The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-07-10

from whence, with his family, lie will
visit friends in Illinois, not returning for
several months.
Teachers Institute.
The teachers Institute opened Tuesday
forenoon with small attendance. owing
to unfavorable weather. In the after
noon the attendance was larger, there
being thirty three present. The attend
ance increased on Wednesday to
The exercises were very interesting
throughout and we do not believe that
any ofthe teachers will regret the time
they have devoted to them IS,
The session opened Tuesday morning
with singing and prayer, after which
Prof S. q. Lord introduced the exercises
bv giving q lecture ON vocal music. He
advocated the importance of educating
children into taste for the better class
of music instead ofsurfeiting them with
the light, trashy kind of music, some-
times too largely used in Sunday schools
and revivals. The professor thought
that the greater part of the "Moody
and sankey" music was of this objection
able kind.
The first exercise in the afternoon was
on Reading" The teacher must be
well read in order to properly teach
reading. He would give standard fiction
a prominent place in the works to be re-
commended for reading. One hundred
works Of fiction are not too many to have
read before the age of twenty-one.
Mr.. ]. M. Batcmal,, of Hyde Park, then
gave some Of the results Of his experience
in teaching. He spoke of the phonetic
method and Of the importance of teachers
keeping abreast with the times in educa-
tional matters. An exercise in singing
brought the first day of the institute to a
close.
WEDNESDAY.
The first lecture in the morning was on
Arithmetic" by ProfLord, who amongst
other points dwelt upon the Importance
Of training pupils into rapidity in the use
of numbers, especially in addition.
Following this was an exercise on
Language" Prof. Lord recommended
proceeding from the practical, by the
method known as language lessons, rather
than from the theoretical, by parsing and
much committing to memory.
Superintendent Jackson followed with
lecture OIL practical Teaching in Dis
trict Schools" recommending that the
course Of study be adapted to the masses
rather than suited to the more proficient.
Professor Ahcrn illustrated his methed
of teaching geography by object lessons,
such as representing a snow-capped
mountain with pile of sand tipped with
pulyerized chalk, and for volcano using
powder in dark room.
The conductor, in taking up the dis
cussion Of reading advocated the import
ance Of using supplemental readers, i. G.,
other readers besides the series in use
for the sake of variety and to keep up
the interest in the study. The expense
Of the extra books needed would be
triliing compared with the advantage
derived.
II. II. Young occupied the next period
with an exercise OH Pronunciation"
Under the head of ''School Economy, /"
Prof. Lord spoke ofthe teachers qualifi-
cations. laying great stress upon character,
asserting that the spirit and habit of
truthfulness were more or less deficient
in the great majority of people. His re-
marks OH punctuality were strong, pointed
and well rubbed in, and doubtless not a
few of the teachers will profit thereby.
THURSDAY.
The first lesson of the DAY was on
arithmetic, in which some elementary
processes were explained.
supt. jackson followed with instruction
OH writing, urging the importance of
drilling pupils in the elements of letters.
Prof. J. w. Cowan, assistant territorial
superintendent, followed with a few pleas.
ant words ofgreeting, supplementing also
Mr.. Jackson's remarks on writing.
The teachers were then called to under.
go a memory test, in being required tc
reproduce, without having taken notes
on paper story read by the conductor.
The subject Of ''School Government
was then taken up again by Prof. Lord
who said that justice, rather than love,
should be the basis of school government
Teachers should strive to win the respect
Of their pupils. Affection. so far as it may
have place, will follow. He would not
wholly condemn corporal punishment.
regarding it in some cases as possible
necessity, and always to be preferred to
expulsion.
The first exercise of the afternoon was
a continuation of the lesson ON reading,
Professor Lord giving several extracts
from the "Autocrat of the Breakfast
table," as examples to be selected for
supplementary exercises. Then followed
a general discussion as to teachers inter-
changing visits and assisting in conduct
ing each others examinations.
MIR. Ahern then took up the subject OF
geography, continuing the lesson of the
day before OH practical methods ofteacl.
ing that branch.
On Wednesday evening public enter.
tainment was given at the school building,
which called out quite large audience,
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