St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-11-04

last week, beginning on Thursday
morning. The attendance was good at
the start, about so teachers being pres
ent, with quite number of outsiders.
After devotional exercises, Z. d.
Brown delivered an appropriate add
dress of welcome, to which Superin-
tendent Dart responded on behalf of
the teachers.
Thursdays Sessions.
Miss Alice NJ. Guernsey of Under
hill spoke concerning primary Read
ing" in outline as follows:
Each of the two leading methods
of teaching the elements of reading
the Word and the Alphabet-has its
advocates. The latter method has the
merit of age, and is, doubtless, better
for a few children than the former
The directors to it claim that the let
tiers of the alphabet are in themselves
mere arbitrary signs the teacher does
her best to make them otherwise, by
speaking of $, ''the crooked letter."
Ground o,""G for Grace, etc. .
The Word method commences with
something which has a meaning in it
self that the child understands. A
talk with the children about the real
boy, leads easily to considering the
picture boy, and then the word boy
Nouns lead to verbs, and adverbs and
adjectives, etc, follow. Busy the
children by letting them print or write
the words on paper, slate and black
board. Teach the sounds of the letters
and group words of similar sounds.
No pains to teach the names of the
letters need be taken they will take
care of themselves. Give the children
bits of cardboard with words upon them,
with which they may form sentences.
Use the Youths Companion, Babyland,
newspapers, etc, for supplementary
reading. Work for expression, avoid
mere initiative reading. Train the eye
to be always in advance of the voice,
so that the pupil may learn to "read at
sight" Teach the children to recog-
nize the key-wOrds in sentence, as a
help i'll giving proper emphasis.
Following this came an address on
"Advanced Reading" by Prof Chas
Northend, of New Britain, Conn.
He considered it of the greatest i'm
pOrtance that pupils in our schools be
taught to read clearly, distinctly and
understandingly. He urged upon
teachers the necessity of guarding
against the formation of drawing or
unnatural tones. With such tones
pupils can never become good readers.
Special care should be taken to form
in the child's mind proper idea of
what good reading is. They must
know Uhdt is to he done before they
can do it properly. Attention should
be given to emphasis, clearness of
enunciation, and proper infection. If
teachers would spend more time in
making their pupils good and intelli-
gent readers it would prove very help
ful to them in all their studies. Pupils
should he made to criticise each other
in IA kindly spirit and the teacher
should question them very carefully as
to the meaning of what they read.
Mr.. n. illustrated by reading short
article and stating the questions that
might and should be asked. 1t should
be remembered that pupils cannot read
well piece which is above their com
prehensiOn.
In the afternoon Miss Guernsey gave
the teachers some 'Hints about Helps"
She said: Some physiological facts
should be taught in every school.
Among these are:
l. The necessity of ventilation; il
lustrate by experiments and stories
train the future sections, so that halls
and churches ten years to come may be
better ventilated than now.
2. The scientific reasons for avoid
ing wet feet, drafts of air, too thin
clothing, etc.
3. The action of the heart, and
movement of the blood teach every
child that pressure of the thumb on the
wound, unless the vessel cut be too
large, will stop hemOrrhage; teach
the remedy that has saved many life
on the battle-field-a handful of dry
earth pressed on the wound; show
where and how to apply ligatures to
stop the flow of blood.
4. Alcohol is poison. Drop the
white of an egg into spoonful of alcO-
hol, and note that similar hardening
process takes place in the brain when
it is affected by alcohol.
D. Treatment of IL drowned person
teach that person may fold his hands
behind his back, and float in the water
for an indefinite time.
6. Necessity of rest.
Teachers should aim to cultivate the
observing powers of themselves and
their pupils. Visit manufactures with
your scholars.
Study time and place.
Talk with the children-introduce
the questionbOx into your school.
Substitute "GOod-mOrning" for ''Hal-
loa," as salutatiOn. Teach pOliteness
Teach the lessons we have been learn
ing through these days of sorrow, of
the worlds kinship.
Prof. NOrthend gave n talk on the
subject of school discipline, in which he
considered the great Importance of
the subject, pointed out many errors of
teachers in the management of their
schools, and offered many hints in the
way of securing right government.
He thought that cheerfulness on the
part of the teacher, growing out of a
love for his work and desire to do
all in his power for the best good of
his pupils would do much TO secure