The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-01-03

6 It is the work of education to
eradicate false and superstitious ideas.
The Public School is the best
place for the formation of character.
To prepare the youth of our land
for their duties and destinies.
Music.
N. II. Schenck, Superintendent of
Cameron county, then edited the
audience with an address entitled
"How to win and Hold" The follow
| ing is short summary
Attention. is u concentration Of
the whole mind upon any theme or
topic. 1t is hard to give-specially for
| children. 1t Is essential to have 1t,
for the child's sake and the importance
of the matter to be taught. You can't
get it by claiming it; neither by de-
manding it as right.
Attention secured by threat, by
promises, is not genuine. Real in
terest in the thing taught will secure
attention.
To secure attention, the teacher
needs perfection. He who is best pre-.
pared will have closest attention.
Preparation can't all be taken from
books. To hold attention the teacher
must use variety of method, change Of
position, constant reviews, proper
mode questioning, constant employ
ment and illustrations must cultivate
it. 1t is . habit and must be treated
by the laws governing all other habits.
Music.
Adjourned until tomorrow morn
ing at o'clock.
TUEsDAY-MoRNING SESSION
Institute opened at 8 o'clock, Prof.
J. Is. johnson, Vice President, in the
chair.
Music by the st. Mary's orchestra.
n. H. Schenck was introduced, who
talked for an hour upon the methods
of teaching arithmetic. He dwelt
principally upon the first lessons in
arithmetic, using a numeral frame to
illustrate his lecture, advising teach
ers not to force pupils to study lessons
in advance Of these they have not
thoroughly learned.
Questions were asked by Messrs.
Prideaux, Reeder Hovencamp and
others.
w. IL. Prideaux gave an exercise on
pronunciation. The following words
were written upon :he blackboard for
pronunciation Newspaper, Mischie-
vous, Advertise, Kiusiu, Boquet, In
comparable, Sentient, Bade, Combat
ant, Inherent, Contrary, Reerable,
Newfoundland, New Orleans, Niagara,
Altamaha, Rapine, Baton Rouge,
Concise, Lyceum. Chasm, Over.
whelm, Obligatory, Oasis, Disinter-
ested, Genuine, Acclimated, Oppon-
ent, Jewsharp, Advertisement. In
stitute, Suggest, Isolated Complai-
sance Duty, Etiquette, Thames, Eru-
dition, Referrible.
Recess.
Music by the st. Mary's orchestra
The question, "What are the most
important lessons in u child's life?"
Mr.. Recder opened the discussion
with the following points:
The important lessons in child's
life are implanted by habits. They
are
l. Obedience be guided by the
advice of superiors.
u 4 10 81 MI
III. Thinking.
Punctuality-have q time to act
and act in that time.
Arithmetic was illustrated upon the
blackboard by MIR Hovencamp. He
confined his work wholly to demon.
strating a system of calculating inter
est.
Music by the orchestra.
Adjourned.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Institute called to order by Super.
intendent Dixon.
The chair called for methods of com,
putting interest.
Prof Schenck delivered an addres:
upon Geography. He lectured the
teachers upon the principle of teach
ing geography without books as the
proper method that the children will
become interested in lessons so taught
He gave as method for so teaching.
l, Location 2, eXtentj 8, form, un
der which map drawing is recon-
mended A., natural features, as sur
face, mountains, rivers, lakes, soil
etc. 5, climate; 6, productions-vege'
table, animals, wild and domestic
mineral products; I, inhabitants
tracing them back to their origin s
cities the most important capital, sea-
| portland manufacturing cities; 8, tht
travelling facilities, whether by steam
boat, rail or stage coach; 10, the his
tory of the country. He advised as g
study of geography for pupils to write
compositions of imaginary journeys
giving descriptions of towns, cities
islands, etc.
Music-Duet; Miss Julia A. Wei
lendorf and Miss Mary Fry.
The question "Give what you con
ceive to be the best reasons why thu
State should exercise control and su
pervision over education," opened by
Mr.. Wharton. He argued that as the
children who attend the public schools