Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-05-26

Brownsdale last Saturday afternoon.
The subject of Grade Work in District
Schools was discussed by Supt. Belden;
Reading, by Miss Lynch; Occupation Of
Young Children. by Miss Wilder; How
We May Promote an Interest in Our
Schools by Mr.. Greenfield; Teaching In
termediate Geography, Miss Chadbourne;
Civil Government by W. g. Elliott. No.
present, about 40. Miss Chadbourne's
part was especially enjoyed.
ANY TEACHER CAN BE OF SOME HELP
TO BRIGHT PUPILS; ONLY THE BEST
TEACHERS CAN REALLY AID DULL chill.
DREN.-I wish that boy was out of my
school," said of a dull pupil, marks a
selfish if not cruel teacher, while
genuine love for the weak and backward
shows the heart of true teacher. Be
thankful that you have dull pupils if dull
pupils must be), for the lower the order
of mind the higher the art must be to
lift it up, and that lifting up will give
you strength. Many pupils are dull BE-.
cause they haze dull teachers. Don't pet
or crowd your bright pupils, nor scold
nor neglect your dull ones. This hurts
both; the bright usually need restraint,
and the dull help.
PRIMARY Observation-Disclosures for the
teaching Of Geography by giving lessons
on place and direction. Teach the terms
front, back, left, right, and the cardinal
points. Also, draw school-yards and
block. Give lessons on plants and ami
mails with ideas on climate, and general
notions Of land, water, air. Observe and
describe the clouds. sea shore. rain, snow,
hail, etc. Make each lesson tell in de-
veloping language. Study map OF city.
Locate rivers. harbers, sounds. Teach
the elementary facts of Physical Geogra-
ply from natural scenery. Use sand
also in teaching the different forms as:
hill, mountain, river, plain. bay, ocean,
cape, etc. Study different forms of
water as fog. clouds, rain, snow, hail.
Supt. Dutton.
The need of extended supplemental
reading in our district schools is very ap-
parent. Many of the pupils are attempt
ing reading which is too advanced for
them, and which prevents proper elocu-
tionary drill. Our state readers don't
contain one half enough reading matter.
and our thoughtful teachers recognize the
necessity of something additional. A
little effort would supply this defect. In
aany districts sets Of readers of other
series can be found in the homes, such as
Menroe's, the National series and others.
These can easily be collected for use in
the school room. The YOUTHS Companion
and other unobjectionable periodicals can
be used in many cases. Some of eur
teachers are using selections from John
B. Alden's publications. One school last
winter sent for supply of SCOTS Lady
Of the Lake." costing only eight cents a
copy, and this gave interesting drill for
the advanced class for q number of weeks.
Our progressive teachers need only this
suggestion. They discover the need spo:
ken of. They are trammeled in their
reading classes by the defective pronun.
citation Of too difficult words, and by the
imperfect rendering of too advanced
thoughts. Many of them are solving this
problem of proper and sufficient reading
matter, with good success. Do net adj
vance pupils in our state readers until
they are competent to 60 On in them, and
at the same time give them large variety
of suitable reading exercises. Under oul
present laws, however, teachers have no
right to compel the purchase Of new
readers of any other series than the state
series. This question is under the exclu'
sive control of the district trustees.