Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-09-20

state Superintendent Of Education, assisted by
Mrs. Kyle, Of Essex Vt, and Miss Alice NJ
Guernsey, Of the Randolph Normal School, a. well
as by several other specialists among whom were
Professor White and Professor Rushlow Of the
Seminary, Professor Perkins Of the university of
Vermont and Mr.. W. W Culver, Of Royalton, W.
ON Friday the exercises were opened nj nine
a. NJ, by familiar talk from Mr. Conant on va
rous topics Of Interest to teachers, in which he in
troduccd many valuable suggestions, which, II
acted upon, will materially elevate the condition
Of our smaller outside districts
This was followed by an exercise ia map draw
ing by Miss Guernsey, in which, by the use Of the
blackboard, she illustrated In a most admirable
manner how little practice would soon enable a
teacher TO teach Geography intoRigalg, and not
in the old-fashioned style where the top Of the
map was north, and the rivers ran up bill This
Miss Guernsey, by the why is the same lady who
taught in our graded school in 1869, and who has
since been a teacher in the Randolph Normal
School, and Of late has added literary 10 her other
laurels as the successful competitor for the Cen
tennlal Prize Drama lnthis lesson on map draw
ing, a. in her subsequent toiks, as we must call
them, as expressing their familiar nature She
showed herself mistress Of the art Of teaching
Mrs Kyle, Of Essex, followed her with a half
hour talk on the manners and morals Of the
school-room Could the code suggested to toach-
ers IN her quiet, low voice, but obtain in our
schools, we should all hail the new osder OF
things, and young gentlemen and ladies would be
no misnomer when applied 10 school-childrcn.
The afternoon session was opened by Mr. Co
nant in giving some timely suggestions on the study
~ 81. a.
in urging upon teachers the vital interest this
study possesses for the future voter on whom the
welfare Of the country will devolve, and on whose
intelligent use Of the franchise SO much depends
The study Of the constitution Is one required by
statute to be taught in all schools yet In how few
is il taught undcrstaudingly. II an
Mrs. Kyle then illustrated in talk upon com
position and punctuation, the necessity Of q
thorough knowledge Of punctuation, by various
instances upon the blackboard, in which change
Of the position Of a comma produced almost a.
startling results a. ia our decimal traction days a
point To right or left used to astoush MS with it,
change Of values
The remainder of the afternoon was occupied
with the Question Box. feature OF the insti-
tute which proved most interesting and instruc-
tive. Mr. Conant announced at the opening that
''o l"' p."ocu D'N on 'ne desk, lilo Wnieh ne
invited an 10 put any questions Which they might
"ish 10 ask pertaining 70 schools or other mat
,eis connected WIN tle SUBJECT oil education.
ihese questions were gwen out % educators SUI
perntendents and TO the managers themselves,
and elected many good ideas as well as drawing
out the different opinions that different mind
have on the same subjects.
IIiu's evening an uuulehce vi over TWO nun
uiou sAu'e'eu III 'ie nan OIL tue sehooi uuiIulhs
anu were n'cl'',leu lor an houf by an address
Dy PROFESSOR lerhin'' OF 'ne University OF YER
mont on MoaeFn seienuhc theories. Inc
speaker touched On nnt Two oil the many modern
ueoHe'' Vi" .fhst INoinuoh' OF the relatlon eN-
Huhs between tne auereut forms oil animal ana
plant lie and' second the length OF time since
man man. hrs' appeared on tne earth In making
u'st'hc'ion ue'"eeh evolution ana p'r"lnisn d,
ae''neu 'ne former as tne proaae'lon OF manifold
lofiIS oi il'e rom Jew simple organisms created
ny ul'ihe power WINE we may uehe'e IN eNo-
'u''ou oi tue Io"er ahihasi we cannot IN man
since ne possesses soui dlheHng widely from
anytniog i'll ouler anl'na'S' lie tneh gave pnel
summary vi what Is Ee"ei"iS peieNed ny geolo-
gusts rs u tne age oil man upon the earth' review
ing 'ne e'iuehee gathered rom rocks ana fossils
20 sho" ''ll the "hul l'y OF man Is SO great tha
tue aust ui lheoes OF iuNoN i out oil yesterday
the ehe't vi .nese theories upon ienslous DeIe
was next '"nsiuefou' iney are not IN antagonist
| 70 H. because theS concern themselves not VIII
'neJ"'' Oh creation put oiiy win the "'oas' SCI
ehee ana rehsioh may DC regarded as forming al
equatoh' the truths oil elch Delns the terms botl
containing unknown quantities and only as the''
are inliS understood can they be in perfect har
mony Nhen we know more Of Gods plan II
nature the problem can be solved Science an'
religion must stand tosether and together worl
out ln's great pan both are IN search oil trntl
ana become harmonious IS hiey approach II. Ih
auuie's was interesting throughout ana timely
700 since PROFESSOR huxley recent arrl'a'ln Ne"
lofh' ana HIS address tnere oids iair 70 ensas
'le uisc'p'es OIL pat"in ana Tue oeNeVers III I'M
theories OIL Huxley IN seieht'nc controversies owe
ule question Oh Tue origin Oh speces'
Inc exercises Oh 'ne second aly, SATURDAY
commenced atAhllle past hlhe' ana MISS puernse'
entertainer her au"'eN1e Win IN hVur III IN
STUDY OF ooulny' Illustrating IN i'ln'llar way
al sue p'"ui mo-" nl"1H " 'e'oher may auu 70 'h
eHceh'N oil her instruction py the introduction O
niue Oh tuis Ano"leuse Oh Tue trees Tue leave
ana lhe mowers Wh'eu are louhd IN Pfoiuslo
AROUND All Oh our schooi-houseS' Particularly I'LL
sue interest ner hearers uy her suggestions III r'
saru To Tue analysis oil the leaves oil the diiereh
trees now "' TINS season oil tle year al their III
size ana soon 10 take on the gorgeous eolcnn
tnat painters Try IN VAN 70 initiate one aid ne
urge inc systematic study OF botany IN our con
mon schools "ilch are now oVer-cro"ded VII
different studies ont advised teachers 10 qnalii
themselves py niue STUDY oil the SUBJECT an
AiniiAnAe themselves with It's fudlment'' ana
vary the dull monotony oil the usual round
arlthemeue' geography ana spelihg with
short exercise IN simple analysis Of nature
beauties
Professor hnshio"' oil the seminary occupied
portion oil the next hour by very clear and II
teres'lng t'lk on the Atmosphere and Shove
the teachers how any one OF them, with lie
simple materials not more expensive than two
three glasses Of water, little cotton, Few gla
tubes OF what would answer equally as well,
common squash 'ihe-conlu explain To the cage
minds OF thelr pupils nearly all the mysteries
the great belt of air that girdles the earth, al
about which the children ask so many question
In our opinion those teachers who were fortuna
enough to hear his remarks are under much obi
CATION to the Professor for the admirable hints
threw out and the simple manner in which
treated the subject performing no experiment
which could not be successfully repeated By an
teacher and, by trying which in their schools, the