Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-11-06
Teachers Institute.
WEDNESDAY, Nov. s.

Committee on music-Happy Sun.
shine. Reading OF minutes of yes
terday. Miss Mobeck and Mr.
Howard, critics of yesterday, reat
their reports. Miss Salsig and Mr.
Raney were appointed critics fol
the day. Mr.. Kimball and Mr.
Wenk reported on the questions
found in the query box.
Mr.. Hall addressed the Institute
on "Political Education" Hon
esty is needed in the government
and teachers can improve the gov
ernment in that respect by train
ing children in honesty. Children
should be taught to be carGul of the
property Of the public by being
careful of the supplies furnished by
the State and of the school proper.
ty. Teachers are bound to incul-
cate love of country. In order to
fit them for citizenship, they
should be taught industry and to
ba industrious they must have cor
rect ideas of the dignity of labor.
Freedom is only possible under
obedience to law and we should
then teach the children to be obe-
dient to the law of the school.
Self-control is one Of the things
that ahould be taught chill
dren in order TO make them
good citizens. To accomplish this
you should give them an opportu-
nifty for exercising self-control. The
opportunities should be extended
as they are capable of exercising
it. A clear idea Of government
should also be given them. No
young man is fitted for citizenship
until he understands the duties of
a juror. He thought it would be
better, in teaching this branch, to
commence with the school district
government and then go to the
county, State and general govern
ment.
Mrs. Graham differed from the
last speaker as to where it is proper
to commence. Children of even
twelve years take great interest in
this study aud can readily under
stand it.
Prof. Allen, of the State Normal
admitted the Importance Of
this study. He thought that one
of the difficulties in the way was
that we do not have any definite
idea of o method. He advised COM
mencing at u point where children
can understand the necessity for
government, and leading them step
by step to u knowledge of those
principles OF government in which
all are interested. Mr.. w. p. Nc
Donald also took part in the dis
cussion.
Use and abuse Of written exam
nations was the subject of an essay
by Miss Hodgkins. 'Reading
makes full man; conference a
ready man; but writing an exact
man, Zoo frequent or too long
examinations are Objectionable, one
objection being that the examining
and correcting Of the papers take
too much of the teachers time out
of. school and so prevent him from
properly preparing for the regular
exercises of the school, or prevent
proper time aud attention to neces-
sary relaxation. Examinations
should not be too difficult. The
fF n
overestimated. Exact and definite
knowledge is much longer remem-
bered than knowledge ineXact and
indefinite. Maps, charts, dia-
grams, etc, are most important.
1t is the greatest mistake of all to
let written examinations take the
place Of, rather than supplement
careful instruction.
After recess the discussion was
continued. Mr.. Du Bois thought
that the time devoted te such eX-
aminations should not be too long,
especially with young children, but
that the best work is always done
in such examinations during, say,
the first hour. The object of these
examinations is to find out how
much u child knows-bas at com.
mand, not how much he can cram.
The object of schools is to develop
men and women, and too much
worry about examinations prevents
such growth.
Mr.. Bodkin thought that exam
lnations to be most beneficial ought
to be expected, but not crammed
for, as this cramming has delete
rious effect upon the mind.
Mrs. Jones thought that pupils
should know when aud upon what
they are to be examined. There is
q difficulty in securing honesty IL
written examinations. They should
be held at the teachers option anC
discretion. If written eXamina
tions are conducted as class eXer-
cises, this temptation to dishonesty
is removed. Scholars should be
promoted on the teachers' judg'
meat, and not on written examina-
tions.
Mr.. Henderson said very com
mon fault is that children are toe
apt to discard work after it is once
corrected or used. This should not
be allowed.
Mr.. Quinn has tried The system
of written examinations, aud has
been inclined to discard it alto
gether. The great trouble is, pu'
pills do not rely upon themselves
This would be obviated to certain
extent by strictly limiting the
time. Even with all these defects
written examinations are mosl
beneficial.
Mr.. Kimball would let the pupils
know that every so many weeks oil
days they are to be examined Oh
the leading topics of the studies
they pursue in the meantime. This
will obviate the deleterious effects
of examining.
Mr.. Squires favored written eX
aminations, from the fact that they
fix indeiibly on the mind tht
knowledge acquired. but he did no
think promotion should be baset
on them.
Mr.. Warren spoke on the sub
| toni of cohoCI lnOi al a tiO1 IF thf