Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-11-07
Teachers InstItute-Third Day.

At tuc itaocCihDiibE VI tiio LII
stitute at 8 A. NJ, Prof. Mcdonald in
the Chair, the roll call made an
exhibit of 81 present, 81 absent and
excused.
"Hail Columbia" was we'll rem
dered by the Committee on Music.
The critics report was something
of o lecture, although quite q
propos. There were some hits on
the vagaries in language SO much
used in oral delivery.
Tho Committee on Queries re.
ported only two questions which
were algebraic and, by request of
the Chair, they were passed with
out demonstration.
Prof. Quinn introduced the SUBJ
ject of training in the use of
language, by first limiting at some
of the obstacles to be overcome In
the study of grammar. He wholly
deprecated the study as laid down
in the text books in present use, and
greatly preferred oral instruction.
He gave many valuable rules for
this study, and detailed many OBJ
jectionable features to the present
system, which, he said, falls far
short of making good linguists, or
even good grammarians. He OPP
posed the separation of analysis
and synthesis, and said, that. ac-
cording to the present system, SYM
thesis is almost totally neglected.
He termed diagramming a
mechanical monstrosity which has
woven itself into the web of lam
guage development. Only few
years since the discussion
of this subject alone cost
tire Institute of Los Angeles
county the snug little sum of $500,
counting the value of the time
spent by the teachers in the dis
cussion. The speaker summed up
the whole subject as q system of
geometrical figures which, as
such. were in want Of symmetry or
beauty, and as applied to grammar,
free from any rule of common sense.
He gave some good hints on letter
writing, punctuation, etc., in com.
position. All in all, The made
most instructive summary of rules|
and principles that, if well followed,
would correct many errors.
Mr.. Hays said he attached the
utmost Importance to the subject.
He reads a story to his scholars and
they follow the thread Of the argu-
ment to the best of their ability.
He corrects by exchange of papers;
makes every subject of study sub
ject OF composition. He prefers
giving the major part of the atten-
ton of the pupils to the study of
composition as means of develop
ing language power.
After Mr.. Hays concluded, the
chair invited Prof. Allen to give
his views on the subject under con-
sideration.
In his usual happy way he took up
the subject, making his first OBJ.
jection to composition work the
labor which must necessarily fol-
low, and which in the undertaking
is probably more than the teachers
understand themselves. Then
again, he said the labor was
simply excessive. He thought
this tho hardest part of the
task of teachers, and he gave
1t as q reason why 30 little atten-
tion is given to composition work.
In the primary grades the pupil
should be skilled in welding
words. Lead them to distinguish
a sentence from a phrase or part
of q sentence. In the next grade
he recommended the transposition
of the subject and object of
u sentence; suggested the construc-
ton of skeleton sentences, leaving
out the nouns or leading parts of
speech, which, he said, might be
expanded into an anecdote; then
the punctuation will be introduced.
He did not think that, after read
ing astory, the pupils should be per-
mitted or expected to give imme-
diate attention to the narrative,
but after some time they will re-
produce it in original style.
A picture, he said. would be found d
quite suggestive as subject for
compositions, and, lastly, he said,
In the advanced grade the class
should be given topic which can
DO more or less analyZed according
to the advancement of the pupils.
The whole theme of language, he
claimed, should be a delight and,
in the absence of this interest. you
may be well assured that you are
not doing good.
AZ NEonn oas1 uVnn ho e,,y
prised to find how many pupils you
can interest at one time. The exer-
else can be given such variety and
scope that 1t is peculiarly adapted
to an ungraded school, since every
pupil above the strict primary
grade may be interested in the
same subject" He gave some most
interesting illustrations OF applica-
ton. The exercises, he said, may
be short and embodying all that is
necessary.
Mr.. Cady said that from his
standpoint the subj sct Of grammar
had been left adrift or rather in a
chaotic state. He does not clai m
that the criticisms can be Justly ap-
piled to grammar that have been
applied by some of the speakers be-
fore him, and said that the great
body of thought was systematized
under the rules of syntax, and in
his argument illustrated the growth
Of language. And added, that,
with the exception Of analysis,
grammar is not philosophical
subject. He regarded the science
as one Of profound interest, and
said 1t required deep study, aver
ing that in his mind this was the
only objection to the study. He
thought more could be added to
the science rather than plucked
from its broad pages.
Recess of ten minutes.
w. M. McFadden, in his address
on Extra.L Legal Qualifications OF
Teachers, said that, aside from le-