Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-07-08
School Examination.

Hattie II. b0uSe anu MISS ls'tDciia Sp"S",
for the purpose of calling The attention
of teachers in the County to the impor-
lance of becoming acquainted with the
most improved methods OF teaching, so
MS to make the most of the money, time
and minds in our common schools. 1
hope that other important centres in the
County will have public examination Mt
the close Of their summer schools. TO
which teachers of other schools and
parents will be invited. No good teach
er can fail TO be benefited by attending
such examinations.
The lowest grade is under the direction
of Miss Dodge. After IN exercise in
singing. in which the whole school join
ed, she gave an exhibition of their skill
in the use of the Universal Table in
Arithmetic. in which the children go no
faster i'm the use OF numbers than what
they could employ in the most rapid man.
ner in all the combinations OF addition,
subtraction, multiplication and division,
but no higher than ,. With naught. one
and two they were familiar with the signs
definitions and application 10 Objects
such rs apples, cucum6ers, eggs ana
whatever might chance TO come up.
Their arithmetic was thus all rapid.
practical, intellectual and progressive.
There were no great CULTS for their minds
TO plunge into rs may SO often be seen.
This was the result of seven weeks prac-
ticc. Another seven will carry them thro'
half the digiis, which will be great
terms work. She also engaged in a
business transaction of Luying and sell
iug, and going to market, which at once
combined their mental, written and prac-
teal arithmetic just rs it should be. in
stead of The miserable distractions that
arc so frequently forced upon the minds
of children. deem this method of
teaching arithmetic, far the most natural
and philosophical of any yet tried
Children are not kept cternaIly repeating
long tables without ideas, but the tables
make themselves by growing out OF the
mental processes 10 which the minds OF
the children arc subjected. The black
board and slate are put in constant re-
QUESTION, and every process is II purely
mental operation.
The mex, exercise was teaching the nj
phabct from charts by the word method
as new practiced in the best schools in the
County. BY this method, twenty or
thirty children can be taught at the same
time By this method the little ones are
kept on the watch 10 do something, and
they did it with wonderful degree OF in
tcrcst Each word becomes picture in
the mind, which, when once lodged
there. is not easily forgotten, and induces
habits of correct spelling.
The next exercise was in Reading in
the 81 and 3rd Reader classes. This was
practiced after the Scotch method, of re-
peating word by the teacher to be pro-
noumccd by the whole class, then waiting
before difficult words long enough to
count three, so that the minds of the
children could take in the picture of each
word when pronounced. This was fol-
lowed by reading the same in phrases, and
then by sentences The children now
have quite good command of the verse
and read it in turn and correct each other.
They also define al important words, and
spell them from the reading exercise. or
phrases. They also had Il drill in vocal
ization, the key or pitch of tie voice, and
wrote, or rather printed compositions in
capital letters. This exercise was very
satisfactory. and was followed by some
light gymnastics. Want of time pre-
vented hearing their object lessons in &c.
ography and noticing their military drill.
This grade of school will have vaca-
ton Of two weeks
In the afternoon, the upper grade under
Miss Clough, commenced by reading from
the Fifth National Reader. Each one was
expected to read tluently and in the right
key They read like those accomplished
il the art Of elocution. They corrected
each other in the most critical and faSti-
dious manner They had done something
more than make it 4 mere initiative excr,
else, for they had become familiar with
the rules and practice of elocution, thus
making it intellectual in its exhibition
The whole exercise was exceedingly sat
isinctory.
This was followed by an exercise in
topical spelling. Their subject Tor the
day was the metals Each scholar had
collected Il written list of all the metals
One scholar pronounces word and the
class spell il, /; then the next in order puts
out word and 50 on till the whole is ex-
hausted This is followed by n review Of
all mis- spelled words. This was follow
ed by the Fourth Reader, who chose sides
and corrected each other. The correct
key, force and quantity were constantly
before their minds.
Next came arithmetic A class of be.
ginners were finely drilled on the numer-
al frame which Miss Clough handled with
much skill, and transferred the knowledge
acquired from it to the board and to their
states. The universal table, mineral
frame and perpetual tables were thus put
in requisiion. A class in decimal frac-