Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-02-09
The Opening se..son.

wEsrNoRELASD, n. H.-Elw o. Britton, Katie
Callahan.
| wiLMfNGroN.-Alice E. Ballou
WooDsrocK.-Prof. W. II. Saunderson
The Opening session,
At o'clock on Monday afternoon the
| town hall was occupied by goodly audience,
| which increased during the session until it
numbered over 200. Prayer was offered, and
the choir Of the Congregational church sang
| an anthem. Superintendent Morse then Of
| fered a few fifty chosen words of welcome in
behalf of the teachers and citizsns of West
Minister gracefully alluding to the historic
building in which the meeting was gathered.
His earnest and hearty words received a cor
| dial response from Superintendent Dartt, who
said, among other things, that the presence of
| such large attendance of citizens was the best
welcome which the meeting could well re-
| ceive, and contrasted favorably with the re-
ception which educational meetings met in
some places. The first exercise was a paper
presented by @. Il. Crowell, Esq, of Walpole,
N. H., for so long time at the head of the
High School in that place, his theme being
Training Children" After dwelling upon
the responsibility of parents to society and
the state and the world for rearing and train
ing children, the speaker indicated a broad
view of the subject upon which his several
positions rested Foremost is to be placed
HC''''cAN
and vigor, which can only be secured through
patient and conscientious attention to the food
and clothing, sleep aud other habits of life.
Let health and not appearance determine
conduct in these respects. Coming to the
mental training of the young, Mr. Crowel
mentioned obedience as of prime importance,
and urged that parents insist upon this with
promptuess, tirmness and consistency Shrink
ing from the processes of discipline is not
a1n irf,,
his happiness. From obedience comes cour-
teous department, which makes children like
the jewels of Cornela, rather than like the
ll-mannered children at dinner who exas-
perated Lamb to the extent of proposing
the toast, God bless the memory OF King
Herod!" Children should have implanted
within them an impulse which should carry
them beyond dependence on text books and
routine methods, and make them truly think
and investigate. Too close a dependence on
memory hinders the free play of conscious
ness books are the instruments, not the end,
and should be used simply for learning about
things. The speaker closed with earnest
words touching the training of children to in-
dustry and economy, in allegiance to duty
and with power to meet the rude disci pline
of the world.
Supt. Dartt followed in the general dis.
cussion. Primary work is at the foundation :
here is the greatest need of the best teaching f;
make the home training and, the primary
grade right, and all upper grades will have
an easy task. Parents and teachers often
fail in not putting themselves on level with
the knowledge and thoughts of the child
Obedience is needed; the intellect without
sound moral character is worthless. The
| speaker had but recently met man who held
| $1,000 position ready for the one who should
be competent and of undoubted integrity.
Prof. Bingham came to his feet at this
| point and in powerful language sketched the
| anxiety Of the teacher in his work simply be-
| cause, parents, your children do not kHOD
| 1oitat ii is 10 mimi !" The teacher takes these
unruly, unframed minds, and is held account
able for their law abiding character by the
| school officials, back of whom stands the state
with her silent voice demanding the absolute
obedience of all her citizens TO hear reci.
tations is fun; to attempt the training of self
| governing men and women is a very different
thing, terribly solemn thing !"
Mr. NJ W. Davis of Westminster who
came to the meeting from his travels in the
state as member of the Board of Agriculture,
| spoke few words upon the question, EN-
| phasizing another side Of it. The farmer is
away from home much, busy upon his farm
and he intrusts to the teacher very largely a
responsibility for teaching obedience. Iu the
training of the young, one should learn first
of all for what each child is best fitted, aud
| give all possible aid in that direction, not
emitting any possible technical help.
The next paper presented was by W. L.
| Hoisingtou, NJ. D., of Westminster, upon the
theme Methods in Teaching" Successful
teaching is an art, acquired only by long OBJ
servation and practice. It has its own rules
and principles, and he who grasps these most
| quickly and firmly will become a good edu-
/ Gator AOWhara IL tho
of method more noticeable. 1t is absolutely
essential in the school room. Mental disci-
/ pline, however completely and systematical-
| ly developed is not sufficient-it must add
the element of practicability. The speaker
instanced Sponsors criticism of English
schools, and intimated that much of this
would apply to our own schools. The lack of
method was then illustrated in some of the
common branches Reading was mentioned,
as receiving too little time and attention
among the youngest scholars. These should
be taught to gain thought from words, to ex-
press these thoughts to others, and to love
literature, which must become the basis of
all following acquisitions. Mathematics was
| specified, as needing an emancipation from
bondage to text books The teacher should
| discard as much as possible book 8, and get
at the practical knowledge on this theme. 1t
is mistake to try to teach logic in this con-
necton IN the lower grades. Spelling, again,
becomes in many text books only a system of
gymnastic exercises for the memory. The
most common words should become familiar
by their form precise oberyatiou should be
encouraged Instruction in Geography too
ofteu cumbers the minds of pupils with a
great mass of useless information, which
makes the intellect only an unfruitful wilder
ness. Above all things, the true method in
teaching will include, if perfectly symmetri-
cal, careful attention to moral principles,
Rev. A. Stevens, d. D., of Westminster
West, added few words to the discussion OF
DIR. Hoisington's subject, suggesting that there