The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1869-12-09
TEACHER,S INSTITUTE.

1869. The convention was called to
order by the School Examiner, Mr..
Thomas Mcdonald, and organized by
electing the following named Off
GERS: President, Thos. Mcdonald; Vice
President, d. d. Luke; Secretary, VIM.
Jackson; Assistant Secretary, Miss Ma
ry Dickson; Critic, Miss Vonia Cham
berlain. The Institute being organized,
the President appointed d. D. Luke
Superintendent. The objects Of the
Convention were briefly stated by the
Superintendent, after which, several
teachers from various parts of the coun-
ty gave their methods of teaching, and
briefly stated in what they had succeed
ed, and in what they had failed. The
afternoon session was called to order by
the President, after which, Mr.. Jack
son gave a lesson in penmanship, en-
bracing, 1st, position of the body; I'd,
manner of holding the pen; Sd, move
ments. He thought writing very inn
pOrtant, aud that it might be made
success in our schools; teachers ought
to become interested. He recommend
cd the Spencerian system, and thought
every teacher should have set of Spen-
GERS writing charts-that if the teacher
himself were not good penman, he
could effectually teach it from these
charts.
Mr.. Beiler gave lesson in arithme-
tic, and gaze his method of organizing
and educating classes. He had found
great difficulty in classifying pupils; he
had from four to FIVE classes in the same
book. A. the close Of his remarks it
was suggested that so many classes can
be avoided by an increase of labor on
the part of the teacher, in assisting the
backward pupils, and exercising good
judgment in assigning lessons to be
learned.
Mr.. D. D. Luke gave lesson in pri-
mary photography. He presented the
subject in very able manner. lie said
he would begin his instruction by Sc
lecting a word, and. develop theidea rep
resented by it with an object, and then
proceed to the elementary sounds con-
tanned in the words, and then the letters
forming the word. That children learn
words which are names of objects soon
er than they can learn letter because
the subject is then presented in its
natural order, as they learn to name the
objects before they learn the word
Therefore the philosophy is to proceed
from the whole to the part. BY this
method we teach things that have mean
ing, but by commencing with the letter
first, we teach the arbitrary character
which cannot be interesting to the pu
Pill, as no idea is attached to it that the
pupil can comprehend. He thought
adults soon forget arbitrary principles
or rules, while they have difficulty ii
remembering facts based upon scientific
principles; so, a long time is required tt
teach child the alphabet by beginning
at A, B, C.
1t was announced that Mr.. Cyru.
Smith, of Logansport, and Mr.. Thomas
Charles, of Chicago, would be present
on Tuesday afternoon. The institute
adjourned to meet at O clock in the eve
ming.
In the evening session, the subjec
considered was that of School Govern
ment. Nearly all the teachers took par
in the discussion. Many different meth
DDS were presented. The use Of thu
rod in the school room found few sup
porters. The Institute adjourned til
9 o'clock. a. m.
| On Tuesday morning the Institute
opened with music, Miss Ella Lewis, or
ganist.
The programme being arranged b,
the Supt., Mr.. VIM. Shaw gave his meth
cd of teaching arithmetic. He said h'
would pursue the objective plan in de
veloping the idea of number.
Mr.. Jackson gave lesson in primary
physiology, which was very interesting
and beneficial
| Mr.. Cyrus Smith gave q lesson il
primary reading, considering the sub
ject under the following heads:
/. Object OF Idea. III. Spoken word
1st, As Whole, I'd, BY Sound. III
Written Word, LIST, As Whole, I'd By
Sound, Sd, By Letter. He said that hi
would proceed from the whole to tn
parts, and develop the idea upon object
i've principles, and if developing tn
long and short vowels he would selec
words containing those sounds only, tina
he would spell by sound first and thel
by letter; that if you see a picture, tall
and write about it, you can thus interes
your pupils so that they will be gla'
to come to school; that he would teacl
composition in this way, not By rules
but by deduction.