Smyrna times., 1876-12-13
Teachers Institute.

County met at MILFORD on eQneSQay,
Dec. 6, for four days session. On the
afternoon of the 9th the meeting was called
to order by Supt. Groves at three o'clock,
and duly organized as follows President,
cr-obfcio, J. II. Groves, Vice Presidents,
Herman Roe, of Smyrna; Joseph S. Brad
ley, of Frederick, John c. Gooden, of
Willow Grove. Secretary, James II. George,
Magnolia, Assistant, Miss Ella VanZandt,
Milford. Committee of reception, VIM. P. |
Corsa, A. NJ. Webb, Miss Sallie Richards, |
Miss Hemmons and Miss Burr Com |
mittee on finance, j. w. Knapp, j. Smith,
II. Clay Jones, Miss A. Warren. and others |
Com. on resolutions, f. A. Williams, A. NJ. |
Webb, and Hester Longfellow.
The meeting then adjourned till y
o'clock, the intervening time being spent
i'll social greetings, assigning teachers to
homes &c. AS the public hall was cold and
| inconvenient, the trustees and members of
the Presbyterian church very kindly gran.
ted the use of their building to the Insti-
tute. The evening session opened in the
church with prayer by Rev. Mr.. Haines, of
the NJ. Z. Church and music by the choir
The question, Are teachers responsible
for the moral training of their scholars?"
was discussed for half an hour then fol-
| lowed a wideawake and cheerful lecture by
Rev. Pennell Coombe on the subject of
General Education" Adjourned at 9.l5.
Number present this day A.
On Thursday morning the session opened
at g. music by the convention. The sub
ject introduced for debate was, "Ths use of
the black board," discussed by Messrs.
Knapp, Ellis, Bradley, Reynolds and Roe.
At the request of the President, Mr.. Roe
then gave an address on the subject of
Penmanship," followed by Messrs j. H.
George, Ellis, Smith, Supt. Groves, and Prof.
Reynolds. Messrs. Roe, Bradley and
Raughley were appointed an additional
committee to meet the train and escort
teachers to their homes.
The afternoon session opened at two, by
Vice President Roe, in the chair, prayer by
Rev. Mr.. Green, and music by the teachers.
Mr.. ID. 5. Ellis gave an address on English
Grammar" and conducted a class exercise,
the whole Institute participating. Prof
Reynolds then took up the subject in a very
able discourse, parsing and explaining many
difficult questions and examples.
, In the evening the house was very full
about eighty teachers were present, and a
great number Of visitors The principal
exercise of the session was lecture by DR.
Purnell, President of Del. College, on the
+; subject of b" Reading 1t was very interes
ting and instructive, being interspersed
with select readings both of a serious and
/, humorous nature. Adjourned at 9l5.
; On Friday morning the meeting opened
) at 9. Supt. Groves in the chair. Singing
and prayer as usual, followed by the regular
Y exercise of Roll-call and reading the min
utes. Herman Roe then gave a talk or
!: Mental Arithmetic, explaining its uses and
!. advantages, methods of teaching, explain
S ing and answering many questions, fol
Q lowed in debate by Prof. Reynolds, Supt
. Groves, Messrs. George, Williams, Ellis and
! others. Prof. Reynolds then took up the
@ topic of Written Arithmetic, giving a very
e instructive and comprehensive address
Y then answering and explaining many ques
tions which were sent up from the room
About 90 teachers were in attendance a
:. this session. Friday afternoon was profta
: bly, spent with a spelling class and addres
e on the subject of "Spellng by F. A. Viii
d liams, of Dover. The class exercise consis
Q ted of an old-fashioned spelling match
d choosing sides and spelling down, exhib
It iting the old oral method of teaching, tn,
'r later methods of dictation being ably discus
IS sed by Mr.. Williams and the meeting a
Q large. Mr.. Webb then talked on the objec
method of teaching reading, or teaching
child to read without learning the alphabet
- This was quite interesting, being entirel
~ new to many.
% The evening session opened with singin
- and prayer "a select reading by Mr.. Ell
u and recitation by Mr.. Williams. Tn
81 principal feature was an intensely inte
- esting lecture by Prof. Reynolds on Hstor
III illustrated by maps. The audience wa
ie very large, every foot of space being filleC
as On Saturday morning the meeting cam
to order as usual, this being the last session
I'd Consolidation was talked of for half a
in hour, subject led by Mr.. Williams and di
,e cussed by several teachers. Then som
of time was spent on the question of SchoC
ut government and discipline, being partc
ly pated in by the whole Convention. Res,
n lutions of thanks were passed for the peopl
at of Milford, trustees of the church, Sup
he Groves, Prof. Reynolds, DIR. Purnsll an
he others who had assisted. Mr.. Roe, in
a closing address, kindly invited the Inst
he tute to meet in Smyrna for its next session
lis Mr.. Groves then adjourned the Conventio
Ie. sine de-
o. This has been a very pleasant and prof
able meeting. The teachers of Kent Coul
ty constitute a very fine body of ladies an
le gentlemen, and are improving with ever
lis year, both in culture and appearance. tt
y, people of Milford have the lasting gratituC
'ss of the teachers for their very kind recel
no ton and generous hospitality