Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-03-22
Local
County Scht Of Institute.

County Scht oil Institute.
THE LAST DAY OF THE SESSION-RE
MARKS BY PROF. FUEK, DIR. SEARS, w
I. STOUT, W. A. NC CUE AND OTHERS
DISCIPLINE IN SCHOOLS,
&C., &C., &C.
At half past nine Friday morning the
Institute again convened, and many OF
the teachers from the country not having
yet come in, Sup't. Hamilton requested
Prof. Funk to address the Institute while
waiting for them.
PROF. FUNK
said he would then again take up the SUBJ
jeet of sRecitation,'' and recommended
that the manner of it and the drill should
be suited to the mind and age of the pupil.
He then turned to the qualifications of
the teacher, saying it was one of his arti-
cleS of faith that teachers were born, not
made, no cultivation or education could
bestow upon them some of the most need
full qualifications nature alone could fit
ingly endow them. He urged for teachers,
high moral character, and the great ne
cessiJy of refined manners and feelings,
and said the first motive which led him to
his work must be love of it, he must be
moved to it by other. 1more than the de-
sire to make money, & ,uerwise he would
be wanting in proper enthusiasm and
would have nothing to sustain him and
encourage him amidst its many trials and
vexationS, and the teacher must possess
certain physical qualifications, for without
good health, he could not bring in the
freshness and energy and cheerfulness
which were all necessary to succeed.
Upon the conclusion of Prof. Funk's re-
marks
MAI. JED. HOTCHKISS
lectured to the Institute upon the subject
of Geograhy. He commenced his lecture
by saying observation and attention were
necessary in all departments Of study and
education. In arithmetic, pupils should
be taught with such accuracy as to read
figures and numbers with the same ease
and readiness that they read letters and
words and they should be taught Geog-
raphy so as to read the face of nature as
au open book; to read and write geogra-
nhv in fact, the first point to be gained
was to teach them, and give them a proper
idea of direction, teaching them the points
of the compass after this is thoroughly
mastered, then distance was to be likewise
taught and the pupil trained to habits Of
observation, bringing him to observe the
objects which surround him in the school
room and house and in the vicinity Of his
own neighborhood, teaching him their 10
cation and relative positions, and some Of
the methods of doing this, the lecturer
explained and illustrated on the black
board. proving how it could be done pract-
ically and Interestingly. He further stated
the Importance that child should be
taught to look at the peighborhood in
which he lived vertically, and illust lated
how this could be done upon the black
board. showing the Importance OF it
in regard to the topography OF Va, and
he closed by advising teachers to always
teach geography from the home stand
point. After the lecture Of Maj. H., the
sSup't. said the Institute was then open to
general remarks and called upon
MIR. W. I. STOUT,
one of the teachers from the Middle River
District, to make some remarks upon the
study Of physical geography, which was
he knew a favorite study Of his, and
speciality in his school. Mr.. Stout respond
ed in very humorous and brilliant little
speech. drawing some humorous compari-
sons between the old text books and the
new, and said that in his opinion Guyot's
geography was the grandest work ever
given to any people upon this subject,
which he considered one of the most In
teresting that ever engaged the attention
or thoughts of man. He then explained
how 1t was the province of physical geog-
raphy to reconcile and associate the seem
ing DISCREPANCIES which would suggest
themselves from the bare facts given in
=. ,seriptive geography. For instance. all
~. children knew that England and La
br., 'oy were In the same latitude, for the
dose, fptive geography told them that, but
tbav " ,culd have to study physical geog-
20 nhv tn understand why, though in the
came lati 't,,de, England was clad in vest
ments of eternal Verdure. her mountains
and moor thus clothing themselves per
petually an d ker people ever gladdeteo py
tbe sweet NJ sesic of her singing birds and
ever rippling brooks. while just across the
water there is Labrador. the land tanned
Inv the frozen winds, chilled by the Afctlc
ice ever mant,led with snow, and where
nerpetual winter reigns. He claimed Iha1
no mind famili. II with the teachings OF
this grand science, but what would DC
etapoht great moral truths which would
y,slr tn make him better and a happier
man.
After Mr.. Stout's address, there was
some talk between Maj. Hoechklss, LII.
Sears and Prof. Ladd, concerning the ad-
va, ,tage of teaching children the spheficl-
~ of the earth, Prof. Laid declaring him.
.so,f in its favor, and Maj. Aotchklss'
while adreitting it should De taught
claimed no SPECIAL effort should be maze
to do so unit, after the child mad oeeh
Taught to look at the earth verticaiiy.
DR.. Sears approved Of both and showed
how both could be taught at the same
limo and Thus reconcile this little differ
ence and he DIR. S. recommended to the
teachers to read the life If Df. Arnold
that good old man of Rug oys anu aiSe
Cages life Of Carl Ritter.
MR.. w. A. M'CUE
+ben addressed the Institute, his sup]ec'
being the proper management of Schools
and said, while he was in favor OF the ID
tenance of good discipline, he was IN 1avo'
If no set rules, but thought it best for the
To ha n11ided. by circumStanCeS