, 1870-07-07
SCHOOL PRINCIPALS SOCIETY,


Music In the Ech1ols-The KfnIerEnrtcu.
The second animal meeting Of the Society OF
School Principals was held, yesterday forenoon at
tile Haven School Building, on WabaAh nvenue.
MI. ". B. Powell, President Of the society, took
the chair. Nil. Smith, OF Alton, Was chosen Sec
retary.
The exercises were opened with tue singing OF
''Anertca-" Prayer was offered by Mr. Shearer,
OF fBe1videre.
MI. j. L P1ckard stated that Nj. Briggs, who
WAS to have delivered the opening address, was
unable to be present, and, In behalf OF the Board
Of Education, welcomed the teachers to the city.
MI. Powell then spoke lie had prepared an ad-
dress for the occasion, but as it would occupy too
much time, be would not deliver it. He referred
10 the necessity Of such ovganiza tons as tnc pres
ent, from which mi4ht eventually spring an fnGtl-
tuition for the instruction Of Principals solely. The
school system OF Illinois demanded three hundred
trained school Principals
Mr.. ptckani announced that Invitations had
been extended to the teachers to visit the lead
works and shot tower Of MI. Blatchford, the crib,
and the telescopes at the university aud TRIBUNE
MI. F E. Whttemore, Of Chicago. read IN essay
on ''Vocnl Music in the Public Schools" In which
he strongly protested against the system Of tcach
Ing by rote. He had commenced on that system,
but had discovered It to be a grand failure. he
gave some practical suggestions concerning the
adopted In the schools. His address was listened
to With pleasure BY the society.
Nj. Alto, OF Freeport, followed In glowing
rhapsody on music, ful Of gl!tteriug generatleS,
bnt having no practical bearing on the subject OF
musical culture In schools.
Mr. Tenor also made few remarks In the same
key.
Miss Elizabeth P, Peabody WAS then Introduced,
and read lengthy essay on the principles OF
teaching, as exemplded III Kindergarten schools,
After some general introductory remarks
on the subject OF children, the speaker
proceeded 70 tax Of the establishment Of the Kin
to Fraber by close observation Of an Infant In
mothers arms The system was an endeayOr to
educate fully NIL the faculties, physical and mcn-
tai, together The best specimens OF the jlstitu-
ti0n were foLnd in Germany, where she had found
the children engaged in making presents for their
tr1ends, 3 Kind OF task which wns calculated
TO educate the affections The plan Of
the schools originated by Frnber was
then detailed, after somewhat lengthy series Of
general observations on the nature OF children.
The age Of the children at these schools WAs from
three to seven, aud the only book used there was
the book Of nature. Miss Peabody went on 10
Illustrate the system By adeschruon of the various
methods adopted IN teaching the young Idca. She
had not finished the reading Of her essay at the
adjournment Of the forenoon BessIon.
Owing to The rain, the society did not assemble
at the Haven School In the afternoon, but met
somewhere down town. The exercises consisted
Of discussion OF the principles advanced by Miss
ieabody.
The programme OF exercises for to-day Is the
Fcabody, and discussion on the same snbJect: ::
School Records and Reports, by E ". Mccoy, ind
discussion; Ought Text Books to be Furnished
1t Public E1 pense y by E. &. Smith, and Teach
Ing Drawing IN the Public Schools by Miss G. F.
Cuirier.n