The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-01-01
Maine Pharmaceutical societu

The committee of instruction of the Maine
Pedagogical Society was appointed at the annu-
al meeting of the society at Augusta to prepare
reports upon the tends and methods of in
struction in the several branches of study
taught in our Schools and after discussion
and revision these reports are to be published
in some concise and simple form and scattered
broadcast over the State to be guide to mex
perienced teachers and to help fix and make
common the correct principles of instruction.
This committee is composed of the following
special committees:
Languages-ThonasT ash superintendent of
schools, Portland Prof. Ell. L. Chapman,
Brunswick: Miss S. G. Starrett, Belfast.
Mathematcs-Pro c. FL. Smith. Bruins
wick; G. G. Rounds, principal Normal School.
Pennington; L. P. Martin, Grammar School,
Lewiston.
Reading and Speling-W. J. Corthell, prin-
cipal Normal School, Gorham; c. M. Jordan,
principal High School, Bangor; Miss T. j.
Pettingill, Lewiston.
Geography and History-Prof A. E. Rogers.
Orono; G. A. Robertson, principal Grammar
School, Augusta.
Moral Instruction-Pres. NJ. G. Fernald,
Maine State College, Orono; A. L. Lane,
Classical Institute, Waterville; Miss Sarah M.
Taylor, Portland.
Chairman of the Whole Committse-Rev.
A. W. Burr, Classical Academy, Hallowell
Plans of work were presented by Mr.. Burr
and Mr.. Rounds and the following plan was
adopted:
The object shall be to give concisely the ad-
mitted essentials of the ends, method and
means of instruction in the various branches of
study.
For example, if the subject were arithmetic,
tho do of ha DIV ho oil al
in short affirmative propositions, enforced or
illustrated, if necessary, by examples. Then
should follow, under methods, brief directions
for teaching elementary numbers, decimals,
fractions, etc., with general directions as to
how the work should be done by the pupil,
how the recitation should be conducted and at
what age or advancement the pupil is pre-
pared to take up the different parts OF the work.
Under means should be given the appliances
necessary and, if possible, the names of one OF
more text books which seem best fitted for the
ends and methods of instruction laid down.
To this should be added list of books of refer
ence with publisher and price. All this should
be put in the form of disdnc+ propositions
should rigidly exclude everything but essen
tials, and, above all, should be brief.
These reports as they go to the society should
pamphlet size. Each committee shall make its
own division of the work assigned it, shall de-
eide how it will carry on its work, and may
call in for conference any persons whose as
sistance may be- desired. Each member shall
go over the whole work of his committee be-
fore it is presented to the society," that it may
receive the personal consideration of every
member. The final report of each committee
shall be presented to the general committee
before being submitted to the society The
report of each committee when ready for final
presentation, shall be signed by its members,
shall be printed at the expense of the society,
fifty copies shall be furnished to the chairman
of the general committee ten days before its
presentation, and it shall be presented as a
whole at an annual meeting. 1t is strongly
urged upon each committee to submit the first
draft of its report to the practical teachers of
some locality or city for suggestion and criti-
cism.
The reports upon reading and spelling and
mathematics shall be ready for the next annu-
al meeting; and preliminary reports upon all
the subjects are to be ready for meeting of
the general committee to be called at Bucks
port some time in May. 1t is expected that
most valuable results to the schools of this
State will follow from the labors of the earnest
educators who compose these committeess