The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-24
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Editors Dispdtch II MT told That people
Lsppearcd more cheerful here on last Monday
THAT being court.dty}, and that the rains
which have recently fallen In PARTS OF the
county aud the advance In the price OF to.
-bacco were the caHsesuf this cheerfuiness:
The volunteer party of engineers, com.
posed Of Majnr Berkeley Ward, Maj0r p +.
Mason, Colonel W.. Il. Sims, and Professor
j. T.. Aperett, who went out from this place
TO Patrick to prospect the country with re-
ference to narrow-gauge railroad, has re-
turned. tits thought that no railroad can
piss within less than 4 mile of Henry Court
house. In d. portion Of this route they pass
ed down Beaver creek to Smiths river,tun
Smiths river to GoblintoWn creek, aud up
this creek, and onward to Stuart's Knob, a
spur Of the Blue Ridge. s, $50 n
It Is said that valuable iron has been in
market for the last forty years from the
works at StuarL's Knob. Magnetic oxide of
iron was found ct j. p. Barksdale's, both
blue and brown. Specimens Of both were
brought away. The blue has bright me-
talic lustre. Rich. iron-ore was also found
at Rocky Mount. Of this The brown was
found more abundant. AS to the character
of the land it is only necessary to say that
we lin Danville) have for years regarded
Patrick, Henry, and Franklin as the region
in which abounds everything good for man
and beast, and these engineers confirm us in
th belief. ~.
The Teachers Institute of Pittsylvania
county met here yesterday in answer to the
call OF Rev. George w. Dame. the saperin-
tendeut of schools for the county. Professor
j. T. Averett was appointed secretary.
There were present about thirty Of the pub
lie school teachers of the county, and con-
siderable number Of visitors, and, by special
invitation, MIR. j. Ell. Binford. of Richmond,
and Mr. j. ). Ladd, Of Stauhton, were here
as lecturers. After some preiminaries Mr..
Laid was introduced and delivered lecture
on the importance of inaugurating and sus-
tanning good system Of public free schools.
The points Of the address were these: Such
a sy stem provided for the education of all at
the least possible expense, and the expendi-
ture Of money sufficient for this purpose was
good investment. This was regarded as
the preliminary lecture.
Dir. Bintords commenced his lectures on
the method of teaching reading by explain
ing his mode of teaching the alphabet and
spelling. In doing this he begins with pic
lures, then takes small words as another
form Of pictures, next the letters as parts of
these pictures. He does not advise the use
of spelHng-books and dictionaries after the
ancient fashion, nor the once common prae-
tice of repeating the syllables in spelling
orally. He prefers to teach spelling by re-
curing all of the work to be done in writ
Ing, and continue his spelling lessons
through his whole course Of instruction.
In the evening Mr.. Binford continued his
explanation Of his method Of teaching read
lug. The point Of bis lecture was that a
clliid cannot read what he cannot under.
stand, and that the teacher must, in one way
or another, meet this difficulty. He wished
0 make the reading lesson embrace spelling,
defining, emphasizing, aad punctuation, and
he made 1t very clear that more is involved
IN reading lesson than many dream of in
their philosophy.
Mir. Ladd then gave aD example of his
method OF correcting q "lazy" school,
which exercise pleasantly and highly de-.
lighted bis audience.
Yesterday people here were complaining
bitterly of drought. The gardens were not
and pasturage was so scant that
some were feediDg their mich coWs--a thing
not usual here at this season.. A very re-
feshing shower fell this manning, and faces
are brighter The crop OF tobacco has suf-
Tered considerably. / cannot say, however,
that the corn has been seriously DAMAGED in,
the country Immediately north or south OF.
this place.
Dir. Bnfoza: and Mr.. Ladfi are lect,uing,
at the Teachers Institute te-day--Mr. Bin
ford on arithmetic. Mir. LadIi on grammar.
They receive.the undivided attention of their
audiences, and the general impression is
that Rev. ilr. Dame, the county superinten-,
dent Of schools, has done the public amin
portant service in bringing these gentlemen
to the county as lecturers to the teachers of
the public schools. But I am not sure that
even "Viaaor" coHId repol.5 their numerous
and happy black board illustrations.
ALPHA.