Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1870-12-21
Juniata Cosnty Teache,s' Institute.
Z" Our court shall be little academe y

and see no ladies. they all agreed.
If it was not literally said by our
county Superintendent, G. W. Lloyd. to
the teachers of Juniata county, who as
sembled at the Court House, on Tuesday
morning, the 18th inst. that "Our Insti-
tute shall be little Academe" for teach
ers' in which the interchange of opinions
in teaching in every department of in.
struction for youth should constitute the
lessons and lectures, it was 70 under
stood by the public. These Institutes
are " little Academies" for the instruction
of teachers. No impolite edicts are
issued for the exclusion Of ladies. The
days for such things have gone by. 1t
Is no longer believed, like il was in the
days of Shakespeare Ferdinand, that
the presence of ladies eXerted an inAu.
ence over the mind of the student unfa-
vorable to his mental growth. The day
of woman's rights is here. She can enter
almost any place she chooses. Her pres
ence is no longer frowned upon, but it is
heartily asked for almost on every occa-
sion. Aud the Institute of which we
write is a fair illustration of this fact.
On its roll Of teachers, the names, as to
sex. stood ~ ladies against n gentlemen.
The organization of the Institute was
completed by electing Mr.. Adam Wilt.
Vice President, and Messrs. Baum, Smith
and Brandt, Secretaries The chief sub
jects considered during the two sessions,
forenoon and afternoon Of this the first
day of the Institute, were Small Boys"
Grammar" Hardness" and "Geogra-
ply But the great feature of this
days work ia visible in the evening ses-
sion, in the lecture of Qualification of
Teachers" by Prof. Carver, of the
Bloomsburg State Normal School. The
house was crowded to hear this popular
educator. He has way cf serving out
dry subject to his hearers that hides
all its hard and repulsive features, and
instead of causing them to wry their
faces and gag at it. they take it with a
smile. From his appearance and talk,
we would judge him to be the fright
man in the right place This lecture
stirred the community, and Wednesday
brought with it. as a consequence, in
creased interest in the Institute, on the
part of the community. The principa,
subjects considered by the Institute dur
ing Wednesday forenoon were. what is
the prese It natural development and
order of time" Study and advance
ment," and topography" At o'clock
in the afternoon j. p. Wickersham, State
Superintendent of Pubic Schools, enter
ed the Court Room and was greeted with
applause. This being directors day
and Mr. Wickerslam being called upon
for a speech, delivered one. devoted TO
the ..powers and duties of directors. -
In the evening, after the opening of the
exercises, Mr.. Wickersham delivered to
a crowded house, lecture on "Our Com
mon School System, its designs, its ma
ture, and the objections made to it." Its
design is to make education universal
throughout the State in the elements of
knowledge in the branches named in the
law, to impart high knowledge whenever
practicable, to elevate and improve so.
cie,y by imparting moral instruction. Its
nature is that it is "of the people, by
the people, for the people, for the whole
people, irrespective of race or color, con,
dition or sect 1t is managed by the
people not by central despotism as i.
the school system of Prussia. 1t be-
comes the people to make it good. II
allowed to remain bad the people are re-
.pon,ible. Objections were grouped un'
der the head of taxes, social influence
religious effects, &c. The lecture was
the most comprehensive cne ever deliv
cred in Miffiin on.,hc subject of Com
mon Schools" Colonel Mcfarland fol
lowed in a lecture on Duty of Teacher
TO Parent" at the conclusion Of which
. + ID. Parker was called on for speech
J He arose and said that as he was not a
. teacher, only director, he would make
, a directors speech, and he related, in in
imi,able style, his experience in the
school room as director. He spoke OF
the advancement, of the ''commor
schools" since his boyhood days and for
ciblv illustrated the truth of his declar
alton by the commonost and most hu
morous illustrations. This speech takeI
..all in ALL" and considering that it wa
an impromptu one, was the best-e1cept
:, ing Mr.. Wickersham 's-that was mad
during the sitting of the Institute
The subjects discussed during the fore
| noon and afternoon sessions of Thursda.
were. " ritten Arithmetic" How t.
: secure the appreciation of the parent
n Exercises in reading, by Prof Shoe
e maker, .Whirher are we drifting educa
: tionaIly ?" "Science of education" Tn
: evening exercises consisted of lectur
e hv Prof. Brooks, of Millersville Stat
o Normal School, ON the subject of tn