The Portland daily press., 1878-04-27

18th. Method-By familiarity with geometric
method in demonstration the mind acquires the
polse OF working in an orderly manner, so that
in after life the man can arrange his thoughts
readily in an emergency.
9Th. Concentration-The mind must be fixed
on demonstration from beginning to end A
Judlcous course in geometry trains the mind to
continuous concentrated effort
9th. Reasoning-We should always study
the best models A geometrical Demonstration
is the most perfect model of pure reasoning.
The scholar should at every step of the demon
stration ask himself, "Does this follow?" The
habit of asking himself this question will
enable him through life to distinguish between
real argument and mere string of disconnect-
ed statements.
Now how should we teach geometry in order
to secure these results? Do not begin BY set.
ting the scholar to learning demonstration.
Give him pencil, ruler and pair Of dividers.
Set him to drawing lines and noticing their re.
lations Then, having learned few facts. let
him apply them in the construction of more
complicated figures Next let him solve few
simple problems Let him satisfy himself in
his own way as to the correctness of his re-
suits. All this while the scholar is young, for
that is the time to awaken az interest in the
the simple elements of geometry. At the prop
er age, let him begin to demonstrate. And
now try to make him feel that he is arguing be-
fore the class, rather than recitng to the teach
er. Have him demonstrate proposition which
the rest of the class have never seen, and have
him make the class understand it, as if he was
speaking to q jury. Do not let him commit
proposition to memory and "say it, without
understanding it.
a 4 tbia mint thu 1ieoncsiop hoo
and was participated in by Dr.. Hanson of Wa
terville, j. Marshall Hawkes. of Cumberland,
Superintendent Corthell. Mr. Robertson of Au-
gusts, and others, until the hour of adjourn
ment.
EVENING SESSION.
The meeting was called to order at Z. 80 .. m.
by President Rounds. The first business of the
meeting was the report of the committee on
nomination of officers for the ensuing year.
The chairman. Mr.. Woodbury., reported the fol.
lowing list:
President-Rev. A. w. Burr, Hallowell.
Vice President-G. A. Robertson, Augusta,
Secretary-F E. 9. Robbins, Deering.
Treasurer IA. E. Chase. Portland.
Executive Council - President. Secretary,
land and Miss Hayden of Pennington.
The President was authorized to cast the
vote for the officers nominated
The appointment of the committee was re-
ferred to the executive council with instruc-
tons to report at the meeting to be held this
morning.
Mr.. Burr, the newly elected President, was
called to the chair.
Mr.. Rounds of the committee on instruction
made an elaborate report on the course of
study for the primary schools while Mr.. Cor
thell reported on the grammar school course at
considerable length.
Miss Lowell, of Waterville, teacher of elo-
cution gave two Rotations which were very
we'll received.
Superintendent fash discussed the subject of
teaching grammar. He thought it was of the
utmost importance that the teacher use correct
language before the pupils also that the pupils
read the right kind of literature. He was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Jordan Of Lewiston, who de-
nounced the grammars used in the public
schools as meaning nothing and tending to
perplex instead OF instruct
A session will bs held this morning at
o'clock to hear the report of the executive
council and discuss general matters.