Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-08-26
LOCAL ~ E"S.

TEACHERS INSTITUTE This body re-asscnl.
bled at ) p. m., yesterday, Superintendent
Carne in the chair, and with somewhat larger
attendance than iu the morning. Prot. ii. T..
Spencer, President of the Washington Bust
uess College, was first Introduced, aud gave a
remarkably clear and practical address on the
teaching Of writing, illustrating it protusely on
the black board and convuslug the audience
with laughter by limitations Of the manner OF
making letters used by very many persous.
Il. l.. DeLea, esq, of New Orleans, then
took the stand, aud entertained the teachers
by reading well worded and very practical es-
say on Method In Primary Teaching One
of his illustrations will amuSe, and perhaps lu-
struct our readers:
A young married man, he said, who had al
| ready several children and not too much money,
had third born to him at the house of its
grandmother. l, was brought home when
| three months old, and the grandmother came
| with it on visit The first night, after the
other children had been put to bed, he observ-
ed his wife, whose health was none Of the best,
holding the infant in her arms and suggested
that as they were not able to hire nurse, 1t
would not do for her to accustom the child to
too much DursiDg but that she had better get
| him into the habit of lying in his cradle. The
grandmother ohjected it was very cruel indeed
| to treat the child SOL and the child yelled vo-
riferously for a couple OF hours before going OFT
to sleep. The next night the same sccue was
| repeated, with little variation. The mother
wept aud the grandmother, when the husband
rejected her tender of services as nurse, aud
| declared that his baby must learn that he was
not the only person in the world whose couve.
uience was to be consulted, Threatened to leave
the house; the child was being murdered, she
said, and she would not be an accessory. The
Young man regretted her determination, but
| told her he could not yield till he had tried the
| experiment. fully. On the third eight finding
| him determined, no opposition was made, and
after Suuall Of about an hour, the baby yielded.
| The next night the struggle was very short
one, and on the fifth night the child shut its
eyes and went to sleep at once, and no further
trouble was experienced. The lecturer was
sure that that father had saved both himself
and some future teacher great deal Of trou
! BILE, aud that he would be sure to have an ODE
| dent sou.
At the conclusion of the session vote OF
thanks was, on motion OF Mr.. Elckln, given,
by unanimous rising, to Drs. Ruffner and
Bullock aud Messrs. Spencer and DcLca for
their able and instructive addresses.
This morning the Institute re-aSsem bled at
| III y CLOCK, sUuletHlu5 o'cI iolly pcISouo pCtue
present. Wm. +. Carne, esq.,, first delivered
very Interesting address GU 'The Teaching
of History" il winch be gave very Ingenious
method vi connecting local aud general history
with view to better understanding aud re-
membrauce Of both, aud illustrated 1t by aIlu-
sion 10 the names of the streets Of our city,
given them at various cpochs 10 the history OF
our State aud country, in very pleasant mau-
ner.
DR.. J. B. Johnson then read a valuable and
instructive essay on School Hygiene" show,
lug the great Importance Of due understand
ing of it BY teachers aud Schoo Boards, aud
the proprety of having the medical faculty
REPRESENTED 90 the latter. The essay was lis
tened to with the profound attention it merit:
ed, both for the importance of the subject and
The skill with which it was treated.
On motion of Mr.. Z. 4 Harper, the thanks
| of the teachers were glveu by rising vote, as
before, to DIR. johnson aud MeSsrs. Carue and
| F,ckliu for their addresses.
| Superintendent Carne then delivered brle'
closing address, and declared the Institute ad-
iuurncd sine die.
CONGRESSIONAL oMINATlNG CONVENTION.
The hotel offices aud readlug-roomS and varl'
Gus other places of public resort were throrged
last night py the delegates aud others attracted
here by the convention which met to-day. =
| There we're Two caucusses 10 session, one oil the
friends of General Hutton, and the other Of