The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1885-12-05
reference to reading. The one looks

or the reader; tn3 oJher aims at pre-
cision aud elegance of expression.
Properly understood, these are merely
counterparts, the one of the other.
Given clear understanding of the
authors idea and good expression will
naturally follow--in fact there can be
no right expression without this. The
child should be taught by the object,
word and sentence method. Read a
sentence as whole, not in parts. The
child should not be hampered by learn
ing at first the dry characters ef the
alphabet. Begin with words, aud as
a few are learned combine them Into the
unit Of thought-the sentence. Teach
the child to talk with pencil and chalk
--aot ia print; as has been suggested
here-but in script from the start. After
children have begun in the reader insist
upon careful preparation OF the lesson.
Go over the lesson with the class the
day before. pointing ont difficult words
and expressions, and giving the proper
explanations. When the class is
to read, no time should
be taken up in correcting
errors in pronunciation. Give that
time to the development Of expression,
to the building and analysis Of sen.
fences, to the securing of thought and
compositions. Teach children from the
first year the powers of the letters and
the marks which indicate them. I'm.
courage them to consult the dictionary,
and do not be ashamed to consult it
yourself frequently. Get the pupils to
recast sentences in their own words.
Have them observe the connection OF
ideas in paragraph and it's use; DO.
serve the order in which Q subject is
treated and reproduce it orally or with
pen or pencil the story of the lesson in
their own Language. Remember always
that the true object in teaching read
ing lie to get pupils to think; make
them able to understand and enjoy tie
great field of literature.
DISCUSSION. a
Professor O'Connor had found in his
experience in San Francisco that many
principals often misunderstood official
crculars-some of them would always
misunderstood. Tive illustrious exam.
Piles of such misunderstanding were be.
fore him to-day. Professors Young and
Bray had each misunderstood his re.
marks in regard to printing words on
the blackboard. He would not teach
children to print, and had not said that
he would. Teachers might at first print
words on the board, but this should not
be continued long. Again, he would
not discourage the use of the dictionary
| had not said that he would. The
Professor made some excellent hits and
brought down the house several times.
4 tie is one of the most practical educa.
tors that has ever visited this State.
Were the profession made up of such
men, there would be q wonderful revo-
luton in educational thought and work !;
teach them how to breathe--few chill.
| dren know how-and have frequent
breathing exercises. Many other points
were dwelt upon by the speaker who
passed in review the whole subject of
reading. He concluded by saying that
he would not teach elocution, as such,
in the psblic schools. The elocution
that we want should always be taught
in connection with reading, beginning
With the Fret Reader. A vast amount
Of time is wasted in teaching reading.
Children are started wrong, and they
keep wrong all through their school
course. According to good authority,
we ought to do more than is done, in
one.hah of the time. Finally he would
$50 teach reading a. to make our boys
and girls thinkers and composers.
Miss Troasdale had been greatly in.
terested in the address, and discussions
upon reading. and Endorsed, in the main,
the views presented.
Mr.. N. Y. Smith arraigned his early
teachers for incompetency as readers
and teachers Of reading. His early