Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1879-08-22


discipline as good as when he did use 1t.
Mr. Jordan said in six years teaching he
| found some scholars you could coax, some
! you could lead and some you could only
drive, and the way to drive he thought was
with good switch. He found that the best
time to use the switch was the first two
weeks Of the session. He gave an example
of where the switch wisely used had
brought peace for whole session.
Mr. Early thought there ought to be
rules and they ought to be enforced.
Mr.. Dyche objected to the use Of the
rod. There were always rules of school
that must be broken. He gave examples
illustrating the advantage of moral sua-
| sion over the rod.
| Mr.. Towberman thought the two could
be mixed to advantage in enforcing rules
not in enforcing study. He did not be-
lieve in using the rod to excess, but neith-
er did he believe in spelling the child by
sparing it.
Mr.. Steffey said he abhorred the idea Of
whipping and thought suspension"
should and could take its place. He had
started out as a teacher with different
views but time had wrought change.
Mr.. Curtis cited Csc of moral suasion,
where private talk had entirely changed
the apparent bad character of boy. Yet
he believed the rod was sometimes ne
cessity. Had used it only twice in three
years. Thought when the rod was used
the larger scholars ought to have the pre-
ference, for they are old enough to know
better.
Mr.. Bear said the trouble lay with the
community. The very men who said, 81
want you to whip my child he will be
sure to need it," we're the very men who
were the first to complain.
Mr.. Dyche gave instances of what Mr..
Bear referred to.
Mr.. Jordan-I want it understood that
we who favor corporal punishment don't
: set ourselves up as threshing- machines
Qaughter).
: The Superintendent-Bu you 60 against
the grain, don't you? (laughter)
Mr.. Jordan-AN l have heard here
makes me regret l ever whipped boy,
but on thinking over it, perhaps the best
plan will be to keep my sorrow for the
teachers institutes and do my whipping
during the session, Claughter.)
WRITING.
. The next subject was the best mode of
Q teaching how to write.
, Mr.. Dyche thought child ought to be-
gin writing Immediately he enters school.
First teach him how to print on the
! slate.
t Mr.. Steffey had adopted the plan of COM
r mencing early with children in writing.
Did not tire them with it. Had made
= children copy pages of history.
t Mr.. Pierce thought very important
thing, and not easy to get for public
school, was the right sort of paper, pen
p and ink. Thought the fore part of the
i. day, when the chld's nerves were steady,
r was the best time to write.
Mr.. Wilson didn't think very young
4 children ought to be taught writing.
4 Thought the afternoon was the best hour
! for practice.
i Mr.. Calhoun thought Kellogg's tracing
I books were great assistance in teaching
writing.
WEDNESDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
+ The Institute met at 10 A. M, and was
opened with prayer by Superintendent
+ Grattan. The attendance was good, quite
a number of additional members reporting,
a their being II in attendance. Mr.. Graf
tan read paper from the State Superin-
tendent Of Public Instruction on the
grading of schools.
The first topic for discussion,
j THE METHOD OF TEACHING
ARITHMETIC,
> being called up was opened by Mr.. Cole
). man, who advocated as the ground work
in teaching this branch, thorough instruc-
ton in the first principles of Enumeration,
: and the great Importance of mental train
I ing. He stated that he had carried blind
pupils through the entire course of mathe-
matics, including the most advanced
studies of trigon0metry, integral calculus,
&c., by purely mental operations. In an
, swer to an inquiry from Mr.. Tapscott,
3 Mr.. G. said there Was no other study in
9 his opinion ranking above arithmetic in
the development OF the mind Of the pupil
preparatory to receiving and understand
ing other and more difficult studies. In
compliance with request from Mr.. CAL
houn, MIR. Coleman gave practical de-
monstration on the blackboard of his
, method of teaching Enumeration. Answer
ing the same gentleman as to the impor-
lance of committing the rules to memory,
he said proper attention should be given to
this, but too much time and labor was
wasted in that direction. 1t was impor-
tant to teach the ''why," rather than the
show"
Dr. r. s. Hamilton, Superintendent of
Stanton Public Schools, being called upon
by Superintendent Grattan, confirmed
what Prof. Coleman had said and thought
that it was most important in teaching
arithmetic to drill pupils frequently in
practical mental work. He then gave il
Illustrations Of his mode of instruction. DR..
Hamilton then by request, read an inter-
esting paper upon the grading of schools
in which he produced arguments highly
favorable to the public school system
when properly carried out.
GRAMMAR-HOW IT SHOULD BE TAUGHT.
The Superintendent said that DR.. Ruff
ner said that grammar could be taught
only in simple and elementary way in
public schools, but must be taught thor
oughly as far as they went" There we're
objections to the grammar in use (Har-
vey 81 and If this institute was decided i'm
that objection he wished to know, that he,
might take steps to get the Board to con-.
| ci1 ara 70, al,