The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-11-15
Teachers Institute.
FIFTH DAY.


some in the audience, and answered by the Pro-
fessor. As regards rigid adherence to routine
in recitation. Mr. Allen insisted upon systemat-
c thought, hut deprecated that rgdity which
paralyzes independent thinking. Some leading
Thought. about which the associated thoughts
naturally group themselves, should be kept in
mind in each recitation. Never lose sight of
this thought but let it be the cardinal point of
your discourse. The Professor here incidental
ly gave excellent advice on school dsciplipe and
the detection of mischief. The advice may be
summed up in keep your eyes open" In rec
itatlon dont be chary of encouragement
when the pupil loses sight of the leading idea
hrlng it back to him. Don't lift him over the
hard places but teach him to help himself over.
Ihe matter of fractions, of prime importance,
should be early taken up, Invested of its facti
tous terrors, simplifed and taught thoroughly.
Children deal with fractions earlier than We
imagine. Their first experiences are usually
with p,es. In fractions there are but three un-
DERIVING principles. All fractional operations
are but examples of these, separately or in
combination. Very interesting practical illus
tratons of the manner of teaching these prn-
SipicS were SNeu lue DOOkS nave lodutu thtu
with We bose and burdensome deta Is, not nee
essary to remember. In response to inquiries
the speaker said he would teach pupils COM
mercial arithmetic. Not perhaps the CONNER
cial arithmetic of the book makers but the
commercial arithmetic of the merchants.
After recess MI. Corthell resumed his remarks
left unfinished yesterday on the use of words.
In teaching the perceptive powersmust be cater
ed to. This holds true in all our studies. To
enlarge the vocabulary of the pupil ask him to
name or to seek for the name of every object
he sees on his way to school, or in the home
that he leaves. This will be not only
study of language out a study in
natural history as we'll. After a time
the children may be asked to write, bearing in
mind that they are to write only of what they
understand. Composition, if rightly managed,
can be made the most delightful of all school
exercises Oral teaching should be made the
vehicle OF teaching the correct use of English
Much may be taught of this in the regular
course of a recitation. Nothing is too trivial
to be touched upon. Precision and drectness
of statement should be encouraged. Children
will soon learn to delight in it. Facility of
Ca piCSoiou may Ue easily dItdlUoQ I06 DoDu
of the child's power or genius may often be
determined from these nfantile themes.
After while the grammar book" may be in
troduced. but not not used for long. Reading,
with running comments, should be substituted
for analysis and parsing. Observation of
the style and the peculiarities of different
authors can be made to result in correct and
vigorous style of ones own. The analysis, de-
rivation and exact use of words may next be
taken up as we go from generals to details
The study OF synonyms is another step in ad.
vance. A great aid in the study of language is
the comparison of style. This, and the trans
position of poetical into prose forms and its
correlative, will be found of much value. Rhet-
orical analysis may be practically taught with
ont the definition of figures with which the
books are numbered
In reply to question regarding the suppress
sion of truancy, Prof Allen said the disease
must first be diagnosed The reason why the
boy absents himself must be found out. Some
times it is the unkindness of the teacher, some
times it is the Indifference of parents, some
times it is the unattract!veness of the school
room. These faults must be obviated.
The speaker then resumed the subject of
Rotations aud spoke of the assignment of les
sons. A few suggestions in regard to this mat
ter closed the morning exercise,
AFTERNOON.
In the afternoon Prof. Allen began the exer-
cises by writing on the blackboard, EVERY pu-
p on entering the school has a large amount
of unclassiied knowledge and unorganized
facts" Taking this as the text he enlarge
upon the necessity of the classifying of these
facts by the teacher You must examine the
pupil in order to ascertain where his know
ledge of subject ends, what his assets are and
the nature of his stock in trade. Begin to
teach where his knowledge ends, and proceed
from the known to the unknown. Take what
the child knows aud build on to thai. Use
your eyes and make your pupils use their eyes
The trouble is that you don't use your eyes
How many of you use the blackboard crayols S
IN school? Several HANDS held up.l Do you
know where these crayons are made? (No one
knew Use your eyes and you will see in large
black Jefferson every box you use the name
and place of the crayon manufacturer, for there
is but one place in the United States where
they arc manuf tctured. But you must be care
full what you teach, and then, no matter how
bad the stock, good will come. Take lesson
from the man who gratis. The fruit is the
fruit of the graft,not of the origin bad stock
OF course there are limits. The apple cannot
be grated on the pine. Bear in mind, too, not
to work against the natural bent. ImpIess
upon the mind of the pupil that knowledge is
power. The business oil the teacher is to train
balance and discipline the powers by which
knowledge is attained; to fit the mind to re-
ceive the highest culture; to fit it to receive
and assmilate the beautiful.
What are the responsibilities of teachers?
The teacher is responsible for the physical in
tellectual and moral development of the pupil
The simple laws of hygenie must be learned
and practiced. Cleanliness must be insisted
upon, in school furniture, in habits of school
work as well as in person. The Professor found
a strict attention to cleanliness to be of the
greatest benefit in generating proper pride
and self regard in the outcasts taken into his
orphan school.
Attention was called to the necessity of Gull
tivating the perceptve powers and the memo
ry The power of attention in pupils needs to
be developed The attention of pupils can be
secured by stimulating their curiosity, their
activity, their sympathy. God has implanted
a desire of knowledge in the minds of all child
rem. Take advantage of this. Let them show
their activity, their desire of DONG something,
in ways that will bring to them knowledge
Utilize the boys surplus amount of steam. To
attract the child's sympathy SHOW an interest
in the subject yourself If the pupil sees you
interested it will awaken his interest. He will
believe the subject to be of some importance.
After recess the Professor continued his SUBJ
ject and took up the matter of moral training
in schools. He did not attach as much import
ance as do some to the Bible readings. The
unconscious influence of the teacher, unspoken
and unex pressed, moulds the minds of the pu-
pills. If the teacher be truly good the pupils
cannot well be else. The teacher must be a
Christian. The Christian instructor without a
Bible can do more than the indifferent one
with ninety-nine Bibles A true reverence for
scripture does not necessitate the reading of the
King James, or the Douay version. Indeed,
it may in some instances be better to read
neither. Nothing is gained aud much is lost
by shocking prejudices If Won read scripture