The union Democrat., 1871-01-07


Teachers Institute Tnolumne County.
THURSDAY, Dec. %, lSTo.-The Institute
met pursuant to adjournment, at 10 o'clock,
A. NJ, was called TO order by c. l.. Me,zger,
County Superintendent. who Immediately re-
| sigaed the chair to the State Superintendent,
0. P. Fitzgerald.
After music BY the choir and PRAYER Nv
Mr.. Keller. the Institute was addressed rpon
school matters generally, by the State Super
intendent, and Prof Kpowlton. Recess Of
ten minutes Vas declared.
Upon reassembling, the choir sung. s.Jus,
one year ago." The subject of Geography
was then introduced by Prof. Knowlton, who
stated, that one OF the Trustees had made the
following inquiry. us there not more ice
aroLnd the North Pole than around the South
Pole. and if so, why is it?'' The Prof an
swered the question afirmatively, and in ex-
PLANTATION said That tie natural tempe. a.
ture at one pole, was the same as at the 9th
er; but STILL there was more ice at the North
Pole in consequence of it being more COM
pletely surrounded by land, thereby prevent
ing the escape of the ice, to the warmer por-
ton of the ocean, by the action of the winds.
and currents.
Superintendent Fitzgerald illustrated a
method, BY which teacher of San Bernadi-
no, successfully taught Geography. 1t was
by placing a map of country before the pu-
pill, and requesting him to name the county.
city, river, mountain, or otherwise, to which
the teacher pointed.
Arithmetic was the next subject of discus
sion, and was introduced by Prof. Knowlton.
No particular method of teaching Arithmetic
was presented. lie claimed that there was a
moral and immoral method of subtraction.
Subtraction by reduction, being the moral
method. and subtraction by additions, being
the immoral one. York could not see the
proprietv of the distinctions, and with all the
immortality of the second method, he prefer
ed it, in all cases, end particularly. when the
minuend consists CT many ciphers, with but
one or two significant figures, at the left.
That in his experience, he had found. that
the second method properly explained. was
more easily comprehended than the other.
and that his pupils, almost universally pre-
tered 1t. Woodland endorsed tae remarks of
York, in their essential points. The other
teachers gave no expression of opinion or pre-
ference.
Prof. krowlton made some explanations
in Interest in which he stated that the words
per cent, meant hundredths and as an ex-
ample, 'seven per cent interest, on any sum,
means seven per cent of the sum, for the
sum- Woodland and York could not exact
~ take the dose in that shape. But the lat
ter, acknowledging his ignorance of Greek
and Latin, subsidized with protest. After
an lntermissicn of an hour, which was then
had the subject Of History was taken ur.
Prof. knowlton illustrated his method bv
contracting n map of a country, with pic
ture of 1t. Stated that he would encourage
children to tell stories, in their own language
to describe sections of the town in which they
live and with which they were familiar. He
believed that child should not commence
The study of history until nine or ten years
of age. lie was followed by Supt Netzger.
who believed in drawing the child out, ;"
causing the child TO think and proceeding by
topic lists generally. Fitzgerald considered
the textbook, as the only topic list necessary.
after the child was old enough to take up
one.
The subject of Composition was next intro
duced by Prof Knowlton. Metzser. Wood
ard, Heeler, York. Miss Walker and Miss
Martin, gaze their methods of conducting ex-
ercises in this hrahch But few indeed, an
peared to have any definite regular plan, Of
proceeding, in teaching it.
On motion, n committee consisting of q. T..
Metzger, NJ Woodland. John York. .5r.. Miss
Walker and Miss Severin. was appointed to
draft resolutions. to submit to the Institute
at its final adjournment
On motion. the Institute adjourned to meet
at the Presbyterian Church tn listen to an
address by State Superintendent Fitzgerald.
(The lest days proceedings will appear next
week.