The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-05-22
Teachers Institute.
FIRST DAY.

The notes kept by the secretary Of the in
stitute were left with me with the under
standing that l should prepare them for
publication. On examination 1 find them
quite voluminous; and being pressed for
time, have concluded to abridge them to
considerable extent. The institute opened
on Thursday, May Sth, with the following
persons present:
Miss Emma Steward, Miss Ida Brown,
" Lettie Lyons, " Nora O'Brien,
L" Sarah Sparks, " Carrie Brooks,
d" Jane Cramer, Mary Cramer,
I" Maggie Henslee, =" Leila Philips,
" Anna Seward, " Laura Daley.
Judge Steward, 10. Waterman,
Walter Sparks, Edwin Pratt,
J. M. Armstrong, Sumner Lockwood,
r. Robb.
The meeting was called to order by the
President, Judge Steward. The Secretary
being absent MIR. Lockwood was elected in
his place. On motion the institute then
proceeded to effect permanent organization,
resulting in the election of Judge Steward
as President and Sumner Lockwood as Sec
rotary. A committee was then appointed
to draft a constitution and by laws and re-
port the same at the afternoon session, con-
ssting of the following persons r. Robb,
J. o. Waterman and Miss Ida Brown.
The subject of Arithmetic was then taken
up by w. Sparks, who gave his methods OF
teaching it in school, A discussion fol-
lowed, participated in by several teachers,
all of whom seemed to feel that there is a
general lack of thoroughness in teaching
this important branch. This was followed
by paper on "Mental Arithmetic, read
byJ o. Waterman, in which he claimed
that it is very important study, but badly
neglected. In this he was sustained by a
general expression of the institute.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The afternoon session was principally &C.
cuped with the consideration of the report
of the committee on constitution and by
laws; of the subjects Of Geography and o..
S. History; ''Order of exercises in the school
room," treated by Miss Lettie Lyons, and
the reading of an essay by Miss Brown.
The constitution reported by the committee
was read by sections and after some moditi'
cation adopted by the institute.
The subject of U. S. History elected quite
discussion, calling out general expression
| ~. l.,k Ill 70, MI
it inseparably connected with geography,
or that one could not be successfully taught
without the other. Mr. Lockwood followed,
giving his methods of teaching Primary
Geography, and claiming that the best way
to awaken an interest in the subject is to
begin at home. In the discussion that fol
lowed his views were generally sustained.
One remarked that it would be an easy mat.
ter for teacher to take his pupils out in
the school yard after a shower and show
them isthmuses, islands, capes, mountains,
plains, SEAS CULTS bays, lakes and rivers.
Miss Browns essay showed much care
and thought in its preparation. She had
chosen "Autumn" as her subject and draw
ing an analogy between that season and life,
treated it from sober point of view.
Miss Lyons method of exercises as given
by her, showed that she is quite at home in
the profession, and fully justified the repu-
taton she has won as a teacher. r.
LA CENTER ITEMS -Rain, bail, snow and
starvation staring us in the face. The