The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-01-16
TIE DAILY ARGUs.
COAL VALLEY ITEMS.
Coal VALLEY, Jan. IS,

COAL VALLEY, Jan. 10, 1865.
County Superintendent SouthwelJ held
the teachers institute as announced for
this place on Saturday, Jan. ID The sur
rounding towns were well represented and
the meeting was one of great interest
Rev. Stevens of the Primitive Methodist
church, conducted the devotional exercises,
after which the programme was disposed
of as follows: t. e. Weeks, of Edging-
ton and J. s. Smith of Coal Valley. read
papers on methods of teaching geography.
Mr. Weeks opinion was that teachers
should endeavor to make everything prac-
tical that pupils should learn from seeing
and hearing more than by the regular
routine of text book work Mr. Smiths
views were that two things should be taken
into consideration, first, development of
intellect and secondly, acquisition of knowl
edge; this point seemed to be impressed
very deeply in the minds of ali present
| and was steadily kept in view throughout
| the entire meeting. A lengthy discussion
arose respecting the merits of these papers
which occupied the remainder of the fore
noon. The question, Glow shall we deal
with the big boy of the country school,
who wants to study from the big book,
| and attend school when rabbit hunting is
not good" was fully settled so the country
| school teacher was ready TO then relish
| dinner At 1 80 exercises were again re-
/ sumed and Miss Covalt of Moline read a
very interesting production on pronuncia-
| ton and dictionary work, in which she
embodied long list of common words
| usually mispronounced. Prof Mack, of
| Moline, next took up elements Of arith-
Il AI,E
| text book should only be used
| as guide and should be sub
| ordinate to originality in the teacher,
that the teacher should give original ques-
tions and examples embodying everyday
transactions in land measure, the pupil
| should be compelled to make actual
| measurements instead of having them given
| him A discussion on elements of natural
| science next arose, in which the senior
| teachers took a most active part, while the
juniors listened very attentively as if they
| wished to absorb all which was said on the
subject. A vote of thanks was unani-
mously extended to the people of Coal
Valley for their hospitality in entertain
ing those present. County Superintendent
Southwell will hold his next teachers insti-
tute at Port Byron Feb. 10.
| VIM Lee Sr. has transferred his property
| to Jacob Stranseroskie who will occupy
the store building in a short time.
L. Stafford has bought out Higginson' s
share in the meat market formerly known
as Higginson and Stafford.
The Coal Valley Dramatic Association
have donated part of their surplus funds
to the public schools, and the remainder
to the library society.
The channel through which the B
Davenport coal company transfers coal il
closed. All efforts seem to be fruitles
to keep it open when the weather is ST
cold.
Jno. Vandewater received an injury
from a large lump of coal striking hin
upon thee right lilac region about thret
days ago.
The library meetings are now held regu
larly and the attendance is fair. If tht
person who has been stealing coal from tht
society does not reform from doing so il
the future, a public demonstration of hi
guilt viii be made.
Mr.. VIM. Tanning, formerly a student
of our schools was with us again on Satur-
day. We are all glad to see him looking 81
hearty after his stay of eight months il
Dakota. B.