Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-26
TEACHERS INSTITUTE.
ONE HUNDRED AND sIXTY-EIGHT AN.
sWER TO ROLL CALL.
Interesting Discussions-Readi r=s of Es-
says-vocaI and Instrumental Music
-Committees-Ete.

called 10 OrueT Dy NOuute superintendent
B. F. Howard. w. L. Willis was elected
Secretary and Professor James II. Pond
Vice-President.
The following committees were ap-
pointed:
Committee on Introduction.-Mrs N. d.
Merrill, Miss Harriet Mccormack, Mrs.
Helen Taylor, Miss Josie Regain, Miss Liz
zie Griffin, Miss Sarah NJ. Jones. Miss
Flora Greenlaw, Sacramento ; Miss Georgia
Ray, Gait; Mrs Addie A. Spaulding, Fol-
som; Miss Della Manning, Antelope; Miss
Carrie Merrill, CORTLAND; Miss Julia Don
ovan, Florin; Miss Mabel Leimbach,
Michigan Bar.
Committee ON Resolutions-J. E. Blan-
chard, ]. H. Pond, Julian W. Johnson,
Miss Annie C. Weeks, c. V. Osborn.
Miss Grace Dixon rendered fine instru-
mental solo and was warmly applauded.
Mayor Gregory not being present, the ad-
dress of welcome was delivered by Hon.
Ira G.. Hoitt, State Superintendent. He
explained the uses of the Institute, urged
promptness OF attendance upon the teach
ers, and that each should individually re-
solve to help make the present the best
ever held here. He spoke of other County
Institutes which he had attended this year.
and the awakened interest in educational
development lerceptible all over the State
The teachers rank in building the char
acter of the coming generation is next to
that of the parent. He is largely response
Bile for the place in citizenship OF those IN
der his charge, and should feel that this
was the case. Teachers should make the
school-room so attractive that the pupils
would gladly come and gladly stay. He
congratulated the Superintendent on secur-
ing Professor Monroe as conductor.
Professor Hoitt was followed by City Su-
perintendent Beard, who made the follow
ing address:
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: Once
more have The pleasure and the honor to
welcome you in my official capacity.
Two years have passed since last | saw you
here, which years have been especially marked
by the decided progress OF our county and city's
educational affairs.
Looking as l do upon the educational staff of
Sacramento cOunty's district schools as the fond
nursery where many of our citys best educators
have won their first spurs. l welcome you with
the same spirit of cordial friendship, sympathy
and appreciation that it is my pleasant duty to
extend to the city teachers under my more i'm
mediate care.
The law directing the holding of Teachers
Institutes in the various counties of the State is
a wise and beneficial one, no matter what the
occasional adverse criticism on Institutes may
have been. We gather strength and comfort in
these meetings. When viewing the ever in
creasing array of professional teachers, we see
that our work IS thus gradually and surely
spreading, and recognized by the people as the
foundation on which rests the peIpetuity of our
Republic. We take a natural pride and feel
iuSfiGahla aYnifQrinO in bpiufr XVOrEarS in the
most important institution of the whole country
as is the public school.
1t is not amiss to refer in this place and at
this time to the aims and the policy that during
my ineumbency have tried to imprint upon
the conduct of the affairs of our city schools.
OF all the avocations that in the course of busy
life followed, the duties of this Office, must
confess, have given me that pleasure and that
qualification that is the concomitant of love.
While not professional teacher myself, have
constantly tried, while in office, ever TO be
worthy colleague of yours, who considered it
not alone his official duty but his personal obi
cation to be of service to his fellow teachers
and to smooth, wherever consistent with prin-
ciple and duty, their, at best, not oyer-eyen
path.
Rewarded as 1 have already been by having
assigned me by the people Work of such con-
geniality to my taste, yet has your courtesy and
kindness-nay, even forbearanee at umes-
MADE my official work q labor of love.
Ladies and gentlemen, many are the meetings
that are to follow this one of the year 1889.
Many will be the new faces that will Join your
ranks and wider will grow those halls that are
to hold your number. l shall be with YOU as
truly and sincerely in spirit, even if no longer
intrusted by the people with what has been to
me the pleasantest duty Of my life-the admin
istration of the city's public schools.
The Institute then adjourned to section
work being divided into sections A, B and
G, Professor W. S. Monroe taking the SUBJ
ject of number and form, Joseph W. John
- "a Ill l.;
tory.
Mrs. Purnell spoke of the importance of
history as a study in shaping the intelli-
gence of the children and upon their future
citizenship. 1t is co-relative with geog-a-
ply, as with literature. Little advance
ment can be made in either without imbib-
ing some knowledge of history. The in
ductive method is largely followed. Prom
inent and salient points are used, to which
facts dependent upon them are fastened,
and the receptive mind gradually amasses
a fund of historical knowledge. But we
should not endeavor to load the mind with
too much.
She elucidated general plan from few
facts about the mound builders, and the
discovery by Columbus, down through the
colonial period to and through the consti-
tutional period to the present time.
IL ID nOt 81 ALlPOlldAt III llSCll lLldb luc
children should learn that certain men
have lived, as it is that they should under
stand the influence that their lives and
actions exerted on our country's attain
ments and destiny.
The scenes of the revolution, as well as
of the civil war, could be made by the
teacher a reality to the pupil. The differ
ent events form so many links in the
chain, and history, whether our own or
that of other countries, repeats itself.
Lessons committed verbatim are not
nearly so effective as that the child should
grasp the idea and express it in its own
language. Gems of poetry delineating his
torical events are very effective adjuncts.
Mr.. Johnson gave practical illustration
of teaching square root, taking a class of
pupils who had had no previous instruc-
ton.
Professor Munroe explained to the Sec
tons his method of teaching number and
form. They belong to the primary grades,
and require teachers fitted for the work to
teach them successfully. The wisest plan
places the most experienced teachers and
those best qualified over the primary grades,
and the sentiment is gaining ground, and
rightly, that such teachers should receive
as good compensation as those teaching
the higher grades. a good grammar school
teacher NAV be avery poor primary teacher
Arithmetic is valuable d-developer
Were it not so it would be better to defer it
until the child was twelve years old, when
it would learn much more readily. Num-
Der must be learned by the contemplation
and the use of objects, not by the old
method of symbols. At the same time the
child must be taught to associate the SYM
boil with the object as definite quantity
The ability to count thousand does not
imply that the child has clear perception
of number. The object should be used
until the child shows ability to mentally
associate the object with the symbol which
is given him-that is, that when the num-
Der three is named, its mind may present
to it picture of three definite objects. The
best teachers teach during the first year the
properties of numbers only as high as ten,
or, at the most, twelve. Those who try to
do more do not succeed in having the class
get thorough knowledge of the combina-
| tons of numbers.
We have too much careless blackboard
work, and teachers who set the example by
| being careless are to blame. Pupils are imi-
tative, and copy the omissions of the
teacher in their own work.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Institute reconvened at 1:30 P NJ,
Professor Howard in the chair, all the
members present, as well as a large num-
II