The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1865-05-13
Cairo, April 81.

dollars for the delivery of ex- Governor Ish-
am G. Harris to the civil authorities of
that State.
PROCEEDING OF THE INSTITUTE.
Pursuant to call issued by the Execu-
tive Committee, the Lyon County Teachers
Institute met at the Normal School-room,
in Emporia, May Cd, 1865, and continued
in session four DAYS. The names of fifty
new members were added to the Constitu-
ton of the Society, SO that the association
now has a working force of seventy two
members. The large attendance of teachers
and friends of education is indicative of the
interest taken in educational matters through
out this portion of the State, as well as a de-
sire on the part of the teachers present to
avail themselves of such opportunity for
self-improvement as the daily sessions OF
an Institute present.
After devotional exercises, consisting OF
short reading from the Scripture, singing.
and the repetition of the Lords Prayer by
all the members, the work of the first SEES.
sion commenced with discussion on ''The
importance. of holding Teachers Institutes,
and best methods of conducting them
The discussion was opened by Mr.. Oiphant,
Presidents of the Institute, who, in a few
pleasant remarks, gave something of its his
tory, and mentioned some of the obvious
advantages of teachers thus gathering to-
gether. He referred to the Normal School,,
and thought a brighter day was dawn
ing upon the educational interests of Lyon
County and the State. Mr.. Kellogg, Mr..
Miller, and others. continued the discussion.
The same reasons might be urged for hold
ing Teachers Institute as for any other
association having for its object the advance
rnent- of good cause. The Institute adds
directly to the efficiency of our schools; for,
in the mutual interchange of thought and
experience on subjects of every day interest
in the school-room, and in the discussions
of right modes of giving instruction, each
teacher enlarges his views, and is strength
ened in his work. The drill exercises of
the Institute should correspond with those
of a we'll conducted Normal School-the
came classifying and arranging of facts, the
same responsibility for their reproduction,
and the same freedom of discussion. It is,
besides, the work of an Institute to concert
and discuss public measures for the i'm
provement of schools. Who more than
teachers should have a hearing in such
matters? By means of popular lectures
and other literary exercises connected with
the Institute, public interest in our work is
to be fostered And the social advantages
of such gatherings are not to be omitted in
summing the good work of an Institute.
After the discussion, Misses Maddox
and Allen sang ''The Spring is coming"
then came brief exercise in numbers; fol-
lowed by one in free gymnastics, conducted
by Mr.. Kellogg. The exercises of the fore
noon were concluded by the reading of an
essay by Miss Jennie Priest, which by vote
of the Institute was requested for publica-
ton in the Educational Journal.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The work of the afternoon commenced
with a drill exercise in Reading. conducted
by Miss NJ. ]. Watson. The object of til.
exercise was to offer a protest against tbs
too prevalent, practice of making the reading
lesson in schools consist of but the repeti-
ton of certain numberof words. While
she insisted upon accuracy in articulation.
and called upon the class for frequent crit
eisn in enunciatioD. she further insisted
upon a thorough understanding of th'
thought. Questions on the historical Incl.
dents mentioned in the poem under cOnsid,
Grafton, and on the spelling, meaning, and
resemblance of words in the lesson, were
piled, to give meaning 70 the lines and tes
the pupils accuracy Of observation. Thii
was followed by an exercise in numbers
entered into with much zest BY the members
of the Institute. The exereiss, conducted
by Mr.. Kellogg, was given IS an illustra
ton of kind-Of general exercise vel
adapted to The, wants of common schools
L consisted OF the addition Of small nun
bers given rapidly by the tsachsr-fhe an