experience.