The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-08-21

INTERESTING SESSIONS OF THE TEACHERS
INSTITUTE FOR AUGUSTA COUNTY.


INTERESTING SESSIONS OF THE TEACHERS
INSTITUTE FOR AUGUSTA COUNTY.
The Teachers Institute for the county
commenced its sessions on Tuesday at 10
O'Clock q. M, in the rooms Of the Y. NC. A.
There were some seventy-fve teachers in
attendance. The following is the list so far
as we could obtain it: W. Fl. Blker, q. T..
Waid, j. D. Davis, Geo. A. Phillips, John
NJ. Steffey, r. j. Dychc, w. NJ. Atkinson,
VIM. T. Yarbrough, VIM. Fl. Coffman. Ii. G..
Early, J. F. Landes, C. Il. Jordan. L. A.
Keller, e. Z. Curtis, A. Obaugh, VIM. IL.
lIumbert, S. G. Driver, r. l.. Farrar, A. A.
Arnold, james Wil.on, Nj. w. Quarles, D..
w. Calhoun. Mrs. N. +. Calhoun, Miss Alma
Jordan. A. FL. ToNberman, J. C. S. Myers,
J. 2. Cleveland, a. e. Pierce, Jacob Bear,
j. w. Beard, j. 5. BearG, j. G. Rhineheart,
j. L. Cribbens, S. A. Hamner,J. G. Welton,
Miss Annie +. Rowan, Miss E. Poague
Rowan, Miss Annie II. Noon, Miss Molle
E. Swoope, Miss Mary A. King, MISS. Kate
Fitch, Miss Mamie Nj. Dudley, Mrs. C. H.
Tyler, NJ. L. marlborough, w. r. Mar
shall, John G. FultZ, James E. Irvine, j. F.
Coffman, John G. Gochenour, Robert M.
Houff, E. X. d. Curtis, j. f. Tapscott, Miss
Mamie S. Beard, Miss Lucy Waddell, Miss
Isabella Waddell, Mrs. M. G. Brooks, w. II.
Thomas, Miss Este Beard Miss NJ. M Gentry,
Mrs. NJ. J. Hill, John D. Bailey, John W.
Andrews, j. j. Humbert. Miss Mollie Eakle.
Colored.-Aaron B. jackson, w. r. Tyr
rell, j. II. Becker, NJ. l.. Smith, w. Fl.
Evans, j. X. Anderson, w. 3. Franklin.
The exercises were opened with prayer by
the Superintendent, Charles Grattan, who
then explained his view of Teachers In
stitute to be a meeting of the teachers for
consultation and advice, where each brought
any little he or she could offer and took away
the general sum Of the offerings; that these
assemblages for exercise, profit and amuse-
ment were as old as the Grecian games,
where tie most cultivated people ofancient,
if not of all times, met at stated periods to
exhibit their excellency in bodily and men,
tai exercises, and where were first recited those
admiration OF all succeeding ages. But lest he
should terrify into silence the too modest and
youthful teachers among his corps by this
quasi comparison to Eschylus and Euripides,
the superintendent then compared this as
semblage to an old-time English market
fair, before the days of railroads and tele.
graphs, when the farmer, the rtisan and the
housewife carried the fruits Of the years la
Dor, that !could be spared, to barter for the
product of some other mind or hand, and
thus all went away enriched by the supply
OF their wants, and not impoverished by the
loss OF their superf1uities. The speaker then
enlarged on the Importance of the profess
sion in the social organism of society ard its
consequent responsibility, dividing teachers
| into three general classes-1st for infancy,
| the mothers; End, for youth, the teachers
| proper, and for youth and age, the press
lie enforced the responsibility OF their Of
| flee by reminding them they had that full
crum which Archimedes in vain longed for
to move the world, in the mind of the youth
of the country, and that some wise man had
said. "Giye me the making OF a nations
songs, and care not who makes its laws,''
This idea could be more truthfully put, ''give
me the direction of the mind Of the youth
of country, and will make its laws.''-
After an earnest exhortation to the teachers
to profit by this opportunity and not be
backward in speaking their min Is, and to be
careful during the coming year to gather
some package of good seed from the garden
of their own eXperien to SOW at the next
meeting, the Superintendent announced the
first subject to be Bleaching spelling.'
This ELECTED considerable discussion and
many good ideas were advanced. The teach.
ers who spoke on this subject, so far as we
could learn, as we were necessarily absent
part of the time, were Messrs. Calhoun Jor-
dan. Pierce, Quarles, Steffey, Dyche, Wilson,
Bear, Myers, Towberman, Early, Curtis and
marlborough, besides DR.. r. S. Hamilton,
who made some very good remarks. Occa-
sionally as the fires would get low, the Su-
perintendent would start hare and the dis
cussion would be renewed with energy
again.
The subjects OF Teaching to Read and to
Write and the Theory and Practice of Teach
ing, were all taken up and discussed with
spirit, in much the same way and by pref
ty much the same speakers, during the day.
Mr. j. NJ. Steffey read very good article on
the subject of Public Schools and the cor
relative duties of patrons and teachers. At
/ n rho inctitnta a,liouronJ 70 ,,,oos 81
10 on Wednesday.
| Yesterday the attendance was larger than
on the first days in addition to the teach
ers were number of spectators who were
much interested in the proceedings.
In opening the session, the Superinten-
dent read circular letter from the Super
tendent of Public Instruction for the State
upon the subject .of graded schools in the
country, and upon the same subject DR.,
Hamilton read an essay containing much
valuable instruction and suggestion to
| teachers.
The topic OF Arithmetic" was discussed
at some length by Prof Coleman and a
number of the county teachers, and upon
the subject OF Grammar" there was an
animated exchange Of thought, participated
in by M. W. Quarles, VIM. Yarbrough, and
Messrs. Pierce, Coleman, Towberman, Ham.
ilton and others. ''Geography'' also claimed
a full share of attention and was the last sub
iect considered.
The sessions OF the institute have been ex.
ceedingly interesting, and while the debates
have been animated and at times sharp, they
have been conducted with the utmost courte-
sy and good taste, and we doubt not have re.
sultedin benefit to those who engaged in
them as well as to those who were aadi--
tors.
To day the examination Of the s.eachers
will take place at the Acad envy.
THE WESTMINSTER REVIEW for July
(republished by the LEONARD SCOTT PUB
LISTING Co., Al Barclay Street, NY,
opens with long article on Stree Trade
Reciprocity, and Foreign Competition de
MES that the stagnation of British trade il