Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-02-11

The mind will grow to the subject
The remaining part of the lecture was devoted
to the influence of mountain ranges upon thu
character and productions of countries and thei
effect upon the history and growth OF these coun
tries. His lecture was very interesting aud hi
remarks were illustrated by the use Of q maj
and globe.
Dr. Sears in a few brief remarks urged in for
chile and strikingly Illustrative manner the ne
cessty of instruction in the elementary sounds
of our language. He maintained that goct
usage was the standard of pronunciation Tina
in these times OF progress it ia impossible fol
provincial standards to hold. That the tenden
cy j. to some universal standard. He considered
this standard to be that of the best usage
A very animated and interesting discussion
followed on the subjects of divergent, of local
and Of progressive usage and Was participated II
by Prof !oynes and Campbell and DR. Sears
The afternoon session met at o clock and the
Raw VIM A Harris delivered an address OF
the expediency and adsisability of giving
medals as an incentive and stimulant to study
among pupils"
in a short but logical and forcible address he
gave his reasons for opposing the system, and
sustained the following points of objection with
able argument and fitting ilu-tra,ion:
lst, lG was false and rifclai stimulus. anC
tends o divert the mind from he main object o
education-the formation of character
2nd 1t defeats the very object n whic h it /:
designed. that IL, an incentive To study Tor The
contest for the medal is soon narrowed down It
few pupils and The others cease to study; tbs
object for which they were wOI king being now
out of their re ,ch.
3rd, Among the asprants for the honor. il
tends to cultivate ambitious plans and beg is I'M
fair emulation
4th. It's tendency is to impair the influence
which every teacher ought to maintain over hi:
pupils Tney watch him with jealous eye anG
are quick to charge him with partially when
defeat overiakeS them.
9Th, Il tends 10 degrade the moral character
for it offers powerful temptation to the candI-
date to use trickerV or Othar means OF fraud tC
accomplish hi. ends. 1t also leads TO hattery,
and exhibitions of love and show of affection al
together unlet, with the design of init lencing
the favo- of the teacher
9Th, In many cases the honor is not awarded tc
It'll. 1t subverts the great principle that every
man should be rewarded according TO his deserts
II also supplants and ignores those reward:
which the Creator has designed to stimulate and
invite to la Dor and effort. VIZ: seifreSpect the
desire Cor the esteem of the teacher of fellow
students. of fellowmen. excellence as Its own
reward, consciousness of doing right, life Of
high endeavor and glorious effort
In conclusion he said, it was preferable to ad.
vance child without any motive at all, rather
than hold out q wrong motive. Let the child be
taught ear v that he is created for some high
purpose and hs will need no artificial incentives
70 labor and effort.
The remaining portion of the evening session
pressions in our language, such 1T is me" sit
is him. and as to the tendency of present usage
in pronunciation.
At night large audience of ladies and gen.
tIemen assembled to hear public address By
Prof JoyDes.
He began by expressing his full approval O!
the Public School system. He knew there were
many OF jections urged against the system, but
considered it useless to discuss these poW. The
Public School System is already settled oues,
ton, f1t occompA and it is IDLE and prepos
ferrous to question It's propIreity and neces.:
ity. It vii! give better schools, better graded
and better conducted than the cid system could
ever have gigen The schools are characterized
By method, organization, uniformity and coop
grafton. He hoped the common school system
would in time embrace all the Institutions of
learning ia the State, from the highest TO th5
-o9est, each il its appropriate pl c..
lie spoke In terms OF the highest praise o.
the Teachers Institute and of the benefits tc
be accomplished By it. Tia. it was q means
Of culiivating q proper professional feeling
That teaching was not mere business; II was
profession 10 It's highest sense. 1t was learn
ed profession and required the highest attain
ments That as scencs and al art it invciy
ell the study of human nature. That it Was as
nfn t, as the whole range OF human ogledge
and as profound as human nature.
He sal ], a. teacher must also be learner, an
ardent and jealous learcar. That when a teach
er stops learning he had better stop teaching
he is no longer FL to teach. By becoming iearneI
the teacher grows in sympathy with with his pu
pills Freshness and warmth of feeling are kce[
alive and give power and control over children
which can be obtained in no other way.
The teacher should learn from books, from hi;
own experience he should study himself and
correct his own errors, he shou q also learn
chiefly from nature. lie should study child.
pupils.
In all the pursuits Of life he said, We adapt
ourselves tn the laws of nature. So We should
10 in education Educa ion meant deyelopn, ent
and this is to be accomplished by natural exer.
cises. Natural exercises are always pleasant
wholesome and easy. He spoke favorably of the
beautiful system at calSth enicS which has Ia
ken the place OF the old gymnasium
He considered it an axiom IN teaching that.
7rtnt.as easiest best for it is natural. He Sale
LEARNING on yht to be made easy for children. =
Never fear you will make it too easy : it will still
be ditiicnlt enough 1 he path OF knowledge vii
sill be thorny and painful
His second axiom was, avoid cram" It is the
great curse of the modern school room. He
sometimes thought that al the old giants he usec
to cad about wnen child had become united
IN one great giant the Giant Cram and thai
he lv es on little children. lie comes into tht
school room in the shape OF Grammar, of, Die
tionary, and in u thousand other forms, and be
fore the little child knows it, he is gobbled up by
this great Giant Gram" The want OF reality
in attanments is the great defect of the age and
is the result, of cram" He considerable crue
to force children to cram" what they could no
understand, and said this Was the reason why
children haze to study. Hence comes pervcrsioI
Of moral feeling and sentiment. de Is told it Is
his duty to study, yet he can not help but hate
it. 1t is like making children read dull books
on Sunday they come to look forward to Sun
day with dread and dislike II more than any
other day. The amount of cruelty and moral
perversion done In the name OF education Is in
calculable.
He was thankful that children had the power
of forgetting the immense amount 'crammed
into their little heads. Forgetfulness, he con-
sidered d conservative God-saVing power
Without i5 children would soon perish but he
thanked God that 1t Was given to them in album
dance.
FRIDAY.
The Institute was opened with prayer BIZ Rev
w. I. Richardson at 10 o'clock, A. NJ.
According to previous announcement, Mr.
Richardson then delivered brief but interest.
ing lecture Gu the subject Of Arithmetic lie
regarded the study OF Arithmetic as very i'm
por:ans-next to the study Of language, the
most important being the foundation Of o.!
exact science and exceedingly valuable as q
means of mental discipline. lie said the great
obstacle at present 70 pupils learning arithme
tic successfully was tho facility with which they
could obtain keys. He urged strenuous objec-
lions to their use, and said that pupils should
be taught the impora lce OF solving all the pro-
blems Without assistance.
lie considered oral teaching or mental arih-
meiic as valuable in giving the pupil proper
understanding Of the science ofnum oers. THAT
= L