Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-11-29
TEACHERS INSTITUTE.
Paper by MIR. t. r. Allison. OF the Ebens-
burg Schools.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.

Il WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
Institute was called to order by ]. w
Leech, President, after which the Insti
tate Joined In singing Ferr5man Row,
and g Dearest May" under the Leadership
of Prof. Innes. Mr.. Leech then intro
duced Mr.. Brumbaugh, Superintendent
of Huntingdon county, who spoke upoi
Our Work in the Public Schools" point
ing out the different kind Of teacher
that are found in our schools, the nervous
teacher who loses all self.conirol when
stranger enters the school, the noisy
teacher who can be heard squares away
from the school. the cold teacher, who il
so Indifferent that she Imparts no mor'
warmth TO her pupils than we feel, OF
touching toad the teacher who teache!
IN proportion to the pay she receives
If she receives $40 per month sh,
will teach $40 worth and il only
$40 she is going to impart only tina
much knowledge. The teacher is the
central factor In the schools.
The Institute then sung "The Singers
Invitation and g The Farmer Boy"
DR.. White then talked to the Institute
on the Tue Government of the Schools. y
Before commencing his talk he
advised the teachers to u.s. their
note books. DIR. White divided
the Government Methods into Me-
chanicsl and Moral Methods. Under
mechanical methods he referred 1st, to
the seating of pupils. He would have
the most troublesome pupils seated where
they conld be under his eye. He also
said that where double seats are used he
would not have pupils of the same class
seated at the same desk. Where there
are but two grades this would be very
convenient, for by this means the pupils
who remain at their seats will be scattered
over the room and will be more quiet.
He pext spoke of the necessity of pro-
gram. He said that there should not
only be program for recitations but it
should also include study program so
that each pupil may know just what he
is expected to work at. The next point,
Self-Regulating System, clock work"
He said as far as possible he would have
his school self-regulatng. Under Moral
Methods he said there are two lines un-
der which this training may be given,
First, instruction, second, training.
Moral training is not only training, of
the feeling but of the will. The incen-
tives are artificial and natural. The
artificial incentives are price, merits,
privileges and immunities. Under
natural incentives he gives seven Royal
Incentives, /, Desire for rank or stand.
ing. 2, Desire for appreciation. 8, De-
sire for activity and success. 4, Desire
for knowledge. 8, The hope of future
good. 6, Asense of honor, 7, A sense
of duty. DIR. White does not think that
artificial incentives should ever be used,
or that they should seldom be used.
"The Moon on the Lake" was tnen sung.
A recess of few minutes was then
given. After recess THE Moon on the
Lake." and Christmas is Coming" were
sung. Mr.. j. G. Carroll occupied the
next period by a talk or penmanship.
DIR. Snyder spske next, geographical
teaching is the building up in the pupils
mind clear concepts Of the earth as the
home of man. Historical teaching is
building up in the pupils mind clear con-
cepts of the deeds done by the human
family. The teaching of literature is
building up in the pupils mind vivid con-
cepts of the best sayings, thoughts and
highest aspirations of the human family.
Institute adjourned at 4;20 to meet
Thursday morning.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
Music by the Ebensburg orchestra and
recitation by Mr.. Foley preceded the
lecture by DR.. E. E. White on "Charac-
ter" The lecture was an intellectual
treat of the highest order. He clearly
presented the fundamental principles on
which true and noble character. The
face, the laugh. the actions, are an index
to the character of the individual.
THURSDAY MORNING.
Institute assembled at nine o'clock, and
after music, led by Prof. Innes, Mr.. T. B.
Allison, principal of the Ebensburg
schools, read paper on Teaching Pri-
mary Geography" as. follows:
The child ought to be taught geography very
early in life. The first reason that we would
give for this early instruction In geography is
that so much OF our education, both in our COM
mon schools and in our normals and colleges,
depends upon this branch.
Being the study of the earth and its inhabi-
tants 1t embrace history and in our higher edu-
tlon.s the basis Of geology, numerology, botany,
zoology, chemistry, and otherphyscal sciences.
Again IL is such an excellent means OF culti-
waiting the imagination. This power OF the
mind commences in early childhood and con-
tlnues to the very end Of life BY it we re-unlto
and re-combine the sense products OF the mind
into other forms. BY 1t we picture what we
ought to be and we strive to reach that ideal.
Its tendency, II rightly cultured, is to elevate
US.
But how can the child be taught geography at