The Portland daily press., 1886-12-31
MAINE PEDAGOGICAL SOCIETY.
, The First sessions of Its Meeting at
Brunswick.
A Large Attendance of Prominent
Educators.
thursdays Proceedings-Interesting G
Lecture by President Hyde.
Especial to the Press. /

| BRUNSWICK, Dec. 30-The annual meet
ings of the Maine Pedagogical Society be
gan here this afternoon with good attend
ance which promises to be considerably en-
larged tomorrow by the arrival of members
from different lparts of the state. Among
those present at the exercises today are DIR
Hanson of Waterville; State Superintend
ent N. A. Luce; Prof. Rogers, Orono; Prin
| cipal Powell, Orone; Prof. Chase, Lewiston
Prof. Moses True Brown, of Tufts College
l.. I'll. Moulton, Principal of the Lee Norma
Academy; Principal Corthell and II. M
Estabrook of the Gorham Normal School
w. E.ISheldon of the Boston Journal of Edu
cation; Rev. B. P. Snow of Willard; Princi-
pal Sampson, Saco, Principal Norton, Sac.
carappa; Principal Marston of the Rockland
High School; Principal Jordan of the Lew.
iston High School; w. w. Stetson of Au.
burn.
The meetings are held in the Memorial
Hall of Bowdoin College, and besides the
accommodations offered at the hotels, many
of the visitors are given homes during their
stay in the houses of the hospitable people
of Brunswick. The hall was about two
thirds full when the meetings commenced at
three o'clock Thursday afternoon, the audi
ence being composed principally of ladies.
The meeting was called to order by Presi-
dent Tash of Portland, at shortly after 8
O'Clock. Prayer was offered by Rev. VIM.
A. Fisher, and Hon. A. g. Tenney of Bruins
wick, delivered an address of welcome in
behalf of the citizens of the town. Judge
Tenney said that he was sure that the men,
bers of the Society met with the good wishes
of the people of Brunswick. He spoke of
his personal interest in the Society as an old
teacher, and of his knowledge of the trials
and varied experiences Of teahcer's life.
Before closing, the speaker paid a fitting
tribute to the work Of Professor Smyth in
connection with the schools of Brunswick
and Bowdoin College, Professor Smyth
having been especially active in the work of
raising funds for the hall in which the So
ciety meets.
PRESIDENT TAsH's ADDRESS.
President Tash extended on behalf of the
Society, their thanks to the citizens of
Brunswick and the local committee, who
have done everything in their power to make
the meeting success The president re-
ANAANA w lAC 6AdtAlSoblOu IL SdNc bu6 L6dCu-
ers to find the faculty of the colleges so in
terested in their work. Mr.. Tash then read
his address upon the Relation of the School
to the State. He said in order to study the
relation Of the school to the State it is neces-
sary to study the school its other aspects
its relation to the family, religion, etc. The
influence of the school has never been de-
ssplsed by the;chprch or the State. 1t was
the church which preserved in the Dark
Ages what there was to preserve of ancient
lore. During this time the study of the
classics was confined to the cloister In the
sixteenth century, however, new impetus
was given to the cause of education. The
Protestant school was the child Of reforma-
tion. Luther, while believing the church to
be the mother of the school, asked the aid of
the government in establishing universal ed
ucatiOn.
1t would be interesting to trace the growth
OF our PUBLIC school system from these be-
glnnings. The early action taken by our
Puritan ancestors provided for education.
From those early laws of Massachusetts,.
Maine has derived much of her public school
system. The organic law of state gives it
right to the property and even the lives of
It's subjects If necessary for its preservation.
Nations of despotic governments build forti-
fications for their protection In enlightened
States, public schools are maintained as the
property Of the State for the purpose of
making its citizens mentally, morally and
physically sound.
LECTURE BY PROFESSOR ROBINSON.
Professor f. C. Robinson of Bowdoin Col
lege in his lecture on "Hints on Teaching
Chemistry" made many valuable suggestions
in an interesting manner He spoke of the
change which has taken place in the teach
Ing of chemistry in the public schools since
the time of It's introduction as part of the
curriculum, when text books, with only a
few experiments were relied upon to aid the
teacher and student. After the Rebellion,
there was change in many things and
among them was an alteration in the method
of teaching chemistry. Expensive and
elaborate apparatus was brought into use
until now the tendency is to go too far in
the direction of experimentative work, the
array Of intricate experiments serving to
cloud the perception of the pupil. Prof.
Robinson, for the customary public school
course, recommended teaching the science
with the use in general of only the simplest
apparatus, the work to be done by the pupils
themselves, beg inning with work with the
metals instead of the non-metals. Unless
the course is Of more than usual length, the
theory oil the study should not be introduced.
The lecture was discussed by II. M. Esta-
brooke of Gorham, who said that he liked
Professor Robinson's suggestions as to the
simplicity of the material and apparatus to
be used, and with some notifications should
adopt it in his own classes. Mr.. Estabrooke
said that if the course as mapped out by
Professor Robinson was to serve as founda-
ton for future study he should endorse il
but he thought that course of chemistry
intended as a course by itself with no after
work, should bring in something in regard to
the theory Of the science, to better enable
the student to think intelligently of the
| phenomena encountered in every day life.
REPORT ON GEOGRAPHY.
Rev.B. P. Snow read report ON geography
containing good deal of valuable sugges-
ton, the result of long study and thought
upon the subject. Mr.. Snow recommended
teaching the study by beginning with few
| of the fundamental facts, simply expressed
and illustrated by the surroundings of the
| pupils. rom this beginning the course
should proceed to take up the features oi
the study which follow and illustrating then
by the use of various objects. An orange OF
| foot ball would shew the shape of the
| globe; letting the pupils fill in an outline
map drawn on the blackboard or published
| for this purpose, is valuable exercise, while
books of travel serve to give information
| and awaken interest in geography. A scraI
book of newspaper cuttings relating to diff
ferent countries can soon be collected and
serves to supplement the other reading.
In the absence of the Secretary, Mr.. ii. M
Esrabrooke serv ed as Secretary pro TEN
Before adjournment, Mr.. Tash announced
that it had been hoped Hon. Jas. G. Blain,
could attend and address the Society. bu
that Mr.. Blaine did not now expect to b,
| able to do so.
The afternoon session then adjourned.
Evening Session.
The audience which was present to heai
President Hyde of Bowdoin College lecture
on The Culture of the Attention in the even
ing was much larger than that of the after
noon, and the number of visitors in tow
was so large that cots had to be provided il
| the TOntine House