The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-02-07
a Teachers Eussisute iE Montgomery
SOnniy-Si.arp Criticism.
Correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatcl

| correspondence OF the Richmond Dispatch.l
CuEISTIANSBURG. VA, February /, 1876.
| The first Teachers Institute ever held in
| this county is now in session here. The ses.
| sion began on Tuesday. Mr.. J. w. Shell.
| burDe, county superintendent of public
| schools, presidcS. and there are about seventy
| three teachers in Attendance, Of whom four
teen are from Pulaski county. The exercises
| OF the Institute were opened with prayer
| BY Captain I. \. Conrad, and then followed
au address on the mature and Objects O
Teachers Institutes" by Professor s. II
o wens, who seems to be Il sort OF institu
ton at these gatherings. The Professor
opened his address with some remarks or
the subject Of education in general, its ma
ture, obligations, g., and then gave the rea
sons which made teachers institutes impor.
tant. There was much That was interesting
and valuable in this address, but we would
suggest to Mr.. Owens when be delivers it
again to leave out that part in which he eX'
ats the teacher above the preacher. Espe.
caly would we beg the Professor never
again to commit the blunder of illustrating
this point by making q distinction between
Christ the teacher and Christ the preacher.
This is too bad
DR.. Rulfner, State Superintendent, deliy-
cred on Tuesday night long and able
address on State education. Professor
Owens has delighted the teachers and the
audience with his lectures on pedagogics,
arithmetic, how to teach writing, Leigh's
method Of te aching children to read, and
how to teach geography. DR.. Rutfner lee.
tured also on grading schools, how to teach
colors, and how to teach reading by the
word method. The teachers have entered
with considerable spirit into the discussion
on these and kindred topics. School disci-
pline engaged good deal of attention,
Captain T. n. Conrad leading Oft with well.
considered speech.
The Institute is decided success, and in
spite of the cold snap now upon US has been
well attended by the people. And now, we
beg that these free-school gentlemen will
allow word Of friendly criticism. Gentle.
mep, if you please, let the old'held schools
alone. Don't condemn so sweepingiy the
old-fashioned teachers and methods before
free schools were known IN Virginia.
Please reflect little, and you cannot iall
to remember that there were good teichers
in those days-teacbers who should be held
up as models in discipline, scholarship,
method. Don't call them all "old fogles,"
because they were not. just think OF the
scholars they turned out,-brilliant, pro.
found, unsurpassed-and am sure you
will forgive their ignorance of the free.
school system and where they dIsapproVed
it you will pass by, if you cannot forgive SO
greyous a su. Another thing, give us cor
rect grammar when you are speaking in
public. Don't shock ears polite by such as
(" There's only a fev millions Of them"
" There 1caS good many OF us believed"
&c. (Which US teachers cannot Afford" &c.
We will deal fairly, and add that, in the
main, the English was good, and the pro.
nunciation good, but in teachers meeting
there should not be such exceptions as the
above, and others which could be named.
D.. Ruffuer shows himself to be gentleman
of marked ability, catholic views, and great
enthusiasm as leader in our educational
system. #, -