Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-07-22
STATE NORMAL INSTITUTE.
A4GaX SsaE - u #E.I I
Proceedings Of the Sixteenth Days
SessiOn--IuteresafnE Lectures.
CRanortad of;c;aIlu for tl,<, f.xrpo1rrc-E

Proceedings Of the sixteenth Days
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Lectures.
Reported officially for the CHRONICLE.
d The sixteenth day Of the Normal was in
augurated by the usual chapel exercises,
consisting ofreading the scriptures, singing
and prayer. These exercises are the open
ing feature of the school every moning and
gives a reverence and dignity to the whole
days work. The first hour was devoted to
propounding and answering questions on
the management of schools.
These questions elected the true expe-
rience of Prof. Woolwine, who gave his
views in a clear and concise way and in our
Judgment, if properly applied, cannot fail
in the management of a school. The fol-
lowing questions were propounded by DIR.
E. S. oJynes, and were considered by Prof.
Woolwine as the most important and intri-
cate In the management of schools:
QUESTIONS ON SCHOOL DISCIPLINE.
l. Should necessary absence from school
be counted as demerit, so as to degrade de-
pertinent, or scholarship, or general aver
age?
2. Should any system of discipline or of
| itself, be admitted for the sake of uniforlni-
| ty or convenience?
g. Should not daily class marks be
counted as well as monthly examination
marks, in graduation? Does not their ex-
clusion encourage neglect of regular work,
and cram, or worse dvices, for examina-
| ton? fvnE--Es 3 E#errrT v-.-T
| 4. How shall cheating, or skinning, in
examinations be prevented? and how pun
ished, if detected?
5. Is espionage prevention or a cure for
this or any other evil? Is it not itself the
worst of evils in school discipline?
6. Is not the system of relative grada-
ton of persons an evil? Is it not better to
mark and to report wholly by absolute
standards?
7. Is not the building of character the
true end of all school discipline? Is there
not danger that discipline may be made too
mechanical and too precise, so as to defeat
this prime object in education? How
shall this be avoided?
| 8. Does not recitation in concert tend to
destroy individuality, and to become purely
formal or parrot-like?
| 9. Are not the grades often too large for
effective teaching in our public schools ?
| What is the remedy?
TO- Should not the primary grades,
especially, be SO subdiyided as to secure
effective teaching them? Are not these
| grades the most important in the school
course?
H. Is not the neglect of primary instruc-
ton the danger, if not the rule, in our
large public schools?
| - Should not this be corrected by the
restriction of the extent of the public school
| T.. / -f,,l - L, I, -, i,
into public schools to the neglect or injury
of the lower grades?
| The second lecture was on factors in
Mathematics, by Professor Dinwiddie. The
| third hour, owing to death in the family
of Professor Nicholson, was not devoted to
Geology, but was used in discussing ques-
tons relative to the management and dis
cipline of schools The fourth hour,
acoustics, or the science of sound, was ex-
planned by lecture, with experiments, by
Colonel Lockett.
This concl lded the regular course, and
the teachers Their filed out to their optional
studies
! The Latin lectures by Professor Alexander,
are well attended and the teachers express
themselves as being pleased with his views.
! Mai. McBryde's class in agriculture has
increased to nearly seyenty-fiye members.
The other classes are all well attended.
The railroad officials have been visited
with reference to the proposed excursion to
Coal Greek, and they propose running a
train, for $3.50, to Coal Creek and return /;
at least, that amount is the minimum price.
Everybody will be charged at the rate of
seventy-fve cents for the round trip, which
is a small price for the pleasure and informa-
ton they will receive by visiting the mines.
Probably such an opportunity will not offer
itself in lifetime, and person would feel
right bad to "shufle off this mortal coil
without seeing the coal mines.