River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-03-21
Ellsworth Association, March Q.


Only partial report of the forenoon
session can be given as we failed to get
there on time.
We was informed that the meeting
was duly called to order by Pres. w. G..
Hartranft, who appointed G. j. Brewer
as critic tor the day.
The first topic presented was "Resolu-
ton on Mental Arithmetic ;" b w. G..
Hartranft. The topic was well presented
and the discussion very lively.
The next subject was Resolution on
Diagrams" presented by Slpt. Brewer
We arrived at IL 80 A. NJ. and found Mr..
Brewer at the blackboard with several
sentences written thereon, and members
of the association Analysing them.
Although we do not agree with Mr.
Brewer on diagraming will say that he
presented his subject in a very logical
manner He gave a resolution to the
association to be voted upon but some
of the members wished to take more time
to think about it and asked for half an
hour at tne commencement of the after
noon session in which to finish the dis
cussion. The same being granted the
meeting adjourned until 1:l5 P. NJ.
The afternoon session was called to
order and the discussion on diagraming
taken up. After some good points were
brought out on bot. sides Supt. Brewer
presented the following resolution:
ResoIUed, That diagraming should not
be used in analysis.
1t was rejected by vote of fourteen
to ten.
The next topic was Primary Reading"
by S. T. Irvine. He advocates the use
of charts for beginners, with free use of
the blackboard so as to give variety
Quite a number of suggestions were
offered by members of the association.
A rest was taken, after which Miss
Matte Foster presented the subject,
Primary Form Language" in an excel
lent manner. She would have pupils
copy paragraphs from readers, and would
use pictures, large ones preferable, and
have pupils tell and write story about
it, after studying the picture carefully.
Would teach letter writing.
The discussion which followed brought
out some good features in regard to the
teaching of this branch
w. Owen then presented the subject,
incentives and Punishments." lie
classified incentives as conscious and I'M
conscious. Under conscious incentives
he places prizes, class-marks, praise, etc.
He would not use prizes for the reason
that they beget strife among the pupils,
which is not good for them. He stated
that class marks may be used and that
praise was Al righ. Under unconscious
incentives he places principally desire
for knowledge, and stated that it is the
duty of the teacher to produce that desire
if possible. Under the heading punish
ments," he stated that we have great
many kinds to choose from and that the
teacher must use his judgment. He
would use whipping as a punishment.
He would lot punish two pupils alike for
committing the same offense, for the
reason that pupils have different tempera-
ments.
An animated discussion followed in
which few good points were brought
out.
The critics report was read in which
faulty language was corrected and some
valuable suggestions offered, among
which were: That the members of an
association should come to a conclusion
on one question at time and not offer
another question until the first was set
tied, and that the associations were ar
irving at general results.
The association adjourned, and as usual
the majority of the members left feeling
well paid for the time spent, although
little unsettled in regard to methods, etc,
but this is what we need to set US think
ing as TO which is the best method to
pursue in order to make our teaching
success.