St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-04-28
TIMBER FOR TEACHERS.
An Exhibition by the New Training
School Class
INCLUnESA RED HOT DEBA TE
Ideas Of an Object Lesson In Reading
and Numbers Intelligent Views
l. Of Duties.

three young ladies, representing the
teachers training school, which as
sembled at the Madison school yester-
day afternoon. There was not an
angular, raw-boned woman in the
group. A more winsome, plump and
intelligent-looking lot Of girls could
scarcely be chased together in the city,
and Miss Evans, who presides
over the destinies of the class.
looks and acts the model princi-
pal. One of the class whispered
confidentially to the GLOBE reporter
that ''she was a perfect lady, and ''the
only woman she could get along with"
The room in which the training class
headquarters is in the handsome new
addition to the building and is very at
tractive. Several vases of flowers shed
a delightful fragrance upon the air.
The atmosphere was decidedly SchO-
lastic, heightened by neatly written
quotations from DieSterweg, Russell
and Herbert Spencer, on the subject of
teaching, which adorned the background.
The occasion was the giving of public
exercises, and the room was well
filled with visitors, including half a
dozen members of the board of educa-
ton. The programme was entirely
technical, but none the less interesting
on that account. After some chorus
singing by the class, five essays were
read, SandWiched between practical eX-
ercises and music. The titles were as
follows: "What Determines the Prac-
teal Value of a System of Education,"
Miss Cora Harrison; "Habit," Miss Jes-
sic Larimore; Examinations, Their
Uses and Abuses" Miss Louise Best;
'The Recitation, Its Purposes and
Methods; the Teachers Reading Mat
ter" Miss Belle Foster. All of these
themes were treated from the stand
point of the prospective teacher, and
each was deftly and intelligently
handled.
THE PRACTICAL EXERCISES
were extremely interesting, and con-
sisted of object lessons. The first was
primary reading class, conducted by
Miss Margaret Siddall. Half dozen
little tots from the school filed in and
grouped themselves about the black
board, whereon the lessons were con-
Quoted. Several objects, including an
orange, marble, top, cup and ball
were exhibited and the names written
on the board, the idea being to familiar
ize the little pupils with the sight of
the written word connected with the
real object. "a red ball." written
with red crayon, at once con-
veyed the color, and ''a white
MARBLE" in white chalk, did
the same, the real objects shown CORE
spending in color. Miss Minnie Perry
then conducted juvenile, but little
older class, through number lesson in
the same kindergarten style. The chill
dren each selected given number of
small objects from box and by this
means made their little calculations,
siOnal appeals to the objects. For in
stance, they took the mineral 9 and de-
veloped it, going through addition, snb-
traction and division. The practical
examples some of the youngsters gave
were unique and original. Both of
these exercises were quite pleasing and
entertaining.
! THE FEATURE OF THE PROGRAMME
was discussion of the proposition that
the working and prize systems are per-
niciouS to the true interests of educa-
ton. 1t was conducted by Misses Anne
liza Harrington and Margaret Siddale for
the affirmative, and Misses Evelyn Nc
Donald and Hattie Tromenhauser for
the negative. The argument was ex-
ceeding trenchant on either side, and
showed depth of feeling and a breadth
of view that very much pleased and inter-
ested the auditors. The affirmative took
the ground that the marking or per cent
system created jcalOasies and bad feel
ing, and from the fact that it was UNI
just, and that the injustice was quickly
recognized by the childish mind, was
honnfnI Tho
appealed to the lower instead of the
higher motives, and that the only con-
ditions under which it could be success
full were too UtOpian for consideration.
The defense took broader grounds, and,
while admitting that the system was
open to abuses, claimed that tie abuses
and not the system, were PERM
cious. They elaborated the bene-
fits to be derived, and charged
the affirmative with presuppOsing all
teachers were blunderers and all pupils
vicious and narrOw-minded. The dis
cussion lasted over an hour, and was
cut short by the approach of the sup
per hour. The judges weighed the
matter very carefully, and finally re-
ported a verdict in favor of the mega
tive, and then evened matters by say
ing the affirmative had the better de-
livery. This, however, was largely be-
cause the negative was cut short by the
flight of time.
The programme was very much
abridged, by the lateness of the hour
and the audience lost quite treat.
Miss Evars told the committee that one
of the brightest numbers would be a
''Reverie" by Miss MDOnald, on
''The Trials and Tribulations of Grow
ing School Girl" Mr.. Ankeny, chair
man of the committee, thanked the
class, on behalf of the board, for the
davis entertainment