The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1879-07-03
TEACHERS INSTITUTE,
Tenth Congressional District.-MOst
Interesting Session.

The Teachers Institute of the 10th Con-
gressional District met in Bolivar, Tenn,
} une 25th, 1879, was called TO order by Col. |
Leon Trousdale, State Supt. OF public in
E Tuction-opened with prayer by Rev, ". |
c. Gray. Election of officers
Col. Trousdale, President; Supt. W. Fl. |
Foute, President; Scott A. Murray, G. |
w. Armistead, J. w Smith, Secretaries.
The following teachers enrolled themselves |
as members of the Institute, viz:
Col Leon Trousdale, State Supt w. r. |
Hall, County Supt. Hardeman county; W ,
IL. Foute, Supt City schools, Memphis; DIR. |
w. lie Roy Brown, Vanderbilt University;
Geo. w. AImistead, Bolivar, j +. Sc0bey,
NIurfree5boro Female College; Q. r. Slower,
Middleton, Tenn; C.E. Nuckoils, WhitevIlie,
Tenn; G. {. Mcdaniel, Bolivar, Tenn; Cul-
len Strickland, Evansville, Tenn e. b.
Doggctt, Woodland Academy, Tenn; j. b.
Crisp, Evansville, Tenn. Scott A. Murray,
City Schools Memphis; }. w. Smith, Grand
Junction, Tenn. r. O. Prewitt, New Castle
Tenn; Miss Mollie C0rnaIzar, VIM. S.
Cochrane, Bolivar, Tenn; &. S. Douglass,
Principal Hendersonville High School;
Prof. McGhee, of Trenton; Prof. Stein, Of
Shelby county; Prof. Fridel OF aclfon; Rev.
DR.. Shoup, OF Nashville; Prof J. 4. Futrall,
OF Hardeman; Prof. J. A. Manson, of Harde-
man; Prof. J. Floyd Collins, OF Mani-on
Supt Merriweather, of Madison; Prof. Sim
mons, OF Hardeman; Rev. John Park, Boil
var; Prof. Cunningham, Of Madison; 1 rof.
Maris, of Fayst.e county.
Col. Trousdale delivered the opening adj
dress, which was full Of sound wisdom and
good, hard common sense. His argument
was to the eject that common free schools
were superior in that they combined system
and cooperation, that they reached the
masses and extended to all the blessings Of
an education. He said that free schools
were no new thing, that in ancient times
the principle was recognized by Tree ana
democratic States. Sparta based her safety
upon the proper edncation of every child in
the community, and Athens had public
schools for all classes OF her free citizens
But it was left for modern times and for the
free States of the American Union 10 de-
velop this principle to the fullest extent,
providing free education for every boy and
girl in the land, making common schools,
not eleemosynarY institutions, but semina-
rics where the children OF rich and poor
might meet together and share in common
the blessings and advantages Of education.
1t ought to be the object OF every State TO
teach the children to become one day It's
citizens, to enable them to understand the
laws by which they are governed That ell
ementIry instruction was debt which soci-
]
without the slightest deduction.
AFTERNOON SESSION JUNE 25rn.
After some delightful music, DIR. VIE
Roy Brown, of Vanderbilt University, adj
dressed the Institute on the subject of the
history of arithmetic, which was highly in
structive and entertaining. He showed
how it become necessary in the early histo-
nv Of the race TO count, and they naturally
used their fingers, from one to ten for this
purpose. This gave rise 10 our decimal
system If we had been born with six fin
gers on each hand we would have had a
duodecimal system, with four fingers an
dictionary system, etc.
The Romans made an Improvement upon
this by using pebbles, caIcuii, to assist them
in calculating; always using the decimal
system, ten pebbles making d heap and ten
heaps making a great heap or u hundred.
The Greeks made no progIe-s in arithmetic
because every number was represented by
characters which had only an absolute val
ne.
The great superiority of our system is in
having only ten figures, each having two
vaiues-absOlute and relative. He eX-
planned this by simple example on the
blackboard, showing the endless combi
nations of which these figures are suscep-
tible.
lie gave very interesting account OF the
Chinese methods-old and new, and Of the
origin of the present shape of our figures.
DR.. Brown was followed by Prof. J. +.
Scobey, OF Murfreesboru Fema.e COnege,
who exemplihed the errors connected with
reduction on account of an irregular scale
of uuits-with one or two examples on the
board he showed in a plain practical way
how these errors might be avoided. Both
| Prof. Scobey and DIR. Brown were in favor
of the adoption in this county of the metric
/ sytsem as being q simple uniform system of
| weight and measures which would relieve
the pupil of one-half of the work connected
with the study of arithmetic and the bene-
! fits of the change in the every day transac
/ tons of life would be incalculabe.
! Prof. Scobey was followed bv Prof ". II.
/ Foute Supt. CITY Schools of Memphis, in
very lucid and forcible manner, who ex
planned the subject OF proportion, showing
how it can be taught with one simple prin-
! ciple and three short rules, thereby dIyest-
] ing the subject of It's numerous rules and
making it easier for both pupil and teache ..
An exquisite ballad was then rendered
/ by Miss Mary Miller, which received at her
/ skillful hands an Interpretation so beautiful
and so artistic to leave no doubts In the
minds OF her listeners not only Of her pos
! session of superior musical gifts and culE-
walton, bat what is far better the power 70
| awaken the most bewitching melody in the
hearts of those who drink IN the harmon.
/ This is true art, and such are the truesJ
/ pupils Of Calliope.
4 humorous and entertaining dialect
reading entitled civilians WarermilEon,"
given by Prof. Scott a. Murray in the
unique phraseology of the negro, furnished
| a pleasant break in the more serious ezer-
cises an was received with its moral: "Dont
steal watermillion unless it gives punk
with much applause.
Prof. W. II. Fouts chose Isl eeial eCuca-
/ ton" the theme for short essay upon
the necessity for directing the pupils mind
into special channels and OF Glling him Tor
entering upon his lifework immediately
/ after leaving school. He exhibited the il
| defiteness and generality Of our present SIS
| tenn in strong color, and the serious disadvan-
| t3ge to young men which resulted from the
general want of confidence in their prepara-
/ ton for business and their coHse quent en-
/ forced in action and exposure 10 temptation.
| In conclusion the reader stated that il was
unnecessary to discuss the question as to its
effects upon women,since the few avocutions
opened to them III life, and the restraints
placed upon them by the tyranny of law
and custom, rendered discussion OF their
special education unnecessary.
Upon this remari. arose discussion cfon