Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-12-10

study.
Here the e'superintendent's bell tlnkled
announcing the fact that the speakers al-
lowance of time was up.
Mrs. L. b. Pratt of Kirkwood was then
introduced by Mr.. williams who s,tid d"As
the time is short, an it is very close to
noon, Mrs. Pratt will be as short rs she
can. "-'Not short in stature. you mean
MIR. Williams, am sure ~ Mrs. Pratt re-
marked. mo. nor short in intellect
either" added the superintendent. Irhe
little repartee caused quite ripple of
laughter.
The subject upon which the lady spoke
was that of Success in Teaching" II
was treated in an intellectual eloquent
manner and received the closest attention
of the large evidence.
Immediately at the close of Mrs. Pratt's
essay, numbers of ladies jumped up to
leave the room. With stentorian tones
they were ordered by the superintendent
to retake their places, who then made the
announcements for the afternoon and
evening. The meeting adjourned to con-
vene at the high school building, Sixth
and French streets. Mr.. Williams stated
that the present was the largest gathering
of teachers ever seen in New Castle
county.
The wisdom of Superintendent Williams
in holding the annual institute of New
Castle county teachers in Wilmington is
more than illustrated In the large attend
ance at its meetings, and the amount of
interest manifested in the proceedings by
the public. Only one drawback has been
encountered-th inability of the super
intendent to procure an apartment suit
able for the meetings. Institute Hall
was necessarily abandoned Thursday
morning on account of the room being so
poor in its acoustic properties, that the
speakers as we'll as the audience were
under great strain to be heard and to
hear.
In the afternoon in accordance with
the motion of adjourning the morning
session, the institute met in the boys high
| school apartment in No. building. The
room was scarcely large enough to accom-
modate the members of the institute, and
consequently curtailed the attendance of
many who had manifested strong interest
in the mornings session. The room was
CHEEKY and easy, and by the time for
opening was crowded beyond its seating
capacity. The genial superintendent
during the afternoon felt oppressed
with the heat, and had ordered
general lowering of windows to the
dread of the other occupants of the apart
ment, and discovered the secret of his
glow was n heavy beaver top-coat which
he in the excitement of hurry of the
occasion had forgotten. This removed
he was in good working order, and the
institute moved along spiritedly the
whole afternoon without jar or inter
ruption.
The secretary of the institute, Miss NJ.
l.. Wethers, opened the session by read
ing the minutes of the morning session,
DR.. Raub took up the first subject OIL
the afternoon programme, "Pri nary
Reading"
The doctor thought there was wide
difference between simple perusal of a
page and the digestion of the matter con-
tanned. He feared that nine.tenths of the
realing teaching of the present day was
of a negative character. The speaker
expressed some novel views. He said
that if he had the making of the educa-
tional laws of Delaware he would allow
no child to enter school before the age of
years. He also thought that school
boards should adopt variety of readers
in their schools. Three things should be
aimed at in teaching the subject. To
read intelligently, or, more exactly, un-
derstandingly.
suppose you have never heard such
reading as this: "I-have-found-myh 2"
"0h yes !" said State Superintendent Will
liams 1--WE have plenty of it," Another
point is that those who hear you may un-
derstand you, and the third point is that
our pupils may read impressively. There
readers. "rhere are numerous methods
the alphabetic, word, phonic, phonetic
nc. | would not condemn any method,
there is good in all. Whatever method
you find your hand taking to success
fully, follow that. The successful method
is the right one" After bringing up a
great variety of topics the speaker entered
upon the subject of emphasis using for
example the sentence, "Why-did.s he
marry him" To the infiAite amusement
of the audience the speaker emphasized
each word of the above sentence consecu-
lively, making almost pointed reference
to the individuals before him. The situa-
tion was accepted cheerfully by all, q
general giggle was heard and every face
bore IN innocent smile.
A class recitation by pupils of Miss
Emma Boothe of Newport school which
was next on the programme was an in
teresting change. The bright, tender
| little voices in clear altoSor measured
low-toned sadness, according as the pas
sage they read demanded such treatment,
| delighted the audience.
The class was highly complimented by
the State superintendent.
| Nextappeared Miss M.McGill's Juvenile
class in numbers. They all were exceed
ingly bright in answering. Their little
voices chirping out answers to the
teachers questions so quickly that in two
distinct cases the childrcn's replies were
heard before the teachers question-and
they were always exactly right. 0eca-
| sionally the verdict of the class was asked
by the teacher rs to the correctness of a
fellow pupils reply. 'Is he right ?" said
the teacher, ''Yessum !" every voice i'm
partially and simultaneously cried includ-
ing that of the one cited.
Or. N. @. Schaeffer then took up the
subject of " History" which was second
on the programme for the afternoon. The
lecturer considered that one of the
greatest causes for the very usual dislike
| of history as q subject is the excessive
presence of dates in most text books. A
system of mnemonics was suggested as
an aid to memorization of historical dates.
The speaker next led the audience through
most brilliant picturing of the possibili-
ties in the hands of an intelligent teacher
| of history. -
Professor w. w. Birdsall, was in
troduced and took for his subject, ''What
is SCHOOL, The ex-principal of the
Wilmington high school claimed that
attendance, order, department, totals of
good markings, reports, &C., accom-
plished practically nothing as the real
tests of school work. The real question
is how have your children improved in
thought-how do they apply any knowl-
edge they may have. As your scholars
are promoted from class to class can you
see coneurrently II growth in intellectual
capacity? Are you sure but that q great
deal of this remarkable improvement is
only dreary Journalism and that there is
little of mental life in it. Mr.. Birdsall
thought children are sent too school too
young. Records show that bright chill
dren refuse to sparkle. Their vitality is
used up too quickly. Theyare promoted
too early to higher classes. The greatest
condemnation for this is to be laid at the
door of the parent.
After touching upon various other
points of interest, Mr.. Rirdsall said it is
the best school which most perfectly fits
its pupils for life, and Just hero we meet
question which shall in part, Mt least,
elude: is it the business of the public
schools to teach mechanical arts =? There
has been of late yeas great insistence
upon what are called practical studies;
great deal of talk about the waste of
time over uselesa thinpa To the aacrifioe of