Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-25
wEsfERS WASHINGTON rEACaERss
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| Organization Ia strength. One hun.
drei rusn skilled in military tactics will
bear down a mob Of one thousand.
Scatter these one hundred men and they
are no brayer than other people. Seven
hundred skilled minds presiding over
sir hundred intellectual centers OF
Washington nave mighty power in
their individual capacity. but mar
shalled and drilled in uniform system
aud they multiply their power a hun
| dred fold.
FOR eight years there has been an an
nual gathering of teath ~ for the dis
cossiou OF topics hearing upon the con-
mon interest. The Law enforcing graded
| schools In our various towns opened the
| way Tor uniform system IF study
which was proposed last year, discussed
IN both eastern and western divisions of
| the Territory, and is nov fiasliy re-
ferred to the Board of Educ ltion for
their approval or amendment. The fire.
quent changes of our town population
render it peculiarly desirable to have
uniformity not only of text bsuks bat
also of studies in the different csnters.
One prominent feature of the Instl-
tute Was the presentation of ,pars care
fully prepared on various subjects. That
of Prof. X. q. Kerr, advocating bi-
monthly reports on attendance, deport-
ment and scholarship showed consider
able originality.
DR.. A h. Steele, of Olympia, gave
nsany practical hints on Hygiene. de-
nooncing the box stove as the greatest
enemy to life In its voracity for oxygen,
advocating partial neutralixar of its
evils By enclosing the pipe in an air shaft
to the roof and frequent ,sning of the
room At recess.
Miss Wade, of Seattle, read an elab-
| crate essay on Character, defining the
difference between the Interchangeable
temperament and the plastic character
formed largely by surrounding infiu.
ences, among which the scsool and the
home are the most powerful.
Miss L. Anderson, of Port Gamble,
captlvated the Governors heart with
her individuality as developed in an e.
say. and her deliver of it.
Miss Hansee, of the University, took
somewhat new departure in pubic
school circles, by enthusiastically adyo-
eating the oral mastery Of the Latin
and Greek as the sureet avenue to the
truest success in literature and the best
development of perseverance and in
dustry." The English have most freely
followed the example of the ancients in
their attention to languages, aud they
have outstripped all others in their civ
ilization and prosperity.
A short suggestive essay ON moral
character, written by Mrs. Cass, of Sc
attic. was read by Mrs. Hoyt, one of the
teachers elect of Seattle.
Among the most interesting and un-
reportable exercises were the practical
methods of teaching geography and OBJ
Ject Lessons, by Mrs. PC. Hale, Of Olym-
pia. The little boys and girls were
made to draw map, give the poiats of
compass, locate points at the capital,
aud distinguish the properties Of OBJ
lects In peculiarly original manner.
The genial superintendent overstep-
ped the bounds of primary liberty when
he ventured to mention a "hole'' as a
transparent body, and was stood up in
the corner.
The modern system of object teach
ing was also we'll illustrated when Mr..
foliansbee brought III a seriea of tin
trlanRles, cones and cylinders, to eY-
plain the principles of mensuration.
Reforms were urged in the school
law by which greater system can be- se-
cured III our country schools and more
efficient institute work carried on
throughout the territory.
The text book question was agitated
by the presence of two agents with their
samples, but was settled by the commit
tee. who renanded the whole matter to
the Board of Education without recon-
mendatioa.
One of the most radical changes re-
commended is that of five DAYS instr
tute, in which at least four hours per
day shall be given to regular school drill
by competent instructors. Teachers
come together more to learn the best
methods than to agitate reforms, legal
enactments, photography and supervi-
sion.
Possibly the dearth of Seattle teach
ers WAS owing to difference of opinion
upon the way of running an institute.
President Powell emphatically urged
the Importance of school supervision az
the true secret of educational success,
and Secretary Clark begged for Board
OF Education with power to carry ON
their work and pay the bills.
Gov. Newell, who had failed to finish
his address on Tuesday evening from
ShNoNh ttssAoA Va sCAtiSOt k0N0 al oQbuu-
siastic description of our prominent po-
sition as the fore front of civilization,
destined to be companion cities to New
York. Boston. Philadelphia and Balti-
more on the east, and Yokohoma, Can
ton and Hong Kong on the west. He
enthusiastically referred to the found
ing of school of learning at Tacoma
with fifty thousand dollars, the gift of a
single man in the East. and looked for
ward with pride to the time when we
shall enter Statehood, net as frontier
settlement, but as one of tho most liter
airy, progressive and prosperous of the
States of the Union.
The exercises closed with hearty ex-
pressions of gratitude for the very GEN
ial hospitality and the pleasant treat
ment received from the people Of Olyn-
pia, and affeetionate words of cheer to
those who were three days since stran-
gers. The Oiympians have captured
our hearts by appealing to our stom-
achs. The feast of brain and flow VI
soul had been multiplied by the smok-
ing dinners and genial Welcomes on
every hand, and every heart bid God
speed to this quietly grow ing city, as
she begins to feel the thrill of railways
and the influence of sister towns.
sfs ID. PIERCE.
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