The Opelousas courier., 1885-05-23
The Teachers Institute.

Saturday from Alexandria where ii is
said their work attracted general inter
est. State Superintendent Easton join
ed the party on Sunday. The weather
has been very unfavorable, and the
heavy rains prevented many teachers
| from reaching town in time to attend
the Monday session. Since then teach
ers have been arriving, and the attend
ance now is very good indeed.
1 Superintendent Easton opened the
Institute on Monday with short ad :
dress, in which he defined the work
which the Institutes wers intended to
perform and he further stated that it
was not optional with the teachers to
attend or not, but that the State regu-
lations required that they shonld at
tend
| DIR. Edward E. Sheib was then intro
duced. He devoted some time to point
ing out to those who were present the
Importance of careful preparation and
| training on the part of those who were
about to teach; also, that it would not
be possible to give much more than an
outline of the work to be done, and that
therefore the present Institute expected
good results rather from what would be
suggested and the interest that might
be awakened than from the teaching OF
any particular method.
Prof. G. Nj. Pickett of the State Nor
NAL School then defined the work which
he proposed to do, and particularly di-
rected attention to the higher mission
of the teacher when once he comes to
realize that there was philosophy be
hind the studies of the school-room
more valuable than the knowledge of a
few dry facts.
/ Prof Earle Grace of the Mansfield
Female College followed. He carefully
! outlined his work-readiug, spelling,
mathematics, and the clear presentation
of his subjects at once attracted the at
| tention of all present.
After the reading of the minutes on
/ Tuesday morning Prof. Grace took up
the consideration of numbers.--In this
connection he mentioned that teachers
did wrong when they supposed that the
child just entering the school for the
/ first time was an ignoramus.
Prof. Pickett followed with a fine
lecture ON the study of geography. in
connection with map drawing.
DIR. E. E. Sheib, President of the State
i Normal School, defined the position Of
the teacher and compared his profession
with that of the lawyer and physician.
He clearly showed why in matters OF
education the progress had been less
marked than in other fields of knowl-
edge.
In the afternoon Prof. Grace spoke
on the subject of "First Reading" and
Prof. Pickett opened his course of lee
lures on English.
After the reading of the minutes on
Wednesday morning Prof Grace con-
.tinued his consideration of Primary
Arithmetic.
An hour was then devoted to answer
ing questions proposed by teachers.
Many valuable points were brought for
ward in this way.
Dr. Sheib then took up the line of ar
gument where he had broken off ON the
previous day, and from the object Of
education proceeded 30 point ont the
means by which that object could be
reached.
Prof. Pickett followed In cennec.
tion with his subject (Englisll1 he point
ed out the important place which com
position occupies III the course Of stud
ies, and the manner In which English
composition should be treated.
The Institute was opened on Thurs
day morning by Supt. Easton. After the
reading of the minutes DR.. Sheib spoke
of the Teacher in bis profession
He spoke at some length about the
schoolrOom, promptness and above all
of peatness. He said that in most cases
the appearance of the schoolroon wal
the key to the teacher. He advised
teachers to be neat in their own ap
pearance and in all they did. 1t il
difficult to feel yourself quite Il gentle
man Id a pair OF sOiled shoes"
Prof. Grace then took up the slibjec
of Arithmetic. Prof. Grace has beet
quite favorite here. He Is naturally
lively aud the audience listened to hin
with pleasure He suggested many
! new ideas aud some valuable methods
for making the work Of the sciloolroon
easy. He proposed some methods foi
simplifying multiplication and Ions
division which the teachers present
were quick TO accept.
Prof. Pnckette followed, selecting
for his subject physical geography
This was d very interesting discourse
and listened to with much pleasure
/ Prof. Puckette pointed out some of th'
beauties Of the great truths which !
proper study of physical geograph,
must develope. He showed that th
study Of physical geography must opel
to the mind a great fountain Of though
and tend to the moral as well as th
mental elevation of mankind.
After short recess DR.. Edward Z
Sheib took up the subject of Govern
melt. Government is not strictly
speaking d part of the education q
work. Ere all instruction can begin
habits Of ORDER Of attention must b
developed. It is the part of govern
ment TO prepare the ground for th
educational work proper. Dr. Shei
presented this subject in clear an
forcible manner. He treated the en-
tire subject of government In Q differ
ant wav from the manner in which il
usually considered. He spoke OF th
limited number of government meas
Yyes which are placed at the disposal {
Tie teachors. He dwelt upon the infiu
ence Of the teacher In the school roon
ana maintained that with the highe
training Of the teacher the necessity
nunishnenf Id the school would disaE
/ pear more and more.
The session closed with lecture 3
- N ffss,rg Hn arafsHrn /