The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1879-10-01
s'l,e 'saci.crs' znsszsuse Al ssrool.

4
year on Thursday, Friday and Saturday
Iof last week. at Brookiicld, in the Con-
/ gregational Church. More than a huns
| dred teachers and school visitors from
/ all parts Of the country were present 10
participate iii the interesting exercises
as well as the good cheer offered by our
/ hospitable neighbors. Prominent among
the citizens most active in unwearying
to all .comer5 were noticed the kindly
faces Of Hon. Sam'l Sherman, Rev. Mr..
Pierce, Hon. Henry S. Peck, Messrs. S..
/ E. Hawley, Elmer Northrop, Sherman
! Foot and Homer n. Lake. The coufty
wives Of these gentlemen with d bevy Of
beautiful misses managed the several
bounteous eollations prepared IN their
new Town Hall, and enlivened their diff
ferent homes with truly graceful hospi-
! talities Leading, inspiring everywhere,
among the most charming might be seen
face whose pure brunette complexion,
piercing black eyes, and gentle mobile
features were pointed to with pride by
all as the distinguished wife Of tie Hon.
/ sotoll loneEundI, CouS1L VI wv " oti
greatest Americans.
Thursday afternoon Prof. Harrington
| talked upon the subject Of Teaching Pri-
mary Arithmetic. Prof, Somes, Pres.
Conn. Teachers Association gave many
valuable hints upon the Development OF
Memory, AMI Prof. Northrop, 5ec'y State
Board of Education. gave instructions in
the readiest means OF fixing upon the pu-
pills correct pronouncIation.
IN the evening Rev. L. L. Clark gave
an entertaining lecture upon Jerusalem.
Friday morning. Prof, Carleton Of the
State Normal School, delighted many Of
the young teachers by showing how to
classify ungraded schools. Among the
many exhortations to earnestness, we
marked one in particular. g The teacher
must have a real human interest in his
work. Perhaps it is the fact that boy
goes to school in the morning expecting
to grind all day that makes it repuSnant
to him. Children are hungcring for a
fresh life."
Prof. Somes was called upon to answer
the question: What reason do you give
for the rule, invert the divisor and pro-
coed as in multiplication Of fractions?"
Answer: MERELY for convenience.
Mr.. Wood, of New Milford High School,
rose to show that a simple mathematical
reason might be given.
Sec'y Northrop then offered a pam
phlet describing.the State Normal School,
saying that the question was often asked,
& Is not the State already overcrowded
with teachers?" and that his inveterate
reply is, "There is plenty of room i'll the
upper walks of our profession.
M. Vhittesly of Washington, Conn,
was called upon as an experienced teach
or and school historic express his views.
and responded by pleasant ten minutes
talk.
Prof. Northrop then gave valuable in
struotions as to how reading should be
Taught, and exhibited paper target to-
show that a loud'tone does not necessart
lily use much breath. He said usual
breathing, but not usual talking, should
be distinctly taught.
A school visitor from Newtown whose
name we failed to get, spoke of one
teacher in his town who has successfully
adopted the plan of devoting each half
day to only one branch of study. Such
as Monday p m. arithmetic p. m. geog-
raphy; Tuesday a. m. reading; D. m.
grammar, and SO on through the week.
questions were taken from the drawer
and judiciousiy answered by Prof
Northrop.
Miss Bush, of State Normal School,
was introduced at 2.15, Saying that she
had been able to make no preparation
save what might be made on the way, as
she had received the telegram to attend
this institute at 8 o'clock last evening
but gave an admirable list of topics for
use in teaching geography, which was
perfectly clear in all except one point
where Mr.. Trowbridge, of Stamford, ask
ed a reason for treating moisture and
climate separately, saying that the text
book in most general use defines climate
as composed of temperature, moisture,
healthfulness and prevailing winds, and
teachers attempting both analyses would
make confusion. Miss Bush insists that
her analysis is correct and goes on to say.
g To plump out the statement that the
earth is round like ball or an orange
is very barren teaching" A child cannot
comprehend the fact that the earth is
25,000 miles in circumference, You cannot
yourself A great deal Of practicing in
latitude and longitude should be done
1t may not be best to teach mathematical
geography FIRST, but there are no subjects
in geography that viii not come under
one OF the heads mentioned in the list Of
topics, and confidently recommend them
to all young teachers.
Use map drawing not as an end, but as
a means to an end. II should always be
a matter Of memory. She then showed
beautiful diagram for drawing a map OF
the world, saying that it could not be
found in any of the books, but that she
would draw it slowly 50 that any teacher
wishing to might copy
MI hoyt, OF NeWtoWn, spoke for ff-
teen minutes, on The Art OF Expressing
Thought" Miss Bush again, on History
of the United States, told why, when and
how in her matchless way. Taking the
special subject OF our late Civil War she
dwelt, with such true loyal sentiments
and genuine pathos, upon the dreadful
sacrifices endured, that at the end OF her
brief lecture there was hardly dry eye
in the room. Mr. Giles Potter, Agent
State Board Education, then spoke on at
tendance.