The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1883-02-24

Lehighton toint Institute.
The District Institute held on the 18th
inst, in the Public School Hall in this bor-
ough, was very pleasant and interesting
one. Although the weather was rather in.
element teachers from nearly every district
in the county were present. Among the
districts represented may he mentioned
Mauch Chunk, East Mauch Chunk, Luns.
ford, Summit Hill, Audcnried. Wrotherly,
P"ckerion, Lebighlon, ,Weissport, ,panyville,
franklin, Lower Towamensing, East Penn,
Mahoning and Lehigh. Among the dis.
ungushed visitors from other counties may
be mentoned Prof j. o. Knnuss, Superiu-
tendent Of Schools, Lehigh county; Prof.
Sielller, Principal Of slAting;on schools, and
froC punning, Principal of the White
Jnyen schools.
Tie morning session was opened by sing
ing "Buelah Land" Mr.. Kistler, Of Lehieh.
leading aud prayer was offered by Rev. ].
s. Rennihger, nj Slating'on. The Institute
then elected the following officers: Presi-
dent, T. NJ. Ballet County Superintendent
Vice. Presidents, Supt. Kuauss aud II. s.
Rinker; Secretaries. Messis Esenhnrt. Rit-
ter and enner. The fret subert on the
proGrGme. Urinary Reading" was then
taken up by Ii. j. Reinhart, Of the Parry
willie Schools, who spoke in substance as
follows; There are two methods for teaching
primary reading, the new method and the
el....l r.
stand by the new or word method. In teach
ing word like cat, commence by giving
them a talk abnut the cat usk them cues
tions and in that way get them interested
Then after you haYe them interested place
the word cat upon the board. He prefers
printing the word. Alter you have taught
them one word, introduce the "hunlinp ex
ercisc," that is, pnce several other words on
the board with the one YOU taughtand then
let them hunt il out. Teach the article
with the noun, and in that way teach them
several familiar wnrds. then teach them an
active word aud they have several sentences
Teachers should not be houk- worms on sys.
TEN. Spelling should he introduced after
they have learned sevea sentences. Supt.
Ballet then made some remarks on this
subject. Prof. Dunnng, ofthe White Haven
schools, asked the question, Glow ore we to
get children 10 pronounce correctly who
have an apparent impedIment in their
speech 2" Mr.. Reinbart answered, "By tell
ing the pupil how IN place his organs Mr.
Roberts, of Summit Hill, mentioned a very
singular case Of boy at one Of their schools
who puts the sound of ch In almost every
word. Miss Cora Rhoads OF the Lehighton
Schools, followed by class drill in "Practi-
cal Composition" She handled her subject
and her class in very intelligent way.
The afternoon session was opened bv sing
ing, "Shall we Meet Beyond the River"
Supt. j. o. Knauss Of Lehigh county, then
favored the Institute with brief and inter.
esting speech on "The use Of the Dictionary
in our Schools" Among other thngs, lie
said that the use Of tho dictionary unfies us
in the pronunciation, meaning and spelling
Of words, which are the three purposes for
which it is to be used. Pupils should not
use it until they read in the Fourth Reader,
aud then a small one is preferable to the
larger editions. Teach the dIacritical marks
of the author you use so that the pupils
know at once the sound of every letter in
word.
TIA. Snyder, ofthe Lehighton Schools,
followed on "School Room Helps" lie
showed how "a economise in keeping merit
rolls. The old way of keeping them is too
laborious. Mark them only when they
make failures, for il saves time md labor by
only putting dowa domerit marks. Miss
Kate McQnaid, Of Summit Hill, favored the
Institute with several specimens of crayon
work. The Institute then sang the piece
entitled brightly" after which Mr.. Rink
| er, of the Weatherly Schools, read an essay
on Composition " II should he taught in
directly and in connection with other stu
dies and it will no longer Le burden tn
pupils and teacher, but pleasant task. He
was followed by another essay on "Physi-
olOgv," by 6. W. Mcbride, Of the Mauch
Chunk school. Physiology teaches US the
natural action of the various organs OF our
bodies and goes hand in hand with hygiene
Tie gentleman showed very clearly the
necessity ol having knowledge of this sub.
ject and the good that must result from il,
when its teachings are brought into requis-
ltlon in the school room. Ignorance is never
bliss and especially not so far as this sub
ject is concerned. knowledge here as else.
where is safety. Prof. Ballet then made
some remarks, stating that most of our
schOol-rooms were over heated and many
of them poorly ventilated. Thermometers
should be in every school-rnom. The study
"t general history was then presented by
Mr.. Dugan, who advocated that the history
of the United States could only be fully un.
derstood after we haye fair knowledge Of
general history, and that it completes the
character Of a general education. Conclud-
ing with the hope that in the future our
history might not be a record Of wars and
battles, but VI the manners and customs OF
the people.
Mr.. Roberts, OF The Summit Hill schools,
closed the afternoon session by q brief talk
on English Literature" We cannot teach
English classics properly, but we can give
them some idea Of literature, so that they
can select proper books for reading. Biog-
raphy should be made the basis OF instruc
ton. BY devoting only FIVE minutes to
this study each day much can be accomp.
ished.
During the evening session impromptu
speeches were made by Messrs. Rauch aud
Dunning, and DR.. Horne gave a lecture on
the State OF Texas, where he spent part of
! his time during the last few years in con.
ductlng institutes. The lecture was very
interesting throughout, and was listened TO
by the large audience with marked atten-
tion. 1t was interspersed with wit and
| hunor and was well delivered.
The exercises throughout the day, as q
| whole, were Interesting and the schools of
the county will undoubtedly be benefited
through them. Much honor and credit is
due Ia our worthy County Superinten ndent.
Mr.. Ballet, for the time nd attention he
pays To get up these Institutes, and the ris
ing generation should feel infinitely thank
ful to him for what he does for them. In
stitute adjourned sine die.
The Rockport Institute,
The following is the conclusion OF the ac-
| count of the proceedinps of the InsLitute Of