St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-10-25
THE TEACHERS AT NEWPORT.
A Successful Convention.


The published reports of the state
teachers association that met at New
port Thursday, Friday and Saturday
of last week all speak in the highest
terms of the profitableness and success
of the meetings. The exercises of the
week opened with reception given by
President Bishop at the new court
house on Thursday evening, who re-
ceived about $50 people.
The subjects discussed in the con-
vention were all of practical nature
and the papers are we'll summarized
by the Express from which these refer
ences to the positions taken by local
teachers are culled: Miss Belle f.
Small of st. Johnsbury gave an excel
lent talk on "Methods in history" the
subject being presented under four
heads: % Fact teaching, (2) The
connected story of history, (3) It's study
by subjects, (4 The philosophy of his
tory. Throughout the talk the OBJ
jects to be attained in history teaching
were kept in mind. Summarized they
were these: To fix forever the impor-
tant facts of history, to lead the pupil
to enjoy history and to create an ap-
petite for further wholesome historical
reading, to inspire patriotism, to get
from the subject a moral as we'll as
mental culture, and incidentally to
cultivate memory, reflection, Judgment
and language.
The teaching of algebra by Prin. w.
E. Ranger of Lyndon, and geometry
by Prof. A. L. Hardy of St. Johnsbury,
two subjects upon the program, were
omitted by request of these gentlemen
owing to the lateness of the hour.
Mrs. Anna S. May, superintendent of
schools in St. JOhnsbury, spoke on the
subject of schools, making an earnest
plea for the better care and support of
the smaller schools in sparsely settled
portions of the towns and favored such
moral and patriotic training in the pri-
mary schools as should withstand all
encroachments of foreign ideas and
power.
Friday evening was given up to
the lecture on Crooks and the art of
reading them," by Rev. G. M. Lamson
of st. Johnsbury. The lecture was
closely followed by large audience of
teachers and citizens. The subject
was SO treated that it not alone inter-
ested the people but formed a power
full stimulant in the objective work of
the convention as whole.
Principal Putney of st. Johnsbury
academy, in reviewing the subject of
classics in preparatory schools, said {:
81 always begin my class-work by ask
ing the pupils the object of studying
an author. l develop the thought that
it is to get that authors ideas, and
continue further to show them that
this is best done through careful
study of grammar"
These officers we're elected for the
ensuing year President, w. FL. San
derson, Woodstock vice presidents,
Ezra Brainerd, Middlebury, Miss Anna
M. Bishop, Brandon, Geo. A. Brown,
Bellows Falls, A. G. Ferrin, Manches-
ter, d. B. Locke, Bradford, D. S. Wat
erman, Barton Landing, Miss Belle F.
Small, st. Johnsbury, Miss Ethel L..
Seaver, Woodstock, x. G. Wheeler,
Richford, E. G. Morey, Montpelier, L..
NJ. JENNIE, Island Pond, Mrs. j. B. Lon
ergan, Winooski. N. w. Phillips,
SOuth Hero; secretary, l.. B. Folsom,
Rutland; treasurer, A. H. Campbell,
johnson executive committee, j. A.
DeBoer, Montpelier, E. III. butcher,
Brandon, w. E. Ranger, Lyndon.