Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-03-09
should strenuously try to avoid it. AS a con-

should strenuously try to avoid it. AS con-
sequent fact this habit consumed too much
time. The superintendent went into this
subject deliberately, and recited detailed in
stances of the custom. He could not
condemn it too much, and urged its avoid
ance. In this connection he alluded to a
change too frequently in the teachers. He
related an amusing anecdote where such
change occurred, and the children were kept
on the map and geography of South America
tor term Of years, until it became the cur
rent belief that the school knew nothing else
but South America.
AS the keystone to wisdom, the superin-
tendent charged the teachers to first
thoroughly instruct their pupils in the art of
reading; perfect reading. This, the fact
that SO many were defective readers, was
standing objection to our system. No effort
should be untried whereby this fault
should be remedied. Again he urged
the Importance of teaching the
pupils to become accustomed to quick men
tai calculation. This could be acquired by
practice, and would be much more beneficial
than an acquaintance with a surplusage of
details. Sporadic efforts were needless, but
the acquired system of quick mental pow
er to compute and perceive would be prac-
cultivated, and were of more importance
than the ability to repeat. In the early
stages the children should be called upon to
observe, and then state what they had seen.
Thus the power to observe accurately would
be obtained, and the faculty to describe in
appropriate language would be cultivated
and attained. In conclusion, the superin-
tendent had many good words of advice and
encouragement to extend to the teachers
He read list of questions which as superin-
tendent ne had asked bevy of young ladies'
being examined for teachers. Among the
questions was the request to name some of
the principal newspapers in Now York city.
Not a few answered the Ledger. daughter
Other amusing anecdotes we're related, to
show that very frequently the teach
ers lacked in Judgment, and
quite often selected subjects for
Illustration of no practical use Or Importance.
He believedin object lessons, and thought
apt illustrations impressed the lesson and
gave the instruction in way both entertain
ing and practically. He urged this
method of illustration upon
the teachers. He charged them
to study and apply themselves from sense
of duty, and thus they would become salts
factory in the discharge of their duties to
the public.
A TEACHERS LIBRARY
MIR. Taylor, chairman of the committee
appointed for the purpose of adopting some
plan to obtain a teachers library, reported
that throughout the city the libraries we're
generally defective in tho books
necessary for the use of teachers.
He suggested that such library ought to
be gotten together, and initiatory thereto he
read petition to the board of education
asking for an appropriation of 300 from the
funds obtained from nonresident scholars.
Report adopted.
Miss Hagerty next favored the Assem- bly,
with an exquisite piece of vocalization. Her
song was beautifully given, and with such
clear and distinct enunciation that it was a.
pleasure to hear English, when English was
the words of the ballad. charming voice,
highly cultivated, harmonized in expressive
sympathy with the poetry of the words.
The meeting, after some detail instruc-
lions by Superintendent Wright, adjourned.