The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-07-04
The state Teaeher~' Convention.
PaREERsBURG, June 80, 1870.
Editors of the Register:

PTdl lTOHl DelHbOnt anu tile HclShpOilHS
counties of Ohio, took passage on the
steamboat Express, 10 attend the State
Teachers Convention at Parkersburg.
The weather was just little too hot
for comfort. Aside from this We had
all the requisites for most delightful
trip viz good boat, a gentlemanly,
affable set of officers, pleasant company,
and the grand scenery of "the beauti-
ful river
TO vary things somewhat and make
them, If possible, more agreeable, we
had social entertainment in the even
ing consisting OF. recitations, songs,
music, impromptu speeches, DC.
Mr.. J. J. Burns, OF st. Clairsyille,
gave several recitations, which elected
unbounded applause. He was followed
10y one Of his pupils, Mr.. Cowen, Jr.,
who entirely did credit to his instructor
. Miss Mehollin, OF Wheeling, sang
several songs in her inimitable manner,
which were encored again and again.
The committee on Entertainment met
us at the boat bright and early on Tues
day morning, and we were soon dis
trihuted among and Hospitality received
by the good citizens of Parkersl .srg
The Convention met at 9 o'clock
A. NJ, about one hundred teachers
present, one of whom, we learn, walked
a hundred and sixty miles TO be
present at this meeting.
The Convention was permanently or
ganized by electing Mr. A. d. Williams,
State Superintendent Of Schools, Presi-
dent, and Mr.. Prayer Vice President.
Mr. Prayer is a merchant in Parkers-
burg who has taken great interest in
the success of the public school system
of West Virginia, and j. l.. Gould of
Upshur county, Secretary.
On Tuesday Captain Mitchell, Super
intendent of Schools in Columbus, lee
tured on the art of primary instruction
in arithmetic. Professor a. D. Will
liams Iectured on the theory and prac-
tice OF teaching. In the evening Prof
f. +. White, OF Columbus, gave lee
ture on education.
Wednesday the attendance was much
larger than on the preceding day, fully
one hundred and fifty teachers being
present, besides a number of citizens
who took an interest in the proceedings
of the Convention.
Capt Mitchell continued his instruc-
ton on the art OF teaching arithmetic,
carrying it into the higher branches Of
the subject. .
Prof. White lectured on primary in
struction generally, and Prof Robert
Kidd, OF Cincinnati, the celebrated elo-
cutionist, gave instruction on the art of
teaching reading, and the cultivation Of
the voice
On Wednesday evening Prof Kidd
gave one of his peculiarly excellent en-
tertainments.
On Thursday the instruction in the
various branches continued, all the
lecturers taking part Prof Thompson,
Of Marshall College, gave some practi-
cal Instruction on the use OF gymnastics.
In the evening Captain Mitchell gave
Il plain talk on teaching as a pro
fcssion.
The Convention is to oeontinne through
Friday. We regret that we cannot he
present at the proceedings this day.
The greatest interest was manifested
throughout, and the exercises were
agreeably interspersed with instrumcn-
tai and vocal music, rendered 10y mem
bers of the Convention. Among those
who contributed in this way to the
pleasure OF the occasion, were j. j.
Burns, of st. Clairsville, Miss Mehollin
and Miss Steele, Of Wheeling, Miss
Reed and Miss Lumez, of Fairmont, and
Others, whose names we did not learn.
During our stay We took walk over
the bridge that crosses the kanawha,
and up the hill to the south. to the
earthen fort thrown up and occupied 10y
Co. b, of the llth West Virginia Regi-
ment. From this point is one Of the
most magnificent views that we have
behcld for a long time. As Wheel
rrgite we envIed Parkersburg her situa-
tiOn.
On Wednesday morning number of
us had a pleasant excursion down To
Blannerhassett's Island which is two
and half miles below Parkersburg.
We chartered diminutive craft named
after that redoubtable hero of revolu-
tionarv memory Paul Jones,-landcd
on the island before eight o'clock and
proceeded Immediately on our antigua
rian researches. The situation Of Mr..
Blannerhassett' : house was pointed ont
to us. The walls of the cellar arc still
to be seen. From within these walls
has grown Il large sycamore tree. As
we looked at it and the neglected con
dition OF the surroundings and saw IN
our imagination the picture Of beauty
and refinement that was here in the
time of Mr.. Blennerhassett We thought
".S;c taR&it giOrta mmdt
The old well il still in use and IN
perfect state of preservation. From II
we had drink of excellent water.
There is Il wild beauty about Tie
island. the taste and cultivation Of the
time of Mr.. Blannerhassett Is gone
We spent a couple OF hours stroiln@
about and listening to "reminiscences OF
the place from one Of the oldest inhah,
itants in the person Of the captain "i
our boat ....
The island contains about 400 acr},
has several owners, has three houses "n
it and is valuable property.
We will long remember with pleasure
the kind hospitality OF the citizens OF
Parkcrsburg. ALPHA
THE PRErrIESr WOMAN IN New rES
Miss K, well known in our fA$h
enable society for her distiague appc l.
! ance and beautiful complexion. wa once