Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-11-24

reading book should be impressed upon the min
by the teacher. This should be done patiently an
slowly, and by many methods
| He would have all the great authors Contrbu
to fertilize the minds Of pupils He would sugges
that two hours each week should be devoted t.
English classics. This will not retard the progress
of the scholars in other studies. Would have thu
scholars read only first rate authors, selecting th
gems in literature. Have Oliver Optic slops ant
Sunday school pastry put away, and get the mine
! ready to relish solid study.
| Prof. Davis paper showed that he had pursue,
the course that he had laid down for others.
The next paper was by Prof. NJ. c. Fernald, OF
the "Relation of Education to Labor"
| Culture is needed for those WHO are to engage
in the indultral pursuits. The superiority of Oul
civilization over barbarism is on account of intelH
gent culture. Unskilled labor is narrow and me
| chanical, and must always be poorly paid. In oul
country, where labor has been in demand, wage:
have been fair; but wages must decrease as tho
country expands and grows oder-the machine do
ing the work which tho hands had to perform. The
labor Of an educated person is u per cent. more
productive than an uneducated person. Not only
is the hand to be trained but the BRAIN to do skill
ed work. Intellect, and not crude muscle, COM
mand respect and good wages.
Mere physical force accumulates nothing, but
capital is the accumulation of skill. Before one
dollar can be added to capital the wages of skill
must be paid and other costs; the remainder may
he added to the capital. He deplored the contro-
versy between capital and labor; they copart-
ners and should never be separated. The educat-
ed laborcr the that produces surplus besides
the sum necessary for his maintenance, and thus
adds to the capital and wealth of the world. In
telligent labor is not confined to one groove, but it
has inventive genius and makes Improvements in
the methods of industry. In proportion as killed
minds have worked with educated brains, has the
world ad> anced in material prosperity.
Industrial education is demanded from the fact
that the learned professions, SO called, are over
crowded. and the worker the world nerd faci1
tiles ior good education In all industries learn
ing will find full play and will not be crippled.
| Some afraid that men will be educated ADORE
work, so that after receiving their education they
will not engage in the work of the world. Some
indeed prefer another life than that of farmer,
after receiving education but this does not
prove that he would not be better farmer ac-
! count Of education. The profession he will follow
as an occupation, must rest upon his individual
choice The paper was a very thorough and prac-
teal one.
A. ii. Kelley, Principal of the high school in
Belfast. read essay on the "Relation of Teach
ers to Employers" What the nation shall be
how it shah live-rests upon two casses--parents
and teachers. lie believed in the liberal educa-
ton OF our youth, that is, proper development
Of all their faculties. This should be the point
towards which We should strive. Teachers are
called upon to take the first steps in this matter,
and they should have the cordial cooperation of
parents but how they fail in this. Often, parents
dead weight. He thought that experiments ought
not 10 be made on immortal minds by ncompe-
tent teachers; but we shall always be afflicted
with such, while school committee men engage
those that they can get to work for the least
money. In concluding, he urged that the inter-
ests of the teachers and their employers are iden-
teal, and should never be brought in conflict.
Before closing for the afternoon, Prof. Rounds
of Pennington, urged the formation OF an associ-
alton establishing in this state teaching among the
h,nf ,ltnt,,
was held.
The evenings exercises begun with the reading
of an essay on "The Qualification Of Teachers, y
by D. l.. Smith, Principal of the johnson School,
in TopshaD. lie thought among the other quail
cations teacher shall be good penman; eligible
writing is a grace in these days. A knowledge of
geography is essential-not of every bog and
marsh and river or town and city IN the world,
with population, ETC., but the general principles OF
geography. History, not only that Of his own
country, but of the world; well versed in arfth
metic, so that if every text book was excluded
from the schools the teacher could continue his
work; some knowledge of algebra to discipline
the mind geometry may be made practical in the
same way In grammar every teacher should
have thorough Wedge. To teach this branch
well, the teacher should be correct in the practice
Of grammar. BY oral instruction this otherwise
seemingly dun subject may be made deeply inter-
esting. bookkeeping. physiology the structure
of the human SYSTEM knowledge Of human ma
ture, etc, are all important to be known. To be
true teacher, person must have control over
himself. lie who cannot control hi5 own temper
neatness, abstinence from the use Of tobacco,
punctuality, and other qualities were all reckoned
desirable qualities in a teacher.
Mr. Smith paper was eminently practical AMI
common sense.
The next essay was by Rev. Thomas Hill, D.
Of nd on ss\afura1 History N prino ~
Schools"
DIR. Hill said that the course Of study in liberal
education should be decided on broad principles.
The na,nrt of the child is to be observed; what
there is to educate. Thea what parts are funda-
mental and ought TO be known.
There is place in the mind for the study Of
natural history. The first study of a finite mind is
necessarily Geometry, the science of space. This
is the first thing new born child observes. b.
tany classiits objects, and we may introduce that
early to the attention of the child, and we give
him it at the very first. Botany should be taught
from the living plant; human knowledge comes
from the study OF nature. At first the child should
be taught to recognize the kind BY sight, as he
is to know dog or horse. 1t Is training OF
the eye and judgment. lie spoke against the evo-
luton of Ieccs and did not believe in it, thus 60
ing against the Darwinian theory.
Would have the child.learn the flowers by fami
lies, from the form, as the primary method there
beng similarity in families, as the simi,
the alder have family relationship, but care
should be taken not to have the child think that
the family likeness is in but few exterior things,
but throughout the whole.
The object of instructing in these studies Of
natural beauty, is to see; we should train the pre-
ceptive power; then the imag ination, and then
the reason He was opposed to the slavery of the
text book.
No book need he placed in their hands up to
the age of IL. The child should have in his hand
the plant the representation of it. The work Of
the teachers of the primary schools is very i'm
portant.
The speaker then went on to the branch Of his
subject including zoology. The children may
learn the birds OF New England by their notes.
What use is this it may be asked. That Is useful
which ministers to any lawful source of enjoyment.
The child soon learns the names of these birds.
He gave illustrations of plants and animals mis-
named, names wrongly used, and applied different
ly in different locations.
We should take care that the children should
have name for the plant and animal that shall be
plain and definite, and don't be afraid to give them
the scientific name. lie believed that our study
should come close up to nature.
Insect nature should engage early the childs at
tention; insects could be scientifically arrange
and preserved, and serve as standard for refer
cnce. ~
lie had pet heresy that the teacher, bushes:
is to teach; rot to hear Rotations. Too much
time is spent on the text book giving no time fol