The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-03-31
LETTER FROM FOREST GROVE.


town has been very much enlivened |
during the past week by the convention
within its college walls of the Teachers |
Institute of the Fourth Judicial Dis
trict, said district comprising the coun-
ties of Multnomah, Clackamas, Column
bia, Clatsop and Washington. Most of
these counties were well represented by
members of the teaching fraternity,
and they were not only present during
the sessions, but were enthusiastic and
full of work.
DR.. Rowland, Superintendent of Pub
lie Instruction, was one of the foremost
in offering plans for work, and, by his
efforts, seemed to infuse his energetic
spirit into even the most retiring
teacher from an out-of-the-way country
district
1t is not my purpose to weary your
readers with tiresome details, but
simply to recount some of the more
noticeable exercises.
The forenoons of the three days were
taken up by discussions upon some of
the common branches. Grammar was
taken up by Professor Marsh, of Forest
Grove, and treated in his usual clear,
concise and scientific manner. Arith-
metic was well handled by D. NJ. C.
Gault, Superintendent of Public Schools
for Washington county, giving some
new methods of teaching the young
pupil some of the simpler rules.
Miss Hattie Collier, a student of Pa
eific University, presented the subject
of Botany in an able and pleasing man
ner, and, am proud to say that, in her
address, she did not confine herself to
written essay, but spoke er teDpore, in
a manner that many a speaker of the
other sex might have envied. This ad-
dress opened the way to the intro
duction and adoption of resolution to
the effect that the study of Botany
should be encouraged in our common
schools. 1t seems that we are fast get
ting over the old ideas that nothing but
dry, hard, practical studies should be
taught to the children placed under the
care of our teachers. Let US give them
something to form habits of observation
of the curious and beautiful things in
the vegetable world-something that
will interest, and at the same time
please and instruct them.
Professor Condon's lecture on Geol-
ogy, and Mr. o. B. Johnson's on Zoology,
were highly interesting and instructive,
as of course was expected from gentle
men of their knowledge of those sci
ences. These again led to the adoption
of a resolution that scientific studies
should, to some extent, be pursued in
the public schools.
Mrs. Spiller, of Pacific University, for
for two consecutive afternoons, for the
space of twenty minutes or half an
hour, illustrated her way of teaching
elocution by calling upon various men,
bers of her classes in reading to give Sc
lections and declamations.
The subject of History was brought
forward in a most interesting manner
by Professor Lyman, of Pacific Uni
versity.
After each one of these subjects had
been introduced by the leaders ap-
pointed, they were discussed by various
members of the Institute, the gentle
men always leading, and then, when
every idea seemingly had been ex-
hausted, they called upon the ladies.
1 did not know whether to take it as a
compliment of our superior understand,
ing of the subject, or as doubt of our
ability to deal with these knotty points.
The subject of Corporal Punish
mentn and "Bible in Schools were dis
cussed pro and con, in very interest.
ing manner
In the evenings we had essays anc
addresses. The first evening, Mis-:
Goodell, graduate of Pacific Univers
ity, read an able and interesting essay
upon Courage" and Rev. D. J. Pierce
of your city, gave an admirable lecture
upon "Church and State"
The second evening, Miss H. F
Spaulding, from Boston, Mass, read g
fine essay, which was followed by Rev
Mr.. Bentley's lecture, "Town and
Gown" to which Forest Groves critical
listeners gave the attention its merits
demanded.
On the third evening, after some re-
marks by DIR. Rowland, we listened tC
probably the masterpiece of the liter.
ary efforts of the Institute-a lecture by
Hon. Sylvester G. Simpson.
Of course, the music need not bt
praised to make your readers under
stand what we have in that line at the
; Grove, it being well understood that we
never offer anything inferior in musi
cal point of view, especially when Mis-
Bowlby has charge.
Professor ]. s. Robb made a dignilled
and efficient President, and w. H. Lat
ourette, of Clackamas county, a mos
faithful and competent Secretary.
Altogether, we have enjoyed feast o.
good things, but still not so much as we
wish; for the enterprising Gamms
Sigma Society has engaged Hon. w
Lair Hill to give his popular lecture
"Five Hundred Years of Civil War;" a
I