Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-11-12
THE INSTITUTE.
OUR ANNUAL TEACHERS CONVENTION.

Address by DR. !Tickcrshan;-.. The House
OF Representatives AS Seen Tnroush the
Spectacles Oflts Chief Clerk school AI,-
paratus-EducatiOn of the Masses-The
Institute Photographed.
Thursday -iftsraoon.- was again
4 very large attendance. numbers OF those
present being unable to secure seats. The
exercises were prefaced By an interesting
lecture on astronomy b. Prof. Henry
Whitall. He illustrated his remarks and
explained tie motions of the heavenly
bodies by means Of an instrument invent
ed by him, called the heliotel!us, and also
by the planispherc.
The institute sang TRY, Try Again.
the "Snow Bird, " Flag Of the Free
and I" Evening Hymn
Prof. J. 5. Stair, of Franklin and Mar
shall college being introduced. lecturcl on
''Humorin the School Room" He believed
it WAS Victor Hugo who defined man rs
the animal that laughs While the
lecturer did not regard laughter as one o;
mans highest characteristics, it is
no doubt distinguished one. He
thought laughter had its foundation
i'll the innocent smile OF childhood,
and laughter At proper times and i'll proper
places has an effect on the physical ant!
mental faculties not unlike that OF the
thunder storm upon the outside world, it
ruriiies, strengthens and leaves Us in bet
ter condition. As is known to all, the
popular lecturer can "bring down the
house" by telling 4 good joke, while 4
great truth soterly told would make no
impression. While wit and humor are
allowable at times, it should not be ior-
gotten that the great object of lie is work.
not play !; the comic cannot be permitted
to take the place Of the solid, serious work
of life. The reverend lecturer in discus
sing his theme, tabulated tho aesthetic
sentiments us Beauty, sublime and comic.
and gave 4 number OF illustrations to show
how nearly tho sublime and ridiculous
ments lie classified as burIesque, wit and
humor, giving illustrations OF each. OF
burlesque there were two kinds, the naive
and comic. He grouped the several quail
ties of wit as abstract, comparative and
| irony; while humOr comprised the naive,
the broken and the free. The lecturer
cautioned teachers to feed their pupils on
solid tood-on truth rather than sentiment.
Pupils may be laughed 1iH but not at by
their teachers. Their comical biunders
may often be directed to useful purposes,
and sound truths may be impaired in y
numerous manner; but humor is two
edged sword, that cuts both ways and
must be used with discriminating JUDI,
ment. Biting sarcasm that cuts the ten
der seIsibilities OF the child Us the lash
would cut his body, must only be used in
rare cases. and as y punishment, as the rod
is sometimes used, when mildcr methods
fail.
Mus:c-Thc institute sang "BOunie
Doom, - I" Wander Sta!f,'' and - Mountain
Maids Invitation, 'and DR.. SlumaEer san.
the solo "Katic Lee and Willie Grey"
lie was loudly eucored and in response
sang "There's time enough for that
TIE ScIencs OF Teaching.
"Is there Z science of teaching?' was
the subject of and instructive and enter
tanning address by Hon. II. A. Newell.
| superintendent OF public instruction Of
Maryland. The learned lecturer answered
the question aiIirmativeiy, and said that If
some celestial visitor from Il far-of and
better world were to visit earth, to
become acquainted with our civilization, he
| wouldn't descend into the mines from
| which great wealth is eXcavatet, nor go
to the factories where the hum OF indus
try is heard, nor into the harvest fields
where bounteous crops arc gathered, nor
into our halls OF legislation where the in-
cred, nor into our pilu"toIy CT charitable
institutions. No, the lecturer thought,
lie would probably come into some scene
like this institute for these gatherings OF
teachers he regarded as the very outcome
of the civilization of the world. Train up
a child in the way he should go, is IN oil
maxim, but ono that has not been conform
ed to. The old in numberless instances
have not been properly trained. 1t is the
teachers duty to see that the young are
properly trained. The future will be
what the teachers Of to-day are maxim. it,
and it is Cor them to adopt the best means
to make it better. Is there then science
cf teaching? There is certainly :. plan
of teaching, and if plan there
is q method, and il 4 method then there
must be principles, and if principles, 4
science. The lecturer Illustrated this
point by instancing the old colorcd woman
who made such excellent bread she de-
scribcd all the various processes of mixing,
sailing, raising, kneading and baking, but
when asked what WAS the science of her
breael-,nakius, she shook her heal and
said, no science, honey" But the scien-
tist finds in the methods adopted by the
old lady the true principles OF science, and
that the bread i; u scientific product. So
with the teacher; he may be teaclIin;,
scientifically without knowing it. There
was doubtless an immense amount of
measuring in the world before geometry
was reduced to a science, and a immense
amount of figuring befor the time Of Euc-
lid. Some teachers who say there is no sci
cncc in teaching, say there is an art and
they arc apt to think they know all about
the art but how can there be art without
science! Ii you teach by art how did You
acquire it? You say, by practice; but !
practice i'll itself teaches nothing ii you |
practice for q dozen years that which you |
practiced in the first year, you are rs Il .
teacher 10 better than when you began.
You Cal: be no better than that from which !
you copy. Having shown that there was
4 science in teaching, the lecturer urged
teachers to aim all the time to be scenJiiic, |
to teach on principle, by principle and by
methods founded on principle. The scica-
tifice teacher is rs far above the unscien-
tilc rs the master painter is above the |
Whitewater, and their worl, will com
mand corresponding prices. The lecturer
urged teachers to work together for the
good Of all d; if an improved method is
discovered put it OH record, impart it to
Others that they may use it or improve
upon it. Iii conclusion Mr.. Newell ad-
dressed himself to directors ant: the older
people Of the community, appealing to
them to give their aid and encouragement
to tie cause OF education.
Music" The Golden Rule" an. ",Iil
May" by the institute, and "Sayc the
Boy, fine sclo, by Prof. Hall.
Address by Dr. Wickersham.
DR.. j. p. Wickersham, state slperia-