The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-05-27

Teachers Institute.
The Teachers Institute, which was
held at Addison, last week, was very
pleasant occasion.
The number of teachers in attendance
was larger than at any previous Institute
in this county for the last five years.
The Town Hall was filed during the
daily sessions. and in the evening the
Baptist church was crowded with attcn-
tive listeners.
On Tuesday evening Prof. Perkins, of
Burlington, gave lecture on birds, con
sidered from an agricultural point Of view.
He spoke very fuently, without notes, and
gave a good deal Of information import.
ant to farmers aud agriculturists, and in.
teresting to all.
On Wednesday evening Prof. Higley,
of Middlebury, delivered an earnest and
scholarly lecture upon symmetrical de-
velopment. 1t was just adapted to the
occasion, and was full of valuable sugges-
tions.
DR.. French, on Thursday evening gave
a sound practical. helpful address on the
duties of parents and teachers to each
other and to the school.
The Secretary, who has few superiors
as practical teacher, was certainly very
fortunate in securing such corps of as
sistant instructors.
Mr.. G. B. Stetson, OF Lewiston, Me-,
who taught composition and industrial
drawing, is one of the leading educational
men of his State. He is evidently man
of culture. Quiet, transformations, clear
headed, he has a very convincing way Of
saying things and always leaves the i'm
preston that he could say much more, il
he only would. Mr.. Stetson was for sew
eral years editor Of daily PAPER, in
Portland, if | am correctly informed, and
has, for the past five or six years, devoted
much time to the subject of drawing, as
taught in the schools of Europe BY his
statements of facts which have come un.
der his own observation, and by his argu.
ments, and by his illustrations on the
black aboard, he established tho belief in
the minds Of nearly, if not quite, all the
the teachers, that industrial drawing, not
mere picture making, may be put into
our schools at once, and that highly prac-
teal, as well as disciplinary and aesthetic
results may surely be attained.
Mr.. Stockwel is master of his subject,
aud teaches well, while Miss Gilson's ex-
perience in teaching vocal music in the
schools at ST. Adams, has qualified her to
give excellent instruction in this so much
neglected branch Of education. We hope
the time is coming, and long way this
side of the millennium, when Americans
shall be as musical a people as the Ger
mans. This must be brought about
through the agency of the common
schools.
Miss H. l.. D. Potter of New York,
who taught reading, is the author of a
valuable manual of reading, published by
the Harper's, and adopted by the Board
Of Education of this state, for use in our
higher schools. Her methods of teaching
reading, in both primary and advanced
classes, are very effective, and she sue
ceedcd in awakening great deal of en-
thusiasm in her classes, which were com.
posed of teachers personating school chill
dren Of different ages. She has voice
of wonderful compass, and power, and
feasibility; much dramatic talenta quick.
keen discrimination of nice shades Of
thought and sentiment, and but little Of
that unpleasant mannerism, Of which most
elocutionists have so much. She read
every evening, at the close OF the lectures,
to delighted audiences. Some of the
ladies and gentlemen who have heard
Mrs. Siddons, consider Miss Potter not
her inferior as an elocutionist.
One of the most valuable lessons that
teachers received at the Institute was
taught incidentally, namely that the
school room may be a very sunny place,
and learning, pleasant occupation.
When the Institute had closed, and
teachers were taking leave Of one anorh.
er, one could hear on every hand the ex-
preston, "Ths has been the most pleas.
ant Institute ever attended"
The teachers were cordially received
and handsomely entertained by the good
people Of Addison, who evidently under.
stand the meaning of that Scripture which
saith, Use hospitality without grudging.
The following resolutions were adopted
and ordered sent to the Middlebury Reg
lister and Vergennes Vermonter for pub.
| LEGATION
Resolved, That We, the members Of the Addi-
son County Institute, hereby tender our acknowl-
| edgement to the Railroad authorities for the
courtesy of half fare.
Resolved, That the largehearted and very
thoughtful Inequalities of the people of Addison
which have been rendered at more than usual in
convenience to themselves, at this season of the
year, will be long held in grateful remembrance
by the members of this Institute.
Resoired, That we have listened with much
profit to the interesting and instructive lectures
of Prof Perkins, Of the University of Vermont, of
Prof Iligley, of Middlebury College, and of DR..
French, Secretary of the Board of Education, and
that we desire to express our thanks to these gen.
tlemen for the same.
thanks for the great pleasure she has given us at
the evening sessions Of the Institute by her very
superior readings and recitations.
ResolVed, That We highly appreciate the ex-
cellent and very practical instructions We have
received of DR.. French, in regard to the organza.
tNh "hu F'h'iai management VI rcuOolr, uilu hlsO
in Local and Mathematical Geography; of Mr.,
G. b. stetson, in Composition and Drawing; OF
Mr.. q A Stockwell in Penmanship; If Miss
II. L. ID. Potter, in Reading and Elocuton and
of Miss A f. ellison, in methods of teaching Vo-
cal Music in our schools, and we consider this to
have been one of the most pleasant and valuable
Institutes we have ever attended
Resolved That the Institute acknowledge the
pleasure conferred by the declarations and reci-
tations of the pupils from tho Vergennes Graaed
School.
Resoiued That it is our conviction that the ell
ements of Drawing and Vocal Music should be in
troduced soon, and as generally possible into
the common schools of our State.
Resoiped That we do not intend these resolu-
tions as empty compliment or an expected form
atty but as an inadequate expression of views
and feelings.
State News.
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