The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-07-12
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION.
BY A. C. HuLBERT.
CHAPTER XIII.

In taking up the subject of insti
tutes ! may be deemed stepping of
the legitimate ground of such a Sc
ries of articles as this, but institutes
are for the purpose of instructing
the teacher; if they do not instruct
him, if they are not intended to In
struct him, they are simply useless
nay, they are a fraud upon the pub,
lie.
| have examined number of re-
cords in order 10 discover, if posi-.
BILE, when and where the first teach
ers' institute in the State was held.
in the report Of the Superintendent
of Public Instruction sor 1877, |
find il claimed that the late Prof. f.
A. Allen conducted the first regular
teachers institute in Pennsylvania.
He makes the claim himself-says
| ii was at Columbus. Warren county.
in the year lS4S. have heard MIN
make similar assertions IN his lee
lures, and | presume the statement
is correct: at all events the year 1913
is at least two years earlier than any
other date assigned 10 an institute
in the official publication mentioned
above.
The school law of the State pro-
yides that the school month shall
consist of twenty-five days actual
teaching, but leaves it discretionary
with the board of directors 10 allow
or not district institute to be held
alternate Saturdays. Recently the
Legislature has enacted that the
boards of directors must allow teach
ers compensation for their time when
attending the county institute. For
merly it was entirely matter of dis
cretion with the board to allow COM
pensation or not. | think that the
law referred to will prove to be one
of the strongest incentives to I'M
provement on the part of teachers
that has yet emanated from the leg
islative halls Of the State,
ANY one can see, by a very cur
sorry glance at the teachers of to-day
and ten years ago, that there is
vast improvement, and a converse
ton with them will prove the mat
.er to a demonstration. Teachers
will take hold of subjects to-day and
discuss them which they would not
attempt to discuss ten years ago. If
here be one thing which more than
mother has given us a class of
eachers superior in qualifications,
md, / may add, in moral character
o the teachers of the olden time
of our grandfather's days"-that
me thing is the teachers institute.
N many cases the district institute
5 farce. Teachers meet more'for
he purpose of putting in the time
han for the purpose of doing any
pecial good. They talk over the
vents of the day. yawn and talk
gain. and there is no more life in
he affair than there is in the pen {
lolder with which | am now writ
ng. | have attended district insti-
utes in which it was different, but
here las always been an effort made I
o arouse the interest of the commu- I
lity beforehand. Men have been t
ecured to be present from some dis
ance, and the people have manifest
d ali interest. If community are
acking In interest in the educational |
work, | know of no means Of eycit-
ng it equal to a lively district insti- {
ute.
A lecturer. the best in the coun-
ry, may come in, and his burning
words will be listened to with de-
light, his ideas will receive attention
or the time. but when he has said
lis piece" and gone from among
hem. so, too. will the remep brance {
If his words fade from the minds of
III save a few. Not SO the district I
institute. 1t is conducted by men {
whom all know, with whom they {
ningle in the daily business of life. I
N some of the exercises the chill .
lren of the respective members of ]
he community take part. Parents I
All see what is accomplishing in the {
chools in which they are directly
If their children are do
ng well they feel it, and are delight
d. If i'll, they zee and know it, and =
n opportunity is afforded them TO
discover with whom the fault lies. 6
The other class of institutes isithe
ounty institute. Far different to- '
lay is that organization from what c
was when l attended the first one G
was ever at. Then it was compos-
d of few teachers, not more than G
hirty, who were, most of them, not I
flowed for the time in which they c
vere in attendance, and they discuss /
d few subjects during the day. t
ime, at night We had made an ar '
with young gentleman t
O come in and deliver his college i
Grafton. giving up !
be evening to him. This was all /
be lecture" we had. We made out
roll of all members, which we pub '
shed in the county papers, and /
rent to our homes saying-as teach t
rs always do-''our institute has e
cen a grand success" p
To day teachers meet in general o
under State patronage Il
,loquent lecturers occupy the ros- u
.um. Learned instructors spend il