Morning journal and courier., 1882-10-28
The State Teachers.

Second Day of the Annual Session.
At the State teachers convention yester-
ay forenoon Rev. DR.. Halves, of the North
hurch, offered prayer. The hall was crowd
ID and many could only find standing room.
over three-fourths of the audience were Ia
lies, most of them teachers. It was esti-
mated that two hundred lady teachers from
but of town were present. The acting presi-
lent, Mr.. Warren, introduced the first speak
Or of the day, Princi pal Mark Pitman, of
Woolsey school. Fair Haven. His subject
was ''The CRUDE Method of Teaching Num-
bers.' The method was explained by Mr. |
Pitman and illustrated by Miss Pinney of the
Grand street school, with the aid of the |
apples, shells and stones. She |
had a number of her scholars in attendance, |
who were given various little problems to
solve. The children after correctly answer |
ing the questions were allowed in turn to
question their teacher. The method was
briefly discussed at the conclusion of the ex
srcise.
The calisthenic exhibition showing the
method pursued in the Milwaukee schools
was the next feature and attracted much at
tention. Il was under the direction of Mr..
Geo. Seikel of the Turn Hall school The
little misses were attired in blue skirts
trimmed with white braid. making neat and
attractive costumes they also wore Knlcker-
booker trousers. They marched with the
precision of veterans and handled their
wooden dumb bells most skillfully. The
children received deserved applause at the
conclusion of their performance.
Mr.. Warren then introduced II. F. Bassett,
librarian of the Bronson library, Waterbury,
who read an essay on 1.-The Relation of the
Public Library to the Public School"
The speaker began by dwelling on the
Office of public library to furnish reading
matter. He said For myself I should not
vote to exclude fiction from the library, but
if library did nothing else than furnish
ought to be closed" He then spoke of the
natural tendency of the mind of the young
toward fiction and advised the teacher to use
great discretion in turning a child's inclina-
| ton toward more useful reading
He objected to having the teacher mention
any particular book to the pupil. He an
| swered the objections that library reading
interferes with the regular school exercises,
| and that the knowledge obtained is too frag
| meEtary to be of any value. He answered
| that the first is not true, and as to the last a
| chlld's work during school days is not SO
| much to fill his mind as to be taught to learn.
There has been an increase in the circulation
| of scientific works of 81 per cent, of travels
| 40 per cent. in the Bronson library during
the past year. The speaker entered a strong
| protest against the custom of making child
| memorize word for word lessons of history
4
| In reply to Superintendent Dutton Mr..
Bassett said his remarks did not apply to
! mathematics and literature which should be
memorized.
At the afternoon session the programme
included map drawing by Principal Camp and
a class from room 7, Dwight school Ian
guage in the Lower Grades was exemplifed
! by class from Skinner school under the
direction of Principal French and Miss
Phelps. After a brief exhibition of calls
| themes the afternoon exercises concluded
with the discussion of the subject, "Should
hand work constitute part of our educa
ton ?'' by G. G. Leland, of Philadelphia, and
L. H. Marvel, of Boston.
| EVENING SESSION.
| There was a very large attendance at the
evening session. President Warren, of Dan
bury, presided and prominent gentlemen oc
cupied seats on the stage. The exercise:
opened with singing by the scholars of the
| High school ("Jack and Jill''), which wal
rendered in very satisfactory manner. Their
| followed the report of the committee on ne
crology this being followed by singing ''Da
l mascus Triumphal March," from the oratoriC
| of Naanlan.
The opening exercises concluded Rev
Newman Smyth, D D., was introduced anG
proceeded to address the large audience pres
emit His subject was 1.-THE Art of Think
ing" The speaker was received with ap
I RAoSOOoOSA NASoNo
| sion of his subject. The address was one tina
would lead all present to the conclusion tina
| the speaker was upon subject that he thor
oughiy understood. Without pretending tt
give in detail the scope of the eloquen
speakers remarks, they may be summed W
as follows: The lack of mental grasp o
ideas is what gives the demagogue his power
of attack. He knows the wheel within tn
wheel of party politics, but knows nothing O
the higher and purer rules of righteousness
Teachers may have scholars who may SOM
day be sent to Congress. Learn them tt
figure so that they will know how to make al
honest dollar. The speaker asked to be de
livered from the students mid summer eours
in philosophy. We want, he said, to try AM
see our thoughts as though they were object
cies having come fro-n putting them togethe
wrong or in the dark. One of the most com
mon faults is the haste in drawing sweepin
conclusions, and this is where teachers an
educators fail Find out the truth and the
I teach or preach it.
Another thing to consider is the power @
seeing things in their real and spiritual rels
tons.
We have in churches and schools the ar
of logical thinking. 1t is against this 1ogics
. | way of thinking that would protest. &c
| all the scientific and philosophic tests an
then look into the truth as it is. Don't starv
the souls of the children by simple logict
: conclusions. Have minds with wings ths
they may see the deep underlying truth c
God in the hearG of this universe of things
y III want to impress upon tn
+ teachers this great power of thinking i
9 their teaching. Let us remember in all th
Il drudgery of our work the rewards that "
Q are to receive from it, One of my chief JOY
: and incentives to study is that the rewar
+ will not be lost after this life, but we sha
> carry it with us, it belongs to the Twin
soul and will be our birthright at the resul
q rection. They are treasures that can be lai
up where thief does not break through {
q steal and where moth and rust do not col
-, rupt.
The speaker was warmly applauded whe
d he closed. The president announced thu
T the session would resume this mornin
promptly at $3.50 o'clock and the exercise
were closed.
The programme for to-day is as follows
9:45 Less hours per day; More days in the yea
f Henry E. Sawyer, vi e principal Normal schoe
, New Britain. Discussion of the subject.
1916. The exami ion of teachers by the State.
l. briggs, Waterbury. Discussion of the subjeC
12:Go. Reports Of committees. Election of oflcer
= Adjournment
q Committee ON Streets.
> The Committee on Streets held meetin
d in rooms 10 and IL City Hall last evening
Q Alderman Faulhaber presiding. Petitions b.
fore them were heard from parties in inter
,, est and disposed of as follows: For the g,
tension of Button street to Putnam stree
a tabled until next meeting; for the rescindin
a of the order for grading and curbing Mort
Il Front street, the petitioners were given lea1
l., to withdraw for the grading and curbing
Mechanic street, granted; for layout of
!, new street from State street westerly betwee
g Bishop and Edwards street, tabled for