The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1889-10-31
Issr1rurr.-1t is simply impo..ible to

aims, its magni6cently colored rocks, its
deserts and lovely waving palms were
naturally portrayed; truly it must be
seen to be appreciated.
Wednesday,: The lesson on reading
this morning was fertile in ways and
means for bringing out the interesting
soints i'll the lesson. A question in
arithmetic brought out a variety of opin-
ions, some contending that about four
years work could be accomplished in a
five months term. The balance of the
work for the day was continuation of
lessons already begun and space prevents
US from mentioning the many excellent
points. Miss Wilkins little class in num-
bers was one of the most pleasing feat
ures of the whole work, it showed teach
ers what may be accomplished by steady
and persistent drill.
Thursday we had the pleasure OF read
ing Snow Bound, and Mrs. Beede's pleas
ant way of imparting her own ideas in
vested this beautiful poem with new
beauty. After recess we had drill in
fractions, and had we been deaf to all
previous instruction during the week,
the new idea in regard to division of
fractions would pay us we'll for being
there. " divided by Aequal what? How
many of even the teachers will answer 2
whole things. Think of it. 1t is worth
your while. Miss Wilkins. gave US again
the benefit of her work in primary num-
bers. 1t is certainly wonderful to note
the perfect ease with which the children
from seven to nine handle numbers.
The Institute now numbers forty
three.
Thursday afternoon lesson in
geography, relative to the causes of the
change in seasons was most instructive.
Many persons think of this change in
seasons as caused simply by the earth's
revolving around the sun, without stop
ping to reason upon the matter at all.
If the earth revolyed around the sun as
the moon does around the earth there
would be no change in seasons. Teach
ers especially should not be satisfied
without a perfect knowledge of this
ma tier.
Dictionary work had a tendency to
destroy the dissatisfaction OF the
teachers on this subject. One of the best
informed teachers present expected to
be able to find any word in the diction-
airy in one minute. The word given him
was "Boz" Dickens nom-de- plume. He
found the word in four and half min
utes and received a word of praise for
finding it so quickly. Teachers should
study the dictionary, not only as re-
CARDS pronunciation, but for general
instruction in many things that can be
found no where else.
Friday morning the teachers were in
structed in assigning lessons to fourth
reader class; and it became evident that
the rule of thorough preparation given
us by Mrs. Beede at the very start must
be followed in this kind of work. How
shall we be expect pupils to prepare a
lesson of which the teacher himself is ig-
norant?
In arithmetic Prof Rocheleau gave US
some useful hints on percentange. Il
a teacher has done his work we'll i'll frac
tons, common and decimal the pupil
finds nothing new when he reaches per:
centage. Say nothing of rule to him
nothing of base, rate and percentage
but show him that getting rs per cent
of a number is the same as getting one
fourth of it, and the question, 20 is
what per cent. OF one hundred? is the
same as 20 is what part of one hundred
and so on through all the cases.
Our music lesson came in the forenoon
to-day and was thoroughly enjoyed by
all, several teachers declaring their in
tention of eaching vocal music in their
schools. Mrs. Beede h as made this tea.
ture of our institute work very interest.
ing indeed. At the request of some of
the teachers Prof. Rocheleau gave a
few moments to the subject of color, and
recommended teachers to refer to the
manual in regard to teaching it in COM
mon schools. In the afternoon the SUBJ
ject of climate came up in our lesson in
geography this afternoon and was
pretty thoroughly discussed, after which
Mrs. Beede gave us talk on letter writ
ing, showing us the value of becomin G
proficient in this art. She also broght
up the subject of tense in the language
lesson and showed how it may be made
clear to pupils. The sentence: 81 see
Bird" does not always convey the idea
of present time to a child, for how CON-
mon is the remark; 81 see bird yester-
day." add the word NOW" to such
sentences and so on through the differ
ent lenses adding or inserting words
that will give the true idea.
After recess, many of the teac hers in
the city school visited the institute, TAX
ing an active part and evincing much in
terest in our work.
The remarks OF Prof. Rocheleau on
the imagination were interesting. No
study of the common branches is with
out material for awakening the imagi-
nation, not even the matter-offact
study of nun bers.
A vote of thanks was extended by the
members of the institu to the instruct
ors, and never were words truer to the
sentiment. No instructor, be he ever so
able, can do the work in Stearns coun-
ty institute that can be acc omplished
by Prot. Rocheleau. We know
whereof we speak when we state that he
is beloved by the teachers of the COM
mon schools of this county. He has
proven himself their sincere friend, and
none are so tinid as to fear to approach
him and although Mrs. Beede came
among us stranger, she was soon re-
garded as friend and the fact OF so
many teachers remaining until the last
moment to tender their good byes"
express the general feeling of good will.
Never in all our experience in Institutes
have the teachers expressed themselves