Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-04-07

sight than to know that two letters
make certain word.
The mistakes that the book keeper
makes are usually in one of the funda-
mental operations. not in wrong debts
and credits.
/ For the subject Properties Of Mum.
bers, " think we have no use whatever.
Business examples in fractions rarely 60
beyond eighths and sixteenths. There
is no need OF more than one case each in
multiplication or division Of fractions.
Too little attention is given to pointing
off in multiplication and division
of decimals. Denominate numbers
are given too little attention,
1 don't know why physicians prescrip-
tion should be as Greek to US, or why
we should not be able to read it. The
tables of weights and measures and the
miscellaneous tables are neglected.
Longitude and time ought also to be
thoroughly understood. Three-fourths
of percentage might profitably be omit
ted. Merchants rarely count theiI
profits by sales per cent. He knows
how many dollars he gains or loses, and
that is enough. One method is enough
in interest. Teach one method and lei
that be enough. Bank discount and in.
surance ought to be taught. Life in
surance, hSwever, is a complicated sub
ject.
The most practical year Of my life was
the first year that ever taught.
Most of the unnecessary subjects can
easily be learned when needed in after
life. They will have to lie learned oveI
again anyhow when needed. Square
and cube root are not much used in after
life. The names are the only thing al
all difhcult in the metric system. The
text books might be made in two parts,
leaving the less practical part till they
reach the higher grades in school.
A great deal of profitable discussion
followed.
Prof. Melville Dozier, of the State
Normal School, continued the discus
sion of the subject of arithmetic. He
thought that the only way in which the
metric system will ever be adopted is by
the teachers showing the rising genera.
ton, who will become oar lawmakers,
the absurdity of the common system
and the excellence and simplicity of the
metric. II we are going to teach our
pupils all the cases in percentage, it is
clear that we must teach the formulas.
After recess Superintendent McGrew
addressed the section on the subject OF
reading.
There are in reading a vocal, phys.
ical and mental element. The usual
way of assigning lesson is very care
less. The teacher should mean some
thing in giving lesson. He believed in
definite requirements. II there is ten.
dency to want to get through the book,
select lessons misceilaneonsly. Definite
dictionary work should be assigned to
the whole class in connection with every
lesson. If you say: Take the lesson
and learn it WELL" that means nothing
to them.
The kind of assistance that should be
given depends. Of course, on tho matter,
See that they fully understand the sub.
ject matter. Bring it at least within
their reach. Biographical sketches
should be prepared directing their atten.
tion to the man who wrote what they
are reading-when he was child. then
as a student, and then as an author. A
change of reading books is often an ad-
vantage. He suggested occasional exer-
cises in sight reading He preferred
drill exercise in reading to the art of elo-
cution, especially country elocution. In
Burlington. Iowa, the Board has pro-
vided about twenty different sets of
readers, which are used in rotation in
the various ward schools with excellent
results. 1t would be, perhaps, prefera-
BILE to assign the succeeding lessons be-
fore hearing the recitation. so that the
proper assignment should not be neg
lected.
Mr.. Keran, by request, gave Prof.
Parker's definition of reading, as follows:
Reading is the getting or the giving Of
thought by means of printed or written
characters, either orally or silently
In the intermediate section Superin-
tendant McGrew discussed the subject
of geography. HIS ideas on educa.
tional subjects are very clear and accu.
rately expressed. His talks comprise a
resume of the best methods and have
proved very interesting to the members
Of the institute.
He was followed by Miss Mary j. Ii
tus, of the State Normal school at San
Jose. Miss Titus took prominent part
in the work of the institute last year,
and her presence this year has awak'
ened great expectations among the teach
ers this year. Her talks on arithmetic
aud language before the intermediate
sections did not disappoint these expect
atoms.
| Miss Jessie Frater's talk ON reading
was also interesting. The great men oi
the future will voice the training that
we are giving now. The usefulness ol
reading is not confined to one or few
professions; it lightens the path of life
to every one. The elements of voice
culture are best acquired by imitation.
She closed by saying that if our work in
reading is well done our reward shall be
men and women whose message from
above shall touch all hearts, and whose
words of wisdom shall chain all minds
The primary section, presided over by
MIS-. M. M. Hewes, was addressed by
Miss Titus on her favorite subject
Numbers" After discussion and re
cess Miss Titus gave her views on tn,
teaching of languages, and Miss Abbi,
Frater emphasized the Importance of I
good foundation in teaching spelling.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The exercises opened with music BY
the committee under direction of Prof
Kent.
Tho roll-call showed many absentee
ON account of the rain.
Prof Fred H. Clark of the Higl
School then addressed the institute re
qarding the relation Of the High Schoo
to business life. Passing over the vari
GUS elementary schools. beginning will
the Kindergarten and primary, he refer
red to the denomination given to tn
grammar" schools. Tracing the applica
ton of the term to the schools where Lat
in grammar was taught, he showed hov
little the name grammar, as applied Il
those schools, is really descriptive of tn
true character OF those schools. Neithe
are the names "high school" and ''uni
versity" always descriptive Of the tru,
character of the institutions which Deal
that name.
The constitution of this State pro
vides that the State funds shall be ap
piled exclusively to the support OF tn,
primary and grammar schools.
Between the university, which is ais,
a State institution, there must then b.
some school which shall oovei
the course between these.
two institutions for which the constitu
ton has provided. Two fundamental
questions arose in the consideration OF
this subject.
Is is good for boys and girls who are
not to be scholars, TO be taught these
studiesf
II this be answered in the affirmative
then does this instruction belong prop
erly to the public.
suppose that our nation could live
without the national postoffice system
50 also the nation might live without