Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-11-17
Teachers Institute.

The second days session or the Los
Angeles County Teachers Institute
met Tuesday according to adjourn
ment at A. NJ. Thirty-one teachers
were present at roil.oall; twenty-five
absent. -t-.
Mr.. III. P.McCusick opened the days
session with prayer. The minutes of
Mondays session were read and APP
proved.
A motion was made and carried that
DIR. Lucky and Robert w. Furlong be
added to the list of Vice Presidents.
The question whether Gould Browns
grammar is suitable Textbook for
our public schools was then discussed
by the following named ladies and
gentlemen: Aflirmatiye-Messrs. Mar
tin, Twombley and Hayes. Negative
Mr.. Waldron, Miss Bengough, Mr..
Bodkin, Miss Johns, Mr.. Morgan,
Supt. Peck and number of others.
A vote was taken on the subject, which
resulted disastrously for the affirma-
tive. Mr.. Twombiey made a motion,
which was seconded and carried, that
the voice of this Institute be expressed
by ballot as to which grammar each
member preferred. This resulted as
follows: For Browns grammar, q;
CIark's, IL; Swinton's, IL; Green's, 5;
and Harvey's, 2. Two expressed an
indifference to the author of the gram
mars used. ..H q t0 #4I
Ten minutes recess afforded the
members an opportunity for physical
and mental recreation. After this
arose the question of recitation, which
was discussed atsome length by Misses
Bengouyh and Johns, and Messrs.
SAKE, Waidron, Saxoi5 Quinn and
Bodkin.
On motion the Institute adjourned
till 1P. NJ.
The afternoon session opened at 1sP.
NJ, as previously deci led. Fifty teach
ers were present ut roll call, twenty
five absent, The question OF mathe-
MATES was discussed. Mr.. Biggs lead
off with an onslaught on grammar, in
which the gentleman showed thor
ough familiarity with crudite, classi-
cal characters and indident, as well as
slight deficiency in Keeping to the
point. He was in favor of teaching
Geometry and TrigOnOmetry instead of
the science of language. DR.. Lucky
disagreed with the gentleman, and in
few well turned sentences almost
convinced his hearers that grammar
Is the study most essential for the
practical application; the poet, the or
ator, the teacher, the editor, the con-
sationalist--allnsed language more
than mathematics, and language, good
language is made easy of requirement
by the study of grammar. Miss John
ana Mr.. Saxon also opposed Mr.. Biggs,
thinking that more time should be de-
voted to instruction in language. Mr..
Walter S. Pearls then read an able es-
say on teaching Arithmetic, which
was replete with suggestions valuable
to his hearers. Mr.. Furlong was to
have read an essay on the same SUBJ
ject but he was unable to do so, owing
to untoward circumstances. In the
discussion which followed, considera-
bic wit and wisdom were exercised. A
short recess was followed by music by
the committee, and an interesting adj
dress by DIR. Lucky on Good Words
and Gentle Manners. The gentleman
disregarded the sitter cOnventionali-
ties and sublime virtues, paying at
tention to the small, sweet cOurtesies
of life which go SO far to make home
and school attractive. The influence
of external surroundings on the moral
character was duly referred to, and a!l
felt new resolves to work i'm this con-
nectiOn, Mr.. Saxon supplemented
the lecture with his opinion that the
essence of politeness consists in self
sacrifice for the convenience of others,
illustrating his ideas by neat anec-
dotes. Mr.. Peck also gave instances
of the great influence OH the future
life which training in gentle things
effects. Examples were considered
better than precepts by most of the
speakers, judging from the number
of illustrate 0ns employed. Mr.. Biggs
gave Il short series of anecdotes, after
which the Institute adjourned until 0
o'clock Wednesday morning
WEDNESDAY A. NJ.
Institutes: Their profits and dis
profits. Is it right for teachers not to
take an active interest in them? Es-
say by Mr.. John Hayes.
General discussion.
The value of instrumental music in
the school-room. Essay 10y Miss Nj.
Il. Austin.
General discussion.
Writing: How to teach it. Essay
by Mr.. H. j. Morgan.
General discussion.
Are school examinations and exhi-
billions advisable? Essays: Afllrma-
tive, S. w. Burke; negative, c. w.
Brown.
General discussion. ....5aa
MUSIC.