The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-05-27

TEAeHERs' INSTITUTE. Yesterday forenoon
the Instructors attending the Teachers 1nstii
tute in this city visited some OF our public
schools and instructed the pupils in the special
studies to which they are devoted This FORE
| Loon the Institute teachers viii devote to
| earnest work in the schools of the city, going
4 from school room to school room, aud, by les
sons TO various classes, still more clearly illus
tratips to the teachers OF these classes and to
| Others present, the methods to be pursued in
actual instruction.
| The session in the afternoon was equal in
! interest to that which preceded it, Prot. L.
W. Mason occupied the frst hour with the
science of music and the use OF the chart show
ing the progress from rote singing to reading
music; Illustrating bis lecture by exercises by
the juvenile class in attendance. Prof Mason
has wonderful faculty for imparting instruc-
Ton. he gets down to the infant mind and
leads his pupils along SO gradually and pleas
antly that it is a delight to the little folks to
be taught by him. ......,.
Mrs. Amies followed with Object Teaching.
Thursday che treated of form; yesterday she
instructed in color--standarl coors, tints and
shades, and drilled the class in mixed colors
presented before them, illustrating tints and
shades.
Mr.. A. P. Stone, of Portland High School,
followed upon Elementary Grammar and the
system be would adopt with beginners.
Rev. Mr.. Root occupied few moments in
the preparation of The minds OF the audience
for the lesson which was to follow -setting
forth the great advantages, nay the necessity
of Drawing as branch of instruction in our
public schools, and the readiness with which
its principles can be understood by even tn.
youngest scholars. Mr. Root, being himself
quite clever with the pencil, understands the
subject, and his remarks were of great benefit
to the Institute. Prof Bartholomew, of Bos-
ton, then proceeded to explain the principles
OF the art and by happy method Of question
ing, interested his pupils and fixed in their
minds indelibly a thorough knowledge of the
subject, and gave them material enough for a
years work in the school room.
In the evening Mrs. Amies continued her
lessons in Reading, prefaced by lesson in
music by Prof. Mason.
1t is noticeable that very few of the citizens
OF Portland, excepting the teachers. have
attended these interesting exercises, and that
little heed is paid by the people at large to the
Institute or its objects. Our public schools
depend for success upon the people them
selves, and parents, taxpayers and committee
men ought to have an intelligent knowledge Of
our educational system and the needs of the
schools. Comparatively Portland had made
rapid advancement in the education Of chill
dren, and we pretend 10 be proud of the sue
cess Ct our teachers, but we are far behind our
position, wofully So We all need larger
knowledge of the subject. We ought to know
practically of the advantages the State is
Offering to us, and compare our system and
progress with those of our sister towns and
neishboring States And we know of no bet
ter way of doing this, as a community, than
by watching the exercises at the Institute.