Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1870-11-25
TEACHERS COLUMN.


A township Institute was held at Win
throp Nov. 10Th. The morning session
was devoted to the discussion of the sub
ject of"School organization" Many good
hints were offered but no general plan
agreed upon. The great difficulties in
the way Of a more perfect organization OF |
our schools are: Diversity of text books;
irregular attendance; whims Of pupils;
want of legal authority on the part of the
teacher to decide upon a course of study
and fix the grade Of pupils; want of intel
ligent support on the part of patrons, and
neglect of Boards of Directors to decide
upon the studies to be pursued and the
kind of text books to be used. Remedy,
better school legislation and more eff
cient administration. A spirited discus
sion followed on the subject of reading by
Ely. Webb, Prof Palmer, Flickingcr and
Pierce In presenting the subject Mr..
Ely gave great importance to definitions,
claiming that as few of our pupils will
ever be called upon to read in public, we
should teach them to read understanding
ly rather than effectively after
leaving school pupils will only read to
gain information, and his power of gain
ing information by reading must depend
upon his knowledge of the meaning of
words; would have classes define all
words in the lesson. Mr. Flickinger
would have pupils in end and Bird read
crs read the lesson forward and backward
until perfectly familiar with words as OBJ
iects, though pupils should learn to recog-
nizc words at sight so as to be able to
pronounce them rapidly. Prof Palmer
objected to the word method, because
pupils were apt to become familiar with
words as objects having no meaning
Agreed with Mr.. Ely that the primary
object in teaching reading should be to
associate ideas with words Mr.. Webb
would not require pupils to commit def
nitions given in reading books as they are
special and not general definitions, and
depend entirely upon the connection.
Supt Pierce thought the word method,
in the hands OF a judicious teacher, was
the best of all methods for teaching the
meaning Of words, the very first words
taught the pupil being the name of some
familiar object Would use no other
method if he wished to teach definitions,
the word, not Il letter being the unit of
the language, the word being the sign of
an idea while letter has no meaning.
The question "What is the object Of class
recitation, and how conduct it, was next
discussed. Webb thought the first object
was to test the pupils knowledge of the
lesson. To do this he would require the
pupil to stand and recitc the lesson giving
the substance in his own language.
Thought if he knew the lesson he could
tell il somehow. Prof Palmer wished to
know that the pupil arrived at the cor
rect result by the proper course ofrcason-
ing. Illustrated by an example N Aritl!-
mctic. Rev Brintnall thought the meth
cd of conducting must vary with the diff
ferent stages of advancement. Thought
that one object was to teach the pu-
pill to think to purpose or in the right
direction. Supt. Pierce thought the
objects of Glass Organization were: 1st
To economic time. end To stimulate
the members of the class Objects of
class Recitation were: lst TO test the
pupils knowledge, the ability to tell being
the test. end. To impart additional
instruction. Thought that the teacher
sho"ld know more than the text book
Bird. Cultivate the power Of expression
Thought that Grammar should be taught
with all studies. 4th TO give pupils
confidence in their own ability. 9th TO
teach them to think in the right direction.
Thought to secure this teacher should
exercise great care in assigning lessons
and great skill in questioning. Would
recommend the topical method and have
the questions short and the answers full
BY request of Prof Palmer. his lecture
was postponed to some future evening
The following outline of school WAS
presenict; by a committee, AMI afrr q
thorough discussion approved by the In
Stitute: