The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-01-27
a 1852 q TEacAsa.
ias,raefing caliifea II csessApily.- No
Tedian q ne Little faik,. cis@

~ NV left tfip1tl tilyt lfrtt1ll
Besides bis tlass II tie gymnasium.
AgaS collected about him; b. invita-
tIon. 5 snail aHdience % friends and
iietglitcfS, 70 whom DO lectured dnr.rg
tho winter On botany, on zoology, on.
the philosophy ofnature. The instrtc.
itiBt Ras Of the most familiar aud iu8
formal baacter, and 6astohlinned ID
later yoars for bis own children anil th6
children Of his fFiendA ln'the latter
case tic sui. ecis wero chic , geology
and geography III connection with ij0l-
sny, and In favorable weather ihe les
sons were Usually given in tho open ali
Inc cin easily Imagine what 10y Il
must have been for aparty Of lfItle
playmates, boys and girls, TO 10 taken
out for long walks in the country oyer
the hills about ) euchatel, Andpspecially
70 ghauipont, the mountain which rises
behind II, and thus 70 hare their les.
SONS, fos which the facts and scenes
about them furnished subject and illus.
tr..ton, confined with pleasant Fam
bleS
From some high ground afording a
vide panoramic view, AgasSis would
explain to them tho formation Of lakes,
islands, riyors, spring., water.sheds,
hills aud valleys lie always insisted
that physical geography rould DO better
taught 10 Children III the vicinity OF
their own homes than BY booss or
maps, or even gloees. NoFiid DO think
varied landscape essential to such In
struttloa. UndllAtiOns Of the ground,
so.ne contrast Of hill and plain, some
sheet Of water With the streams that
feed 1t, some ridge Of rocky soil acting
as q Watershed, may 10 found every.
where, and this relation OF facts shown
perhaps as well.on Asmsll as on a large
scale.
Whpnit was:imptsslble to giye the
lessons ont Of door tic children We're
gathered arotnd i large table, where
each one had before him or her the
specimens Of tho day, sometimes STONES
and fossils, sometimes lower, fruits, OF
dried plants To each child 10 success,
sion was explained separately what had
first Teen told to al collectively. When
tho talk was OF tropical or distant conn.
tries pains wore taken to procure char.
aCteFistic specimens, and tho children
were introduced 10 dates, bananas, CO.
coanuts, and other fruits, not easily to
10 obtained in those days in a small in.
land town. They, Of course; concluded
the lesson by eating the specimens, a
practical illustration which they greatly
on Dyed.
A very large wooden globe, on the
surface Of which tho various features Of
the earth as they came up for discussion
could 10 shown, served 10 make them
more clear and vivid. The children
took their own share in the instruction,
and we're themselves made to point out
and describe that which had Just been
explained to them. They took home
their collections, and as a preparation
for the next lesson were often called
upon to classify and describe some I'M.
usual specimen by their own unaided
e:Orts. There WIS no tedium in the
class Agassiz's lively, clear, and 1T
tractive method Of teaching awakened
their own powers OF observation in his
little pupils, and to some at least opened
permanent sour es Of en- oymont.
lis innlence over pupils and his fac
ulty of inspiring them with ii love for
their work wer6 not less murkcd in tho
nited States and arO still the theme
VI many an atfeetlonate published rem
iniscGnte After his second marriage
this FIRST wife died in EurOpel Agassi
lived much more comfortably, and bis
last years were never disturbed BY pc.
cuniary troubles. liar ard built n
house for him to which hO became much
attached.
For his work also tho house was OK
tremely convenient. His habits in this
respect were, however, singularly indo.
penient Of place and circumstance
Mike most studious men, he had no
fixed spot in the house Tor writing. al.
though the library, with the usual out
Il. OF well.illied shelves, maps, large
tables, etc, held his materials, no
brought what no needed for the even.
ing by preference TO tho draw.
ing.room, and there with his paper on
his knee, and his Looks Tor reference on
a chair beside him, he wrote and read
rs HbnsiIy as II no were quite alone
Sometimes when dancing and music
We're gong on among tho young people
o the family and their guests, he drew
u little table into tho corner Of the
room, and confined his occupations as
undist rbed and OngroSsed as II he had
been in complete solitude only looking
up from time 10 time with a pleased
smile or IN apt remark, with showed
that he did not lose but rather enjoyed
what was going on about him.
His Childruns friends were his
friends. AS bis daughters grew up, he
had the habit of inviting their more
intimate companions TO his library for
an afternoon weekly. Tn those occa.
slons there was always some subject
connected with the study Of nature
under discussion, hut the talk was SO
easy and so fully illustrated that 1t did
not seem like q lesson.