Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-08-16
naturally leading to the study Of them;
and that they Of necessity communicate
much Of their information and of their

much Of their information and of their
scientific spirit to their friends.
The service has already accomplished
much. Besides showing the relations
of rainfall to timber, it has proved that
there is periodicity in many meteoro-
logical phenomena formerly supposed to
be wholly irregular and casual. This
periodicity, when completely understood
will form a reliable basis for estimating
weather probabilities. Even in predic-
ton, the most difficult part of meteoro-
logical work, the Iowa Weather Service
has made record Of which its members
may well feel proud. While it was still
in its infancy, Prof. Hinrichs, availing
himself OF its records together with his
own and those of Prof. Parvin, of Iowa
City, calculated the probable character
Of the winter of 1856, predicting with
wonderful accuracy every important
feature Of the weather, in its proper
succession. In fact, meteorology has
never undertaken long-range predictions
with more marked and encouraging sue
cess. But having as yet very few data
on which to base his calculations, and
having, up to that time, failed to obtain
State recognition and support, the Pro-
lessor determined to give, for the time,
less of his time and energies to ascer-
tanning the probabilities, and more to COL
lecting data of all kinds. This work,
though perhaps of less immediate inter-
est, must be done before the climate of
Iowa can be thoroughly understood; and
with ease, grace and force, any more
than thorough knowledge Of the rule
Of addition will make an expert account
ant. If you wish to teach a class to add
accurately and rapidly you will give
very little attention to rule, but you
will require the pupils to add day after
day. week after week, month after
month, until they can read combinations
Of figures in column as readily as they
can combinations of letters in line.
So also if they ever become expert in
composition. they must write, acrite,
WRITE; not labored exercise once
month, but daily for years. We have
learned to look with distrust upon all
teachers who are unable to make COM
position writing an interesting part Of
the days work. By it the teacher has
a most valuable opportunity of becom-
ing familiar with the mental peculiari-
ties of each member of the class, and::o
making the acquaintance of many of
those uninpOrtant facts which the skill.
full teacher knows how to use so we'll in
thousand different ways. The exer-
else need not become tiresome, since it
is capable of SO many variations. Arith-
metic is the same thing over year after
year, but composition writing may be
presented in so many different ways that
it will always possess the charm of nov
city. We invite any who have made
this line Of work specially to favor us
with communications. To begin, we
suggest the following exercise. Explain
to the class that when the thoughts are
communicated series of mental pic
lures are produced in the mind of the
reader or listener, the vividness which
will depend upon two conditions-the
skill of the speaker in arranging his
thoughts and clothing them in words,
and the attention of the listener and his
readiness in seizing upon the different
combinations. In order that the subject
may be clearly understood by the class,
request that every member give undi-
vided attention while you repeat word
or sentence, as, for instance, the one
word dog. Then after half minute ask
several members of the class to state
what kind Of dog was presented to their
minds when you uttered the word. You
and your class will be surprised and
amused at the variety of mental pic
lures that flashed through their minds
as you pronounced the word. Then try
another word or two if you choose, until
the class fully comprehend the fact that
audible words produce mental pictures.
By this time your class is wide-awake
and ready for business, and you may re-
peat sentence, as, They walked across
the bridge. Now ask them to write what
they saw, describing in detail the gener-
al surroundings, the bridge and the in
dividuals. After this is done ask Mary
to read her exercise aloud. Her mental
picture will thus be transferred to you,
and the resemblance between the two
will depend upon her skill in the art of
composition and your degree Of atten-
ton to her reading. Notifications of
this exercise will readily suggest them
selves, and we think few trials will
convince you that this is a good drill in
narrative or descriptive composition.
Either try it or suggest something better.
The Pacific School and Home Jour-