The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-01-06
Proceedings Of the Twenty-ninth
Annual Session Of the Tsachess'
1natttute.

! proC90otU8D ov tUo bW0USy'uIuSr
| Annual Session Of the Teachers
Institute.
SOMERSET. Pa. Dec. 2e. 1885.
The Twenty ninth Annual session Of the
Teachers Institute of Somerset county con-
vened in the Court House. and was called
10 order by Superintendent Weller.
Devotional exercises were conducted by
Rev. Hiram King of Somerset.
The Chair named J. A. Berkey. of Somer-
set, Secretary pro tenn.
The Superintendent then delivered an in
teresting and appropriate address to the
teachers, stating that two hundred and for
ty-nine teachers were employed in the pub
lie schools of the county, and only thirty
nine of the number were females; that, by
comparing with the records of last year, it
was found there are fewer lady teachers this
year than last. He complimented Alleghe-
ny township: although being the most
mountainous township in the county, it
employed four females.
One hundred and fifty-five teachers were
enrolled, after which the Institute proceeded
to the election of officers.
Several persons were put in nomination
for each of the following offices; Vice Presi-
dent. Secretary and Query-manager.
The Chair appointed as tellers, NJ. r.
Bowman, A. B. Croft and Z. s. Critchfield,
who collected the ballots and, after having
canyassed the votes announced the result
OF the election Vice President &. NJ. Baker,
Secretary J. A. Berkey, Query manager Fred
Croft
DIR. Schaeffer, of the Kutztown State Nor
NAL School, was then introduced, and gave
instruction in Elementary Arithmetic. He
clearly and forcibly demonstrated the uses
of the Abacus (numeral frame) in starting
children in the fundamental rules of Arith-
metic.
As members of the executive committee,
]. NJ. Berkey, ID. c. Eichnor and J. c.
Speicher were named.
TUESDAY MoRSING SESSION.
Institute convened at 8 o'clock.
Devotional exercises by DIR. n. C. Schaef-
fer
Report to put up school work, by
J. d. Meese, of the Meyersdale Preparatory
school. He said that in many OF our former
Institutes much theory was advanced how
to do work, but never was there any work
exhibited. A number of specimens con-
ssting of drawings. diagrams. compositions
and penmanship were presented to the In
stitute and the means of putting up the
work carefully and ably explained.
Instruction in arithmetic by DIR. Schaeffer
continued, explaining the subject of deci-
mails and showing the importance of that
subject throughout the entire field Of math-
ematics.
Music Recess 10 minutes.
Music by the Institute. Bringing in the
Sheaves."
DR.. G. NJ. Philips. of West Ches ter, Pa,
State Normal school, was introduced and
delivered an address on s A day in the
Quincy schools what l saw and heard
there.
The town is quite famous in history, being
the home of the Adamses. The first Rail-
road in the o. s. was built from here to Bos-
ton to carry the granite used in building the
Bunker Hill monument.
In teaching reading, the word meth
cd is strictly adhered to. The child
rem are always kept busy and pleasantly
employed by many special devices. AT re-
cess pupils all are required to leave the
room. The teachers are very watchful and
are constantly aiming to observe the actions
of the pupils, whether in the schoolroom or
on the playground.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Report. - Modern method of teaching
English, by W. H. Cover, of Stoyestown.
DIR. Schaefer then gave talk on Language
from which we make the following extract In
reading there are four ele ments TO be considered,
and in the following order, LIST. the ear; ID the
tongue; Sd, the eye; Ath, the pen. This is also
the order in which we are trained The first two
the child begins at home, the next two at school.
There is defect Of the ear corresponding to the
color blindness Of the eye. Only i've per cent. OF
Americans have perfect ears. The imperfection
Of ear causes imperfection of tongue, of pronun-
citation.
Teachers know from 2o, 900 to 50, 600 words by
the eye; that is, they understand 50 many when
they read. but they only use about 1000 or 500
Webster in his grand speeches used only about
5000 words The vocabulary of Pennsylvania
Dutchman IS contains only about 800 words.
The pen must also be used. The spelling of
words may be recognized by the eye, and yet the
han,