Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-08-20
Teachers Institute.

Teachers Institute.
THIRD DAY-WEDNEsDAY.
The attendance yesterday morning was
stitute.
Mr.. French took up the subject of the
"Methods Of Acquiring Knowledge" His
first object was to show the Importance OF
cleaning knowledge through the senses.
There is a wide difference in the perceptions
Of individuals one will ride through the coun-
try and not see anything more than one who
is blind. Another will see every hill and val
ley, farm and river, and all the beauties of
nature on every hand Bring natural objects
in to the school room. Take the children out
of doors and show them natures works. He
would have the mountains and valleys teach.
The eyes are the great mediums OF education.
Secondly, ideas should precede words. The
thing is presented TO the mind, and then
comes the desire to obtain language to ex-
press the idea. The step is taken from OBJ
lects to names-from thoughts to sentences.
II thought is in the mind of the child, it will
in some way find expression. Another step
is taken from knowledge to definitions.
Thirdly, instruction should proceed from
the known to the unknown, taking the knowl-
edge which the child already possesses to OBJ
tain more knowledge. Hence, from things to
symbols; from the things before the senses, to
the abstracts from facts to principles.
Fourthly, Exercise should be left TO the
pupil Hence, teach the pupil to do; Guilt
vate the eye and the hand. The knowledge
is not the child's knowledge until he has done
the work. The pupil must do the work for
himself.
Prof. Luce then took up the subject of the
no
ployed in teaching Drawing in our COM
mon school. In this State we must do
pioneer work, and cannot expect to do first
class work at once. He would attempt to
show how successful work could be done in
drawing without possessing the means of do
ing the very highest class of work.
The teacher must have good blackboard
and crayons. Teacher will have to illustrate
principles on blackboard; shun all appear
ance of educating pupils to copy models on
blackboard; square crayon best for drawing
Obtain drawing manual which is absolutely
necessity for the teachers. He had found
this in his own experience. There must be
daily preparation; go over the work that is
to be done during the day with pencil and
paper, making the models as perfect as pos
sible; dSaw exercises on the board before
school opens. There must be daily inspec
ton of the ork done by the pupil, as in the
other studies.
Pupils should pass in to the teacher the
very best effort Of the day Alternate draw
ing with wiring exercises; class make better
Improvement in writing when they practice
drawing.
Among the means needed by the pupil,
are, tor primary grades, drawing cards; Tor
grammar and higher grades, drawing books,
watch are necessary 20 get the highest
,,l, ,lp of mi, finn,
papers, buff wrapping paper is very good
long. we!l-pointed pencils; regular work .un-
der the teachers eye; practice outside of the
regular exercises, and outside of the school
room. it being impossible often in school
hours to little more than indicate the work TO
be done.
Next were considered the Methods of
teaching, including dictation exercises; work
from printed or written directions; analysis
of copies; reproduction of forms previously
learned from memory copying from the
board; Conventonaiizing natural forms, true
decorative art is not initiative; model draw
ing, having the objects before the pupils
teaching the elements of design, that are few
and simple; original designs, which will
interest children; and, finally, time the exer-
cises
DIR. French next took the stand, and said
that great advantage could be gained from
little incidents that are daily occurring. He
would make a suggestion or two in regard to
spelling. Spelling is not necessity of
spoken language; its use is for writing and
printing. The eye is the chief sense used in
written spelling; the ear and voice that of
oral spelling. Children that can't write must
be learned to print or to spell orally Pro-
nounce the words for the scholars before re-
curing them to spell, then let the same thing
be done by the pupil, as also the orthogra-
ply; require the words to be divided into syl
tables, and the pro per accents given. In cor
recting spelling a good method when mis-
take is made, let it be taken up and cor
rected by the next scholar; would not pro-
nounce a word more than once, or allow
guessing at the spelling of a word.
In written spelling, many methods were
suggested, among them the observing by pu-
pills of capitals, the arrangement of the let
ter, the syllabication, the accent, the exam
ination of work by teachers or pupils. Don't
place bad autobiography before the children.
Prof Luce followed until adjournment, on
the same topic.
AFTERNOON.
The first lesson by DR.. French, was one on
classification OF schools. This must be based
on definite principles covering time, order,
and length of exercises. The amount of
instruction should be measured by the ca
pacity of the class; hence length of exercise
must vary with different classes of pupils.
Length of time that the attention can be held