Homer guardian., 1889-05-31
The Teachers Institutes.

Pursuant to previous announce
ments the Teachers Institute work
crs weresin Homer Monday morn.
ing the 9th inst ready and pre-.
pared to begin their useful and
important labors. This body is
composed Of the following named
ladies and gentlemen: Prof. Thos.
D. Boyd President of the Normal
School and conductor of the Insti
tutes, Prof. A. L. Smith who
exemplifies the improved methods
of teaching Arithmetic and Geo
grapby, Prof. NJ. G. Brumbaugh,
Language, Science and School
Management. Miss Nellie Hughs
History, Drawing and Language,
and Miss Emma Oswalt Primary
reading, Writing and Numbers.
At 8 o'clock A. M., on the above
date the school under the manage
ment Of Mrs Lawrence was called
to order and classes arranged to
be used during the five days of
the Institutes. The session was
then opened in the hall of the
Masonic College. After a song of
greeting by the Homer Choir,
President Boyd made some INTRO
ductory remarks which were listen
ed to with considerable interest by
q large audience of citizens teach
ers and pupils. The scholarly
gentleman emphasized the thought
most conducive to success iu the
teachers calling, co operation,
that the good results of the work
done IN the school room depends
largely upon the help and sympa
thy received from the patrons.
That without hearty co-opration
Of patrons and teachers, the work
Of the teacher no matter how
honestly it may be performed,
does not work out the grand re-
suits for the up building Of
character among the pupils and
for the apprecisble growth of the
mind.
Prof. Brumbaugh was then
introduced and continued the dis
,ussion Of the subject in his easy
''tlassic style. He is indeed most
leasing speaker, ripe scholar
d an honest, earnest worker in
he cause of education. He dwelt
rpon the responsible position of
he teachers, claiming for him an
next to, the exalted
position Of the minister of the
gospel. He held that unto the
eacher is committed the duty and
of moldins character and
ducaling the mind.'
Miss Emma Oswalt next dis
,ussed the subject of numbers in
irst lessons. The easy and grace.
III manner with which she present.
d her subject, and handled the
'o!ored splints, in showing the
lass the different combinations of
he number eight, showed that she
'as a we'll diciplined and an
ficient teacher.
Prof. Smith was then introduc-
d and entertained the audience
18th instructions on the subject
t Geography. He save q brief
utline Of the structure of the
arth and the results effecting
lerefrom. He showed how teach.
'g Geography might be made
lore interesting and instructive
nd That great improvements could
made in the methods of teach Il
g this branch. This gentleman
Ter on gave an interesting lecture 1
Mathematics or number les
ms. He enlarged upon the old .
ethods, such as cyphering and
CURING on a whole side of q slate,
len on the other side, then rub
ing all cut and filling up again 4
II the entire multiplication table Z
as used up. He showed how G
uch easier it was to teach a child !
} understand the value and ap- t
'ication Of fractions by the OBJ. t
ct method, than the old way of '
curing it out. The subject of S
though generally I
'nsidesed dry and uninterestine,
as diCuSsed hv th;a nrnf;o;or+ (