Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-09
Teachers Institute.


doph, June ith and 9TH, was great success.
There were about one hundred and ten teachers
present and all agreed that it was one Of the best
and most profitable institutes they ever attended.
The work OF the institute was happily introduced
by State Superintendent Conant by a talk on Our
Aim He said it was the design Of the institute
to render the utmost practical benefit to the teach
ers and also spoke OF the high aim Of teachers
the making OF better citizens. Principal Boynton
OF Leland and Gray Seminary spoke upon Arith-
metic, strongly emphasizing object teaching, and
insisted that every step should be understood
The exercises closed Friday morning by talk by
Superintendent Conant on What Now? lie urged
the teachers to bring something new into each
recitation in order 10 awaken enthusiasm in the
pupil. Friday afternoon Principal Boynton gave
a talk on the subject OF Class Recitation, after
which Principal Edison OF the State Normal
School gave some very useful hints upon Securing
the Attention OF Pupils in Recitation. He claimed
that the inattention in recitation on the part OF
the pupil is largely due to the teacher, and he
should take the various means at his command to
secure attention. Rev. ]. d. Emerson OF Under
hill read an essay Morals in School, and in the
evening gave an able address on Man Building.
muslC Ny the Ritc CiuD chturuty luOruluH MISS
Farr of the normal school conducted class exer-
else in Geometrcal Forms. By request OF Super
intendent Conant, Principal Hardy of the graded
school conducted a gymnastic exercise, showing
that these simple exercises could be practical and
that the pupil would enjoy them. Mr.. Rocheleau
gave talk on Leaves, and advised teachers to
have a general exercise on botany each day.
Principal Hardy gave an informal talk on Pen
manship lie exhibited some samples of work,
showing the Improvement In five weeks by the
pupils in No 2, and 1t was an improvement which
would have been creditable for a much longer
period. He also showed some specimens OF writ
ing from the Quincy school, saying that while we
had better and brighter pupils, we did not show
as good results Must the fault be in the teacher?
lie urged the teacher in this as in every exercise
to put their own originality into their work. that
to have working pupils the teachers themselves
must work. In Principal Boyntons talk on Mem
DRY he brought out the practical hint in regard to
examining for examination, saying in this way
the memory impaired and the subject for
gotten as quickly as learned The reading exer-
cises Saturday afternoon with classes were con-
Quoted by teachers of West Randolph graded
school and Miss Sherman of the normal school
Mrs Smith OF the primary department showed
her manner OF teaching the little ones by the
word method, 1t being used by very few in the
county except those teachers who have gone from
the graded school. Mrs L. C, Abbott and Miss
Alls conducted exercises in reading, giving their
classes pieces they had never read. Reading at
sight is practiced largely in this school, and, we
should judge from the results with excellent sue
cess, They required the pupils to define words