The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-07-11
About Teachers Institute.
Editor Herald:

' 49, l'fN' ~ '''N $3.50 '''''.
that the Teachers Institute of this coun
~ is to commence July 23i, 1877, and
as it is followed by an article from ]. b
Reynolds, presume the subject is oper
for discussion, and, if am allowed tn,
space in a column OF the HERALD, | viii
present my views on this subject for tn,
consideration OF my lellow-teachers.
According to my conception, Teach
ers Institute is designed to benefit tn,
teachers of the common school
1t is school OF itself, wher,
the common teachers should meet
and interchange ideas relative to the best
methods of conducting common schools
When | say common schools, mean thu
district schools that are established
throughout the country, not city schools.
Mr.. Reynolds offers some very gool
advice. Ii We expect TO he benefited By
attending the Institute, we should have
our minds early on the subject We
should GO early and remain to its close
and thereby reap the benefit, should
there be any. Mr.. Reynolds says furth.
err: THE Institute is generally recog-
nized as being the most available agency
for the improvement Of teachers" THE
is what it should he, but has it been? ]
fear the answer will be, no.
am highly in favor of Institutes, but
not such as we have formerly had, and
believe every teacher in the county will
concur with me in this. II we could
go to an Institute, proper, we would
doubtless be benefited, but when we GO to
"a thing" not an Institute, we do not ap.
p.eciate it. neither do we realize any benz
eft whatever.
Then let us notice what an Institute
has been, and what it should be.
1t has been a place where the teachers
met with several educators from abroad,
one of whom is leader and cole proprie-
tor. The leader is "a big man." the
principal OF some city school, and man
who does not know what we need to ad,
vance the common teachers, and yet
we, or somebody, have him to conduct it,
and we are taxed to pay him about ten
dollars per day for something that does
not benefit us. What does our leader
do2 lie says something about how lie
adds, substracts, multiplies or divides
decimal fractions, talks about how he
conducts his in the city, and then gives
the floor to some other "big man" who
wants to tell about his school, or that he
is an agent for all kinds of books, and so
on until the day is about gone, when our
'boss" gets up and reads an essay about
an hour long, trying to prove that man
kind is not higher species OF the mon-
key tribe-very beneficial to the common
teacher you know. Now you see lrow
We have been cheated. Have l missrep.
resented il! But this is not all. If we
have not begun our schools before the
Institute, we are not allowed TO count
the time Then we have lost our time
paid a considerable bill for board and
horse feed. paid the boss" and have re-
allied nothing, yet we are compelled to
go to tie thing or forfeit our certificate,
unless we have a good excuse. Another
article in the HERALD from Eclectic
Teacher" says: "A teacher who does not
make il his business to attend the Insti-
tute should have his certificate revoked.
lie is a drone, he should he drummed
out OF service, &c" do not think any
teacher is drone for not going to such
a place but is very wise in staying away.
Next, what should an Institute be?
II should be school for all the COM
mon teachers Of the county. at which
school they, together with the Commits
siOncrs should devise and put forth the
best method by which common schools
can be conducted 30 as TO be most in
structive and beneficial to the scholars
as well as animate to the teachers. We
should first select some one Of the teach
ers as the Commissioner to preside as
leader. IL We are not capable OF COM
Quoting an Institute where all are in the
same and one class, how can we 60 into
district and take charge Of fifly or sixty
scholars Of so many different grades.
The one whom we select as leader should
assign different hrances to different teach
ers and after they have given their views
allow free and open discussion by all
the teachers present, and by so doing ev-
cry teacher gets the ideas of every other
teacher. Every branch that is taught
in the common school should receive as
much attention as possible, and thereby
bring all the teachers together on one
method OF teaching, and that the best
method that can be arrived at II several
educators from abroad are present they
do not benefit us, because they use differ
ent text books from ours, and would OF
course, pursue an entirely different course
in their city schools When the com.
mon teachers can have an Institute Of
their own, the Commissioner will not
have to say. "You are compelled to
come" but will be crowded with a good>
ly number Of teachers who are eager to
learn something more about teaching
and who arc willing to do all in their
power to promote the interest Of the In
stitute. A TEACHER