The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-03-07

learner makes an attempt 10 express hi
own ideas and thoughts in the language L
! be learned.
The third lesson is learned through III,
eve. This is learning to read. The speak
or averred that the chief aim Of reading Il
to get thought. lie then referred in AT
amusing manner to the "slns which teach
ers commit on this score" Ninety-pint
| per cent. Of the common school pupils are
tLose who make use of silent reading only
The vast amount Of time spent in teaching
pupils the high and The low, the loud and
the soft, the orotund and the gutteral, etc
is actually used at the expense OF some
thing that would prove Of immensely more
benefit to the great majority of our pupils
and this very necessary and rapscendant-
ly useful element is woelnily neglected
Children in their first years should learn by
imitation, then by sound.
Besides these three steps denoted by the
Ear, the Tongue and the Eye, there still
remains another, that of learning to write
o language. Children must have some one
who will furnish the ideas connected with
a certain subject. II is only when their
minds have attained a certain degree Of
maturity that they will Gull ideas for them
selves and express them. This address was
intensely interesting.
Afler a short recess Prof. Eisenhardt read
an essay on "SchOol Government" The
The object of school government is the
attainment OF order, habits and obedience.
lie took occasion 10 express his utter con-
tempt FOR the common practice Of drowning
noise with noise; as, for example, if the
vexed teacher with his ponderous ruler
makes a noise equal to the clatter uf grist
mill, in order to remind a mischievous
urchin of his fault.
Prof. Stettler, Principal of the slatington
schools, appended a chapter on "Prsctica
Tests of Coed Teaching" TO the volume Of
Institute talks, and an interesting one il
was. Ills address abounded with sayings
as terse and pithy as those in John Plough
mans talk.
The first requisite Of good teaching is q
knowledge of the subjects to be taught, oil
the laws of mental operations and Of cor
poreal nature. Another element Of effective
teaching is the conscientiousness OF the
teacher He condemned the practice Oi
making teaching stepping stone to some.
thing higher; nor should any quarter be
given to the lazy teacher, who teaches IN
order TO escape the hardships of manual
labor.
lie referred sarcastcally to the proud
teacher, who knows it all, and who has
reached such an elevated position that local
institutes are beneath his loftiness.
The power OF commanding attention Is
another unmistakaGle sign Of good teaching
The pupils own work reflects the teach
er's sfficienry or the opposite.
Toe pupils thirst for knowledge show.
that his mind has been led with wholesome
food administered by an able hand.
Prof. Stettler having concluded, 1t wa:
understood shat tho Institute would be dis
missed. supt. Snyder made few add ition-
al remarks expressive Of his qualification tc
sce so large a number OF teachers of tie
county of Carbon and Of the adjoining
counties present. lie returned thanks, in
behalf of the teachers, to tn, School Board
for the use Of the Hall, and to all others for
valuable services rendered. Thus close'
this, tho most largely attended, and in al
| probability the most successful local insti
tute Of Carbon county.
T. L. WENrz, sec'y.