The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1877-06-20
Teachers Institute.

These popular conventions in the inter-
est OF education are not only schools
where one may learn to solve a problem
exhumed from the dust Of Hutton or
Pike, but they are meetings in which
principles OF teaching are, or should be,
taught at equal pace with the material of
the branches under consideration; and
he who fails to discern the fact that true
teaching is accomplished by close adhe-
renee to definite principles of pedagogics
surely fails to reap the full benefit of the
teachers institute. Though avowedly and
primarilo they are for the better prepara-
ton OF teachers to do their appropriate
work, institutes are not for this alone, nor
are they for teachers only. There should
be popular presentations Of the interests
and claims Of the cause OF education, so
that The whole people may be brought up
to understand the Importance OF the vital
questions Herewith connected. There
should be free and public discussion Of
avery ieafn-r of the sehool.sxsta,.A--rvith
8 view to discover its Deficiencies, that
they may be remedied. The institute is
deservedly popular with every one who
appreciates the fact that it is q great ca
lamity and waste OF money 10 have for
teachers OF the youth those who have NOS
the necessary qualifications. and who are
without aptness TO teach or tact to govern,
and who at the same time feel no desire
to improve themselves. The institute is
generally recognized as being the most
available agency for the. improvement Of
teachers, and the rapidly>increasing mum
Der of teachers, annually attending for
the purpose Of increasing their own pro
!essional skill attests this fact.
Teachers should go to the institute with
thorough appreciation o. their own
needs, ready to seize upon whatever they
can use and take it into their school,
guided by the principles developed in its
presentation. Teachers institutes are
too important an agency for the improve,
ment of the eommou.sehools, and hence
OF the whole people, to admit Of more
than one question, viz: How can they
be made to do the most good they are ca
paLle Of doing? In this connection a
few suggestions to teachers may be peril
nent and acceptable. 50 --r.
Let your mind be early upon the. insti-
tute. Carefully consider while in your
own schOol>room your own Deficiencies
as a teacher. ami Erite down in your
nsmorandum book the supposed remedies
for your admitted defects. Take your
notebook aud pencil with you to the in
stituts; enter in it such questions ard
topics, as you desire to examine more ful
| ly. Pay special attention TO those eXer-
cises which relate TO your admitted de-
fects. Go early to the institute aud re-
main until its close. The moments are
precious. and though you may never
know how much yoR have missed, the
loss Of an hours absence may be more
than would Of itself have fully comPen-
sated you for the whole weeks attsnd>
anxe. Al reeesses discuss with your eel.
low-teaehers all the matter presented in
the preceding session. The amount Of
good you can receive will depend largely
upon tbs di=tinetness of your aPprehen-
sion of the work done. Try for your own
personal efforts to make the institute a
complete success. ]. d. REYNOLDS.