Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-01-24

as well as teachers Correspondence is solicited
but the right 10 reject any article is reserved.
Mathematical puzzles, grammatical QuibhleS,
&c, will not be inserted In this column. Let
as consider things OF more vital importance to
our boys and girls
The teachers meeting held in
Mineral Point, Jan. 10, was well
attended. Many friends aud patrons
of the schools were present The
meeting was especially in the inter
est of the country teachers, large
number of whom we're present
There were not as many present,
however, as should have been. The
country schools, above all others,
need to be improved, This im-
provement must come largely
through the country school teacher.
No wide awake, progressive teacher
will fail to attend these meetings.
One very pleasant feature of the
meeting was the interest manifested
by the visitors, some of them tax
ing part in the discussions. This is
what we wish. Let us have more
of the friends with us the next
time. The program shows the Or
der of the exercises, with the eX.
ception of vocal music, which was
furnished by Messrs. Hankins and
NeCollius, Miss Roberts and Mrs.
Crum.
PROGRAM.
l. How May Better Attendance
upon our Schools be Secured?-Geo.
e. Cabanis.
.. Waste in Elementary Schools.
II II. Arthur.
g. Primary Arithmetic. Mlss
Stephens.
4. Three "Don' ITS. B. W. Gillett.
5. Conditions Necessary for Good
Order.-Prof. J. w. Livingston.
8. Reading-Q) Textbooks; (3)
/ Supplementary IN Grammar Grades,
j. l.. Davies
Z. Arithmetic in Grammar Grades.
Miss NJ. Meyers.
The paper Of Mr. Arthur was
full Of practical suggestions. Mr.
Liyingston's paper was especially
fine. These papers will be pub
Ished in this column.
Condensed from paper read in the rcgula
/ teachers meeting 0l The eify sebools)
Arithmetic takes too large a por
ton of the time, in majority oI
our schools, yet few pupils become
really accurate and expert In the
practice of arithmetie. Sufficient
care is not taken in teaching the
smaller numbers. A child may
count ten, though he does not know
ten. He does not know ten until
he knows all the ways that ten may
be produced by putting together
numbers, and all the ways ten may
be destroyed by taking away mum
bers from it. In this initiaLory
work the child should deal largely
with things, not with distractions
=
In primary grades the main OBJ
! ject is to give the pupils the ability
to perform the four fundamental
operations with accuracy, rapidlty
and neatness. The training should
be SO thorough, that in all subse
/ quent work, these operations may
be performed semimechanically
Not enough practice is given IN
problems from real life. often
ascertain from pupils the market
price OF butter, eggs, -four, corr,
etc, and give the children practical
questions on these articles. la I'M
agiuation, pupils are sent to make
purchases with a certain amount OF
money, and are required t. know
the correct change. Such exercises
are very interesting to the children.
TO develop qulckness, time the
/ pupils frequently, having them all
work the same problem.
Pupils should be taught to avoid
4 frequent changes in their work.
I Have them put down their work
with the thought that it Is to stand
as written. Pupils should be trained
to put examples on the blackboard
neatly, without any eraslng or re.
writing. LIzzIE BIsHoP
HN
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