The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-15
BETTER from WILLIAMSBURG.

Correspondence or the Richmond Dlspatchl
TEACHERS INSTITUTE AT WILLIAM AND MARY
C0LLEGE-L LECTURES ny DIR. RrFFNER, PRO-
FEssoRs OWENS, DoD. AND WILMER ADJ
DRESSES by DIR. MARTIN AND GENERAL ARM.
STRONG WILLIAMSBURG NEWS GENERALLY.
WILLIAMSBURG, VA. May II. 1876.
A convocation or institute Of teachers Of
this city and the surrounding counties was
held in the chapel of the college of William
and Mary yesterday and to day under the
direction Of Colonel Allen, the efficient SUI
pPrintcndcnt Of our free schools. There
was quite a good attendance Of teachers,
both male and female. DR.. Rufoer, super.
intcndent Of the State, was present.. as also
Professor Owens, late superintendent of
schools for Petersburg.
The exercises were opened With prayer by
DR.. Martin; when, at the request of Dr..
Ruffner, Professor Owens described DR..
Leigh's phonetic system Of teaching children
how to spell aud read. His manner was par
ticularly pleasing, and bis subject very
| clearly explained. He claims for the system
great superiority over the old plan in con-
sequence of its effect in training and eXer.
cisin" the reasoning faculties Of the mind at
an early age, and generating an independence
OF thought. and as an incentive to individual
uaOiI ",
pronunciation. lie stated the remarkable
fact that negro children, utterly ignorant be-
forchand, had been taught by this method
to read over forty pages in primer in twen.
ty days. DR.. Leieh's system is very different
from the word system. and should not be
COMPOUNDED with It. 1t is really system Of
pronouncing photography, and so called hy
him.
Professor Owens was followed by lectures
on the importance Of State education by Rev.
George L. Wilmer, d. D., and DR.. Rutfner.
DE-. Rutiner alluded forcibly to the effect OF
State education in Prussia, and said the Or
der establishing it and imposing tax for its
support was made by Frederick the Great
after the seven years war, when his people
| were, in many instances, in state OF abso-
lutte starvation. His arguments were very
forcblc and to the point.
General Armstrong, Of the Hampton Nor
nal School, was then called on, and gave
some very interesting fac.s in relation to the
colorcd school above named. He regarded
the negro us intelligent enough for their
duties in life, but as exceedingly deficient
morally. Their conscienceS were weak
very weak; and 1t was the object of bis
school to inculcate aud strengthen their
moral sense, and to train them to make honest
members OF the community, besides giving
tbem such practical education as would make
them good mechanics, good farmers, good
servants, and upright, independent human
| beings.
The Generals address was we'll received,
and could il have been heard by every one
in the State it would have gone far TO efice
the natural prcjudices that exist in some
quarters against his school, where its true
working is misunderstood.
Today the institute opened With an ad-
dress on education by DR.. John T. Martin
| followed BIZ an address on teaching grammar
! by Professor c. S. bod.
| Professor Owens then lcctured very clearly
on q new German method OF teaching arih'
mctlc, and illustrated his SUBJECT clearly ana
fully. The evening before, omitted 10 say,
he gave very practical and sensible account
Of a.systcm of teaching geography which has
for It's leading feature the Instruction IN phys
i.al geography anteccdent to that OF SPECIAL
ard. i'll may so call it, Of political geoga'
pbv. This fixes the general outlines oil The
ylope and continents in the chlld'S mlnd al
first. and gives him a clear reason in many
instances for such facts rs my be learned af-
forwards in regard to the running OF rivers,
the course OF winds, rainfallS. DC.
4 few desuItOry remarks we're made from
time to time by the teachers present. aud all
seemed to take great interest i'll the meeting
and It's objects.
The u.ain features Of the two days session,
however, were the lectures OF Professor
| owens. His systems, or rather those he eX-
pIlincd in Il very clear ana modest manner,
are, il is true, quite revolutionary IN thelr
character, but possess the uuioub'ed merit
Of making child Mtnk for himSeJ. They
1--WE bin rs few isolated facts ID load III
memory as possible. sound reason for each
fact, and teach him general rules OF appllca
ton wlch beyet in his mind healthy llaoIi
of eXactneSS, care, and reason beyond azy
of the old systems. Such vas the JudSmtnl
OF the most of the teachers present.
The evening exercises were rendered the
more entertaining by the presence Of large
number of the citizens generally, and the pc
likeness of the string band from the Asylum
which played macy sweet airs during the IT.
teryals between the addresses.
Circuit Court has been in session several
IdlyS-Judee Montague on the Ucuch. This
is the tir,t time the Judge has been here since
his election. Though he was "ctrpct
b,n".d," as it we're, into this from another
circuit by the late Lei ,laiure, he is fire old
gentleman and will give general satisfaction
The time is drawing near for the com
mencement Of William and Mary College
which will take place this year on Thursday
.Iuly 1>t, rs the An comes on Sunday, and
tnc irregular running of the steamers makes
tn. abovc-nnmed day more desirable. The
alumni aui visitors OF the college are an
nounced to meet in Richmond on the 1871
instant, and il is TO be hoped there VIII be
good attendance.
The gardens and fields have recovered
from the effects OF the cold, and the farming
Interests arc in very bright condition,
Judging from the green and thriving look oil
the fields generally. y.
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