The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-02-21
Teachers Institute at Mt. Sidney.

| perlntendent, the Teachers Institute FOL
Middle River and North River Districts Of
Augusta county, convened in the African
church, at Mt. Sidney, on Thursday, Feb
14th, 1884. Supt. III. S. Roller took the
chair at 10 a. M, and called the Institute
| to order. Prayer by Prof. b. B. White
some music, Miss Cora Hudson, as organ
list, and an opening address by Supt. Roller
On motion of Prof. White, Samuel M.
Woods was unanimously elected secretary.
The roll was then called and 46 teachers
responded to their names.
| Prof. Geo. III. Hulvey, of the Mt. Craw-
| ford Graded and Normal School. was then
| introduced by Supt. Roller, and delivered
a short but pointed address on the pur-
poses and objects of the Institute.
Geography being the first subject ON the
programme, Prof. b. B. White gave his
method of teaching beginners in clear,
| lucid and practical manner. He teaches
them by pointing out and showing to them
the mountains, hills, valleys. rivers, &C.,
| in the vicinity. thus awakening their in
terest and leading them on from the known
| to the unknown. With advanced classes
he first goes over the maps, then teaches
them to draw the map OF Il continent until
| they Can reproduce it at will then, on
through with the political divisions.
Mr.. Orebaugh thought Prof. White S
theory the best and practiced it. Mr..
Landes begins somewhat us Prof. W., but
takes the world as whole.
Mr.. KILLER made some remarks in regard
to the use OF primary biographies, and
thought it better to begin with the inter
mediate. Mr.. Whitmore said he began by
drawing maps and teaching the difference
between them and common pictures. Map
of North America first, then the United
| States. the States. &c.
Prof. Hulvey agreed with Prof. White
as to beginners, and gave his method OF
| teaching more advanced classes. The SUBJ
| ject of geography should be presented in
| systematic form First. the relief features
of a continent it's rivers next in systems ;
then the various other topics in their con-
nection with these relief features and
| finally, man S occupations as determined by
| the same, adding some excellent remarks
and suggestions.
| Mr.. Kerr gave his method of teaching
geography by diagraming. and illustrated
| by example. 1t was new to most OF those
present and considered an excellent plan.
The hour of - m. having arrived, the
programme for the afternoon was an
nollnced Music by the choir. with Miss
Hudson at the organ. and the Institute
took Il recess until l p. m.
AFTEGNOoN.-The chair called the In
stitute to order promptly at p. IN. Prayer
by Prof. White. After music by the choir
and calling of the roll, Prof. Hnlvey pro-
cee,led to explain his method of teaching
beginners grammar, illustrating by ex-
] ample. He begins with a system OF lang
uage lessons, compiled by himself. passes
OH to the predicate, then the subject, then
the object in its different phases, and dwelt
with force and fervor upon the Importance
rs much as possible.
Arithmetic MIR. Michael gave his system
of teaching Multiplication, Writing Num-
bers, and Long Division. Illustrated by
examples and made some pertinent remarks
on teaching Arithmetic in general.
Cube Root was satisfactorily illustrated
by examples by MI. 7. j. O'Neill, a pupil
of Prof. Hulvey.
Division of mixed numbers by whole
numbers without the use OF improper
fractions, was exemplified by Mr.. Kibler.
The Greatest Common Divisor, opera
tion reversed. explained and illustrated by
Prof. White.
Compound Proportion, by Mr.. Goode. He
worked it by cause and effect. and demon
strated by example. Remarks and expla-
nations by Prof. Hulvey on the same sub
ject. Prof. I'll. also explained why we in
vert terms of the divisOr i'll division OF
fractions.
Teaching beginners to read-Mr. Hannah
explained and exempliied his method. The
subject was further discussed by Messrs.
Vint, KILLER, Kerr, j. w. Slower, J. I'll.
Slower. Michael, Long, Argenbright and
Prof. White.
EVENING. The chair called the Insti-
tute to order at p. m. sharp. Prayer by
Prof. Hulvey. Music by Mt. Sidney Re-
adjuster Band. An essay was read by
Miss Cora Hudson, subject, 1.-The Impor-
lance of Education, which elected pro-
longed applause.
Ventilation, Soc.-Mr. Hannah spoke at
length upon the sanitary advantages OF
thorough and judiciouS ventilation, and
threw out some excellent hints as to the
duties Of teachers in the premises. Prof.
Hulvey made some remarks upon the sub
ject and described the manner in which
his SchOol-rOOmS are ventilated.
Messrs. Kelly, Vint, and Kibler spoke
forcibly upon the Importance OF comfort
able and convenient desks, and urged upon
the School Boards the necessity for i'm
provement in this direction.
The band now rendered some excellent
music, after which the Question Boa was
opened and found to contain quite num-
Der of pertinent and well put questions,
which were generally very satisfactorily
answered. After music by the Band, the
Institute adjourned to meet next day at 8
a. m.
SECOND DAY.-Friday. pursuant to ad.
journment, the Institute was called to
order promptly at 8 a. M, Supt. Roller in
the chair. PRAYER by Supt. A. P. Funk
houser; music by the choir and organist.
Roll called and So teachers present. Supt.
Funkhouser, of Rockingham, was now in
troduced by Supt. Roller and made short
address, offering his views for the day,
after which the programme for the morn
ing exercises were announced.
Various subjects of interest to teachers
were fully and forcibly discussed by Messrs.
Argenbright, Hulyey, Fnnkhouser and
others. Tour correspondent has furnished
interesting synopses of the remarks OF
each gentleman, but our space does not
admit of their publication.1
AFTERNOON.-At the afternoon session
a committee on resolutions was appointed,
and good essays on important school sub
jects were read and remarks thereon made
by Messrs. Haldeman, KILLER, Michael,
Hannah, Houff, BlakemOre, Hulvey, Vint,
Prof. Roller and others.
At the evening session, essays were read
and remarks made by Miss Minnie Woods,
and Messrs. w. F. Whitmore, B, b. White,
Geo. III. Taylor. which were received with
applause. These exercises were inter-
spersed with music by the Band. Each OF
the essays was heartily applauded.
The committee on resolutions reported
the following, which were unanimously
adopted
WHEREAS it has pleased an all wise Provi-
dence in his wisdom to remove from our fra
ternity our friend and cO-laborer Mr.. JOSIAH
Whitmore in the very midst OF his school laDors,
and i'll the pride of his manhood therefore, be 1t
Resolved, LIST, That we, his fellow teachers In
convention assembled, desire to show this EVIL
dence of our appreciation of his labors while
living, and deplOre the premature death winch
has thus robbed us of O valued and faithful al
ly in the great cause of education. That his
their hour of bereavement. While we feel that
the old school houses in which he has spent the
prime years of his 1ife Will meyer again echo TO
the tread of his footsteps, yet they VIII stand as
tered far and wide over the land, will in SYM
pathy strew flowers over his grave.
ResoJUed, I'd, That this Institute hereby tender
| to our honOred fellow teacher and co-WOrker In
shur, of North River District our most sincere
and heartfelt sympathy in his great af1ictlnn IN
the loss of his foot through misfortune We
| trust that an All-Wise and Overrultng PfOyi-
dence may bless this sore atictton to his lasting
good.
Resolved Sd, That we tender our thanks to
Prof. Geo. Hulvey, of Mt. Crawford, Va, for his
able lectures and blackboard exercises for the
benefit of our Institute and also to Supt. "A. +.
Funkhouser, of Rockingham county, Va, for
his excellent suggestions.
ResolUed 4th, That we tender to Miss Cora
| Hudson our hearty thanks for the splendid mu-
sic with which she has RECALLED the Institute land
congratulate her upon her fine musical attain
mentS
RESOLVED, 5th, That the teachers of this Insti-
i tuto do heartily approve the manner in which