Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1875-10-27
The State Teachers Institute


During the past week a State
Teachers Institute eiwas held at
East Tawas for the benefit of the
teachers of Iosco, Altoona and Al
pena counties. This institute was
called by the State Superintendent
of Public Instruction, Daniel 3.
Briggs, in response to a petition of
leading citizens and the school
boards of East Tawas and neigh
boring towns, and also another
petition of twenty-five teachers
who agreed to attend.
b. The teachers of all the towns
along the shore, from here to and
including Alabaster, were present
at tho institute, and the whole
number Of members enrolled was
thirty-seven, thirty-three of whom
were actual teachers now engaged
in the work. This number includ-
ed all but two of the teachers OF
our public schools.
B The institute held its first ses-
sion Monday evening, the exercises
consisting first of remarks by the
Superintendent on the Importance
of meetings of this nature and ex-
planatoryr of the work proposed,
and second, q lecture on Female
Education. In his Introductory
remarkable referred to the impor-
lance of associations in general
and teachers associations in par
ticular, referring to. the fact, also,
that the benefits accrue to the best
educated as well as to the least,
and also to the obvious fact that
none but the most ignorant can
fail to recognize their Importance.
His lecture was splendid argu-
ment in favor of the higher prac-
teal education of women, they
being really the educators of the
nation.
The sessions began promptly at
s:45 A. NJ, and 300 and 1880 p. NJ,
the afternoon sessions continuing
until dark each day. The day
sessions consisted of lectures on
methods Of teaching the various
common branches, together with
class drill by way Of illustration,
the class being made up of men,
bers selected from the institute,
also lectures on school Organization,
reports, records, government, ETC.,
also of essays from the leading
of the institute on educa-
tional topics, and at 500 z. NJ, the
'query box" was opened and the
questions relating TO schools and
school work deposited there during
he day were considered and dis
,ussed.
Tuesday evening Prof. McLouth
If the State Normal School, at
Ypsilanti, delivered very fine lee
.ure on Perfect Manhood and its
bearings on the teachers profess
zion, delineating in q remarkably |
vivid light the Great responsibility |
'esting on him who would UNDER
AXE to train the faculties. of the
mind, and to inscribe upon its tab
cts, impressions which like the
waves will ever continue to widen
md increase till time shall end.
On Wednesday evening Superin-
endent Briggs gave a very fine
ecture full Of beautiful word paint
ng as well as practical common
iense on "The Discipline and Gull
ure that should be expected of
,ur Schools and on Thursday
evening Prof. McLouth gave a
ecture on Mammoth Cave, relating |
he expe riences of one journey of
tx or eight miles, and another of
over twenty miles into that stupen-
lous cavern. He prefixed his
ecture by some remark in which
ie said he presumed that some
would not perceive from the title
What bearing Mammoth Cave had
IN the subject OF school teaching,
md he, himself, presumed that he
would probably run IL into the
ground before no got through
Whatever It might lack in wit or
,ertinence, he promised should be
made up in profundity, suggesting |
hat it was not very difficult mat
ter for d lecturer, who is permitted
10 choose his own topic, to give 1t
he quality of depth, If nothing
Else. Every member of the large |
audience, even the little children |
here, testified bv their wrapped |