Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-11-07
The Teachers Institute. y

Consisting of the County Superintendent
School Trustees and Teachers of Rockbridge-
met and was organized on Friday last. The
County Superintendent presided er o6icio.
| The opening prayer and address were deliv-
cred by the Rev. DR.. PendletoD, of the Epis-
copal Church. The Rev. DR. Sears, General
/ Agent of the Peabody Fund for Southern edu-
cation, delivered very clear and forcible ad.
dress, on the Importance of general education.
and in favor OF the public schools as the best
means of attaining that important end
Jacob Fuller, ESQ.,, one of our most thorough
and successful teachers, addressed the Institute
on the power of the black board, as means
of communicating instruction on almost every
subject. He gave interesting illustrations of
his own method of using it, by calling together
few of his pupils who were present, and show
ing the audience how they had been taught
A general discussion followed which showed
that both the subject and Mr.. Fuller remarks
upon it bad been highly appreciated o-i2 Is
ln the afternoon, Prof Joynes, of w. g. L.
University delivered a most entertaining and
instructive lecture on the study of the English
language and its Grammar. The speaker could
have given no better illustration of the value
of athorough knowledge of our own language,
than was afforded by the beautiful, clear and
forcible diction in which he clothed his subject,
and with which he held the attention of de-
lighted audience for more than an hour
The Institute re-assemhled after supper at
the NJ. r. Church, where the subject was re-
sumed in an animated and interesting discus
sion, conducted by Col Preston, DIR. Sears and
Prof. Joynes. The Logic of Language" was
the chief topic of the evening.
On Saturday morning the next regular lee
ture Of the course, on the best method of teach
ing Geography, was delivered by Maj j.
Hotchkiss, of Staunton. Some people think
that Geography is inherently and unavoidably
dry study, but if they had heard Maj. Hotch-
kiss, in his clear and systematic method of dis
cussiDg it, they would have changed their opin-
lou. He threw charm around his subject
which won the interest and admiration of all
who heard him.
DIR. Sears then delivered an able and elegant
defense of public schools, sustained at public
expense; ard set forth with great clearness and
force the advantages of "graded schools" over
the ungraded, as regards both efficiency and
economy.
Prof Nelson's lecture on teaching the ele-
mentary principles of Arithmetic, was charac-
terlzed by that clear and concise method for
which ne is noted as an instructor. 1t must
have been both interesting and instructive to
those teachers who were present, to find that
there are clearer and better ways of explaining
the doctrine of numbers" than are usually
found In text books $50
Altogether. this Teachers Institute was an
admirable Normal School in miniature and
if Normal Schools could have extended courses
Of such lectures as were delivered on this occa-
sion, We should place very high estimate up
on their value
The only thing to be regretted in regard to
this meeting of the teachers is, that SO many
of them deprived themselves of such valuable
privileges by being absent-and still more un-
fortunate is it, that many of the absent were
those who most needed the benefit of being
present.-Le.c Gazette.